Bruce Castor, the minority Republican member of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, started "sticking his toe" in the waters of the 2014 race for Pennsylvania governor after the fall elections.
"Now," Castor said in a video interview with Pennsylvania Cable Network, "it's more up to the ankles."
Castor said he saw the defeat of a slate of candidates who he said were largely selected by Corbett as a referendum on the Governor's platform.
"The Governor has expended his political capital, but not on the things that we care about or the things that he campaigned on," Castor said, citing pension reform, property tax reform, and right-to-work legislation as examples.
Castor said the national economic recovery has proceeded "three times faster" than Pennsylvania's while Corbett has been in office.
Castor was undeterred by recent poll results that showed only 11 percent of Republican voters backing him in a primary contest with Corbett. He noted that he's been out of the statewide political picture for several years and described himself as "a relative unknown."
More important, Castor said, are the results of a second poll which showed that only 45 percent of Republican primary voters back Corbett for re-election in 2014. 54 percent of voters in that poll either said they were unsure of backing Corbett or that they would prefer another candidate.
Castor believes he could be that candidate.
"I would be a credible alternative if the trend [of Corbett's sliding approval rating] continues," Castor said.
Castor left open the possibility that he might withdraw from consideration if the Corbett administration experiences a turnaround during the second half of its term.
"I'm not going to run just to make a splash. I want Pennsylvania to go down the right path," Castor said.
"I want Pennsylvania to be a conservative state, but with pragmatism and practicality. I don't see those things happening, but I'm watching."
Castor, who was defeated by Corbett in primary phase of the 2004 race for state attorney general, said his misgivings about Corbett aren't personal.
"People want to cast this as a 'grudge match' between us ... I don't dislike Governor Corbett," Castor said. "I voted for him. I raised money for him."
The full 28-minute interview with Bruce Castor is available at PCN.
In my business dealings. Though I'm personally conservative in fiscal and political dealing . I'm a barber . We are politicians by nature . I personally feel this is a smear campaign by a disgruntled administration that is quaking at the thought of possibly losing Control . I'm an underdog and a virtual unknown but not to those who've received my help or my support. The world is run by underdogs. Slander my name beseech me all you will . All I'm saying is how about a little old fashion diplomacy.
Commissioner Matthews was a solid RINO and consequently asked for Montgomery County Republican Committee endorsement in 2011 and did not receive it. During his first four years as Commissioner, Bruce Castor cast more NO votes against unnecessary spending proposals by Hoeffel-Matthews than all previous Commissioners over a 20-year period. Recently working with Shapiro-Richards, he was instrumental in passing a budget which resulted in zero tax increases and restoration of our County's bond rating back up to Aa1. This is the fiscally conservative Republican way. Fiscal discipline, putting taxpayers first, making the right decisions for the right reasons every time. Bruce Castor has proven himself a true conservative Republican. Has fought for we the taxpayers for six years running, having never once sold us out. Some posters in this thread enjoy bashing him at every chance for whatever reasons however, to label him a RINO is dramatically incorrect as the inviolable record, not to be disputed, clearly proves. Bash away, but tell the truth.
All this talk of RINO's gives me the impression that elements within the right wing of the US is looking for traitors more than converts at the current moment.