Swann for gov

[briannell]

Lynn Swann says he is running for Pa. governor
By Kathy Kiely, USA TODAY
PITTSBURGH — In nine seasons as a wide receiver here, Lynn Swann helped the Steelers win four Super Bowls by outjumping defenders for touchdowns.
But for the Hall of Famer, now 53, the most daring leap of his career may be the one he took Wednesday.

Just three days after signing off as an ABC football commentator, Swann confirmed his plans. At a rally attended by some of his former Steeler teammates, he said he'll seek the Republican Party's nomination for Pennsylvania governor this year.


AP file
Swann

Swann has a quip for those who say his lack of political experience is a drawback. "It didn't seem to bother Ronald Reagan," he said in an interview.

It's not unusual for jocks to turn pol. Former athletes from Jack Kemp to Arnold Schwarzenegger have proved they can win in elections, too. But Swann is taking on an unusual challenge.

Only one African-American ever has been elected a state governor: L. Douglas Wilder, who served as Virginia's chief executive from 1990 to 1994. Swann is trying to become the second, and he's doing it in a state that, in the words of local GOP strategist Bill Green, "is not the most progressive." Pennsylvania voters have elected only white males to the top statewide elected offices: governor and U.S. senator.

Even so, Swann has some strength for a campaign rookie. A Keystone Poll in November showed he's running neck and neck with Bill Scranton, his chief rival in May's Republican primary. Scranton served eight years as the state's lieutenant governor, and his father, William, is a former governor.

Pennsylvania Republican leaders are split. Bob Ames, chairman of the Northeast Central Republican Alliance, which covers six counties, is backing Scranton, whom he has "known for years." Chester County GOP Chairman Skip Brion says he thinks Swann has a better chance of winning in the fall "as an outsider with fresh new ideas." The state's more than 300 GOP committee members and county chairs have set an endorsement vote for Feb. 11.

The GOP primary winner will face Democratic incumbent Ed Rendell, a formidable fundraiser. Terry Madonna, a non-partisan political analyst at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa., rates Rendell "the best campaigner in the state's modern history." Rendell also has history on his side: No Pennsylvania governor seeking re-election has lost since 1974.

Republicans think this year could be different. Four candidates are vying for the GOP nomination, which state party Chairwoman Eileen Melvin calls "testimony to Ed Rendell's vulnerability." She said Pennsylvanians are fed up with a poor economy and high taxes.

The Keystone Poll, which Madonna runs, found that more than half of those who responded in November said the state is moving in the wrong direction. Rendell got a 39% favorable rating, while 38% gave him an unfavorable rating. The rest were undecided.

Madonna said he thinks the same kind of exasperation with "politics as usual" that helped Schwarzenegger become governor of California in 2003 might enhance Swann's chances this year. "Voters are tired of both parties and politics as usual," he said. "Some of these candidates that come from outside the political system might get a second look."

Swann already is already moving to cut into Rendell's political base in Philadelphia, where the Democrat was once mayor and remains popular. For lieutenant governor, Swann is backing Jim Matthews, a county commissioner from a Philadelphia bedroom community and a brother of TV political talk show host Chris Matthews.

ABOUT LYNN SWANN

AGE-BIRTH DATE: 53; born in Alcoa, Tenn., on March 7, 1952.
FAMILY: Swann, his wife, Charena, and their two sons, Braxton, 7, and Shafer, 9, live in Sewickley, Pa.
EXPERIENCE: 1974-1983, wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers; 1976-present, sports reporter and analyst for ABC Sports; 2002-2005, chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports; currently on three boards: H.J. Heinz Co.; Hershey Entertainment and Resorts; and Wyndham International.
HONORS: Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001.




Before jumping into the race, Swann said, he consulted with several other sports figures-turned-politicians. Among them: U.S. Rep. Tom Osborne, a former University of Nebraska football coach, and two ex-congressmen who once played pro football, Steve Largent and J.C. Watts. He said they told him that if he could succeed on the gridiron, he could succeed on the campaign trail.

"They said it was about the same, that it was competitive," Swann said. "It requires many of the same skills you use as a professional athlete, in terms of the dedication, in terms of the competition, in terms of the prep work."

Swann isn't leaving his old life behind entirely. His campaign announcement was scheduled for two hours before kickoff of the Rose Bowl between the University of Southern California and the University of Texas. Said Swann, a former All-American at USC, "I'll be home in time to see the game."

Swann, 53, kicked off his campaign with a Wednesday night rally in Pittsburgh, followed by appearances in five other cities Thursday and Friday.

Swann has so far revealed little about his political philosophy or the initiatives he would pursue as governor. He has advocated reducing certain business taxes and said he opposes abortion rights.

The Associated Press contributed to this report