Pennsylvania reflects after passing of former governor William Scranton, Jr.
July 31, 2013
HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania: Last Sunday, July 28, 2013, marked the passing of ex-Governor of Pennsylvania William Scranton, Jr.. The "progressive" Republican was 96 years old at the time of his death and leaves behind a political legacy that includes son Bill Scranton, who served as lieutenant governor under Gov. Dick Thornburgh for two terms, in addition to the persisting impact of his efforts to improve the state education system while serving as governor.
Born in the northeastern Pennsylvania city to which his affluent family gave its name, Scranton was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1960, and completed a single term before his election as Pennsylvania's 38th governor in 1962. During his tenure as the state's chief executive, lasting from 1963-1967, Scranton unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for President of the United States. His eleventh-hour entry into the 1964 presidential primary race ended with Scranton being pummeled by the relatively conservative Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater, who went on to lose in the general election to Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson (D).[1]
A popular governor and "skilled in public relations," according to posthumous accounts from various press sources, Scranton used his gubernatorial authority to reform the Pennsylvania Civil Service and the state education system.[2] Under the auspices of a vital economy, he was able to enact substantial increases to state spending, doubling the education budget, and raised the state sales and liquor taxes.
Scranton's push to improve education in the state of Pennsylvania is considered the most defining feature of his governorship. Pennsylvania's community-college system was pioneered under the Scranton administration, as well as the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency. Today, the agency is a national provider of student financial aid services.[3]
He was referred to as a "Kennedy Republican" for having aligned with the Kennedy administration in voting to support the Peace Corps, minimum wage and other liberal-leaning projects while serving in Congress. Scranton's experience also includes a brief stint as a U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.[1]
Gov. Tom Corbett (R) issued a statement following Scranton's death last Sunday in which he called the late governor "a world-class leader in government...He will be remembered as a man of humility, honesty, dignity and integrity." This reflection on the late governor, who served from 1963-1967, adds richer context to Corbett's current state of vulnerability heading into his 2014 re-election campaign. Recently rated as the "most endangered governor in the country" by the Washington Post, Corbett is facing the possibility of following in Scranton's footsteps as a single term governor.[4][5]
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Footnotes
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- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Former Pennsylvania governor William Scranton, Jr. dies," July 30, 2013
- ↑ The Tribune-Review, "Former Pennsylvania governor William Scranton dies at 96," July 29, 2013
- ↑ York Daily Record, "York County figures remember former Pa. Gov. William Scranton Jr.," July 30, 2013
- ↑ Washington Post, "Tom Corbett is the most endangered governor in the country," July 12, 2013
- ↑ The Patriot News, "Gov. Tom Corbett remembers Scranton as a "man of humility, honesty, dignity and integrity," July 29, 2013
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