HARRISBURG (TNS) — He’s served in both chambers of Congress. Now U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey reportedly is mulling whether to seek a third U.S. Senate term — or set his sights on the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion.
Toomey, a Republican who lives in Lehigh County, didn’t foreclose on the possibility he might run for governor in 2022 when asked about such a bid over the weekend at the Pennsylvania Society gathering in Manhattan.
“I’ll be thinking a lot more about my own political future after the election next year,” Toomey told The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Toomey’s campaign consultant, Mark Harris, declined Monday to elaborate on Toomey’s thinking regarding his plans.
Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf won’t be running in 2022 because the governor cannot serve more than two consecutive terms.
On the Democratic side, Attorney General Josh Shapiro is widely expected to run, with other potential names including Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, state Treasurer Joe Torsella, and Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney. (Several of those Democrats also are mentioned as possible challengers to Toomey if he decides to run again for Senate.)
Republican state House Speaker Mike Turzai also has expressed an interest in the gubernatorial race.
Political patterns could favor the GOP, with the governor’s office reliably alternating parties in a trend that goes back to the 1970s.
With name recognition and an active fundraising operation, Toomey would be well-positioned, particularly with slim ranks of Republican politicians who are well-known across Pennsylvania.
“After two successful statewide elections, Pat Toomey could clearly consider himself a front-runner if he decided to try his luck,” said Chris Borick, a political scientist and pollster at Muhlenberg College in Allentown.
Toomey, 58, has considered running for governor before. In early 2009, when he was president of the conservative advocacy group Club for Growth, Toomey was exploring a gubernatorial bid, but chose a Senate run instead after Republican Sen. Arlen Specter provided a key vote to pass the massive economic stimulus package in early 2009. Specter later switched parties, and lost to Democrat Joe Sestak in the 2010 primary.
Toomey won the Senate seat in November 2010, and will be wrapping up his second six-year term in 2022. He previously served six years in the U.S. House of Representatives.
If Republicans retain control of the Senate next year, Toomey likely would be heading into a decision on his future having gained another title of interest to him: chairman of the Banking Committee. He nearly received that gavel this session, but a cascade of chairmanship changes due to time limits for how long senators can lead a particular panel meant the Pennsylvania lawmaker had to wait a little longer.
Still, another six-year term amid D.C. gridlock may be less appealing to him than Harrisburg, particularly if Democrats win back the White House.
“For folks in Congress, even in the rarefied air of the Senate, the call to try and win a governor’s race can be strong,” Borick said.
