Rep. Allyson Schwartz '80 percent of the way in' towards governor's run

Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.) is "80 percent of the way in" toward running for governor, Marcel Groen, the chair of the Democratic Party in Schwartz’s home county and a top Pennsylvania Democrat told reporters on Friday.

Schwartz has been thinking about a run against Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett (R) for months, and the Democratic Governors Association recently polled the state to test his vulnerability. According to PoliticsPa.com, the poll showed Schwartz in a strong position to both defeat Corbett and win the Democratic primary if she runs. The report also says Schwartz handed out stickers with her name that didn't say which office she was considering.

Schwartz is a strong fundraiser and close ally of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and would likely make for a strong statewide candidate in the Democratic-leaning state. Her suburban Philadelphia seat has been redrawn to be safely Democratic, so even if she leaves it will likely stay in Democratic hands.

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