Pennsylvania State Treasurer election, 2008
Encyclopedia
Pennsylvania's election for Treasurer was held on November 4, 2008. Democratic incumbent Treasurer Robin Wiessmann
had been appointed by Governor Ed Rendell
to fill Bob Casey Jr.'s
term when he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006; Wiessman's appointment included the condition that she would not run for election in 2008.
Four candidates sought the Democratic nomination for the office: John Cordisco
, an attorney and former State Representative from New Hope
; Rob McCord
, a venture capitalist from Lower Merion; Dennis Morrison-Wesley, an investment banker from Harrisburg
; and Jennifer Mann, a State Representative from Allentown
McCord won the primary by a fair margin and faced Tom Ellis
in the general election on November 4, 2008; the Republican Ellis, a Montgomery County
Commissioner, was unopposed for the nomination.
McCord had no prior record in elected office, but worked at the beginning of his career on Capitol Hill, specializing in "budget and regulatory issues." McCord worked more recently as a financial advisor and venture capitalist; his website claims that, during his career, he managed $1 billion in assets and has indirectly worked to create more than 1,900 jobs in Pennsylvania. McCord's opponents, especially Cordisco, have accused him of a lack of financial transparency and of risking conflicts of interest were he to become Treasurer.
Robin Wiessmann
Robin L. Wiessmann served as Treasurer of Pennsylvania from 2007 to 2009. She was appointed by Governor Ed Rendell in 2007. She was unanimously confirmed by the Pennsylvania Senate on April 30, 2007 to fill the unexpired term of Bob Casey who resigned to take his United States Senate seat...
had been appointed by Governor Ed Rendell
Ed Rendell
Edward Gene "Ed" Rendell is an American politician who served as the 45th Governor of Pennsylvania. Rendell, a member of the Democratic Party, was elected Governor of Pennsylvania in 2002, and his term of office began January 21, 2003...
to fill Bob Casey Jr.'s
Bob Casey, Jr.
Robert Patrick "Bob" Casey, Jr. is the senior U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served as Pennsylvania Treasurer, and Pennsylvania Auditor General. He is the son of former Governor Bob Casey, Sr..He is the first Democrat elected to a full term in...
term when he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006; Wiessman's appointment included the condition that she would not run for election in 2008.
Four candidates sought the Democratic nomination for the office: John Cordisco
John F. Cordisco
John F. Cordisco is a former Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.While working as a steel worker, Cordisco earned an undergraduate degree from Rider College and a law degree from Temple...
, an attorney and former State Representative from New Hope
New Hope, Pennsylvania
New Hope, formerly known as Coryell's Ferry, is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 2,528 at the 2010 census. The borough lies on the west bank of the Delaware River at its confluence with Aquetong Creek. A two-lane bridge carries automobile and foot traffic across the...
; Rob McCord
Robert McCord
Robert M. "Rob" McCord is the Treasurer of Pennsylvania.- Biography :Born on March 5, 1959, Robert Maxwell McCord was born in California. When he was 10 he moved to Ardmore PA and later attended Lower Merion High School. After graduating from Lower Merion High, McCord took a year off and then went...
, a venture capitalist from Lower Merion; Dennis Morrison-Wesley, an investment banker from Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
; and Jennifer Mann, a State Representative from Allentown
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
McCord won the primary by a fair margin and faced Tom Ellis
Thomas J. Ellis
Thomas Jay "Tom" Ellis is a Pennsylvania public finance attorney. He served several terms as County Commissioner of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, one of the largest counties in Pennsylvania, before being dropped from the ticket during an intra-party feud...
in the general election on November 4, 2008; the Republican Ellis, a Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
Commissioner, was unopposed for the nomination.
McCord had no prior record in elected office, but worked at the beginning of his career on Capitol Hill, specializing in "budget and regulatory issues." McCord worked more recently as a financial advisor and venture capitalist; his website claims that, during his career, he managed $1 billion in assets and has indirectly worked to create more than 1,900 jobs in Pennsylvania. McCord's opponents, especially Cordisco, have accused him of a lack of financial transparency and of risking conflicts of interest were he to become Treasurer.