The Pennsylvania Story

Traditional Republicans in the Keystone State are now beginning to understand and appreciate the forces and influences that finally culminated in the founding of a Conservative Party in New York. For the first time there is a Conservative Party of Pennsylvania which fielded candidates in this year’s primary for governor and other major state offices but was ruled off the ballot because of alleged defects in its petitions. The case is still pending and a favorable ruling could yet add to the Scott-Scranton woes in November.

Even if the Conservative Party does not make it this time, developments in Pennsylvania Republican politics will almost certainly produce an upheaval that has been simmering ever since the Scranton-Goldwater forces squared away in 1964. For one thing, even Barry Goldwater no longer conceals his bitterness at Governor Scranton for his role in Goldwater’s pre-convention evisceration. Knowledgeable pros were not surprised, therefore, at Scranton’s sudden withdrawal from active politics; many believe he will join Cabot Lodge as one of LBJ’s bipartisan handymen in some overseas post. Although a capable governor, Scranton has proven to be an inept politician ever since Hugh Scott torpedoed a conservative primary ticket in 1962 and plucked Bill Scranton from the obscurity of a House seat to put him over with an assist from Ike.

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Ian Bay

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Traditional Republicans in the Keystone State are now beginning to understand and appreciate the forces and influences that finally culminated in the founding of a Conservative Party in New York. For the first time there is a Conservative Party of Pennsylvania which fielded candidates in this year’s primary for governor and other major state offices but was ruled off the ballot because of alleged defects in its petitions. The case is still pending and a favorable ruling could yet add to the Scott-Scranton woes in November.

Even if the Conservative Party does not make it this time, developments in Pennsylvania Republican politics will almost certainly produce an upheaval that has been simmering ever since the Scranton-Goldwater forces squared away in 1964. For one thing, even Barry Goldwater no longer conceals his bitterness at Governor Scranton for his role in Goldwater’s pre-convention evisceration. Knowledgeable pros were not surprised, therefore, at Scranton’s sudden withdrawal from active politics; many believe he will join Cabot Lodge as one of LBJ’s bipartisan handymen in some overseas post. Although a capable governor, Scranton has proven to be an inept politician ever since Hugh Scott torpedoed a conservative primary ticket in 1962 and plucked Bill Scranton from the obscurity of a House seat to put him over with an assist from Ike.