The 1994 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1994. The incumbent governor, Bob Casey, Sr. (Democrat), was barred from seeking a third term by the state constitution. The Republican Party nominated Congressman Tom Ridge, while the Democrats nominated Mark Singel, Casey’s lieutenant governor. Ridge went on to win the race with 45% of the vote. Singel finished with 39%, and Constitution Party candidate Peg Luksik finished third, garnering 12% of the vote.
Primary elections
Candidates
Democratic
- Catherine Baker Knoll, treasurer (from Allegheny County)
- Dwight Evans, state representative (from Philadelphia)
- Bob O’Donnell, State representative and former Speaker of the House (from Philadelphia)
- Mark Singel, lieutenent governor (from Cambria County)
- Phillip Valenti, Larouche activist (from Chester County)
- Chuck Volpe, insurance executive (from Allegheny County)
- Lynn Yeakel, philanthropist and 1992 senate nominee (from Montgomery County)
Republican
- Sam Katz, political consultant (from Philadelphia)
- Mike Fisher, state senator and 1986 lieutenant governor nominee (from Allegheny County)
- Jack Perry
- Ernie Preate, attorney general (from Lackawanna County)
- Tom Ridge, US Representative (from Erie County)
Campaign
Lt. Governor Singel was a well-known figure in the state and was a clear early frontrunner after serving six months as acting governor as Bob Casey underwent cancer treatments. However, his 1992 defeat by Lynn Yeakel in the 1992 Democratic primary for senate left the party feeling that Singel was vulnerable in a statewide election. Treasurer Catherine Baker Knoll, who was popular with older voters and siphoned the support of some labor groups from Singel, was viewed as his biggest threat, but state representative Dwight Evans, who mobilized urban minority voters, finished a somewhat surprising second. Former state Speaker of the House Bob O’Donnell and Yeakel, who was criticized for campaigning poorly in the close 1992 senate race, both saw their campaigns fail to get traction.
Attorney General Ernie Preate, who was known for both being a tough prosecutor and working to reform the mental health system, was seen as the initial frontrunner, but his attempt was marred by a corruption controversy. Mike Fisher, a state senator and former candidate for lieutenant governor, sought to take advantage of Preate’s missteps but was unable gain a majority of establishment support. Tom Ridge, who Republicans had initially tried to court to run in the 1990 election, slowly built name recognition and gained political backing due to his relatively moderate track record.
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mark Singel | 346,344 | 31.19 | |
| Democratic | Dwight Evans | 234,285 | 21.10 | |
| Democratic | Catherine Baker Knoll | 217,267 | 19.57 | |