William Scranton, III
Encyclopedia
William Worthington Scranton, III (born July 20, 1947, in Scranton, Pennsylvania
) served as the Republican
lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania
from 1979 to 1987 in the administration of Governor Richard Thornburgh. He is the son of former Pennsylvania
Governor William Scranton
, and a member of the wealthy and politically influential Scranton family, the founders of Scranton, Pennsylvania
.
. After college he became the editor
of a local newspaper
in Mountaintop, Pennsylvania
. In 1970, he went to Europe to study the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
's method of Transcendental Meditation
, and became a life-long practitioner of the Transcendental Meditation technique. He then became president and managing editor of the Greenstreet News Company. He entered politics
as a member of the Republican State Committee in 1976.
in 1979. As Lieutenant Governor, Scranton hired Nat Goldhaber
, a member of the Transcendental Meditation movement, as his top aide in Harrisburg. In 1982, he was unanimously elected as Chairman of the National Conference of Lieutenant Governors.
. The race was virtually tied until five days before election day when Casey's media consultants, led by a young James Carville
, launched the now-infamous "guru" ad. This television advertisement portrayed Scranton as having been a regular drug user in the 1960s and mocked Scranton's interest in transcendental meditation
and his ties to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
. The image of Scranton as a "long haired, dope- smoking hippie
" is seen by political observers as having tipped the scales against Scranton in the socially conservative
rural sections of Pennsylvania. Casey went on to win the election by a narrow margin of 79,216 out of 3.3 million votes cast.
Scranton served on the board of directors for a number of Pennsylvania companies. He was Chairman of the Board of the Harleysville Group of Insurance Companies. He also co-founded and co-chaired the Great Valley Technology Alliance.
In 1992, Scranton donated $1,000 to the campaign of his friend John Hagelin
, the Pittsburgh-born presidential candidate for the Transcendental Meditation-backed Natural Law Party
. Scranton says he has always supported Republicans.
" election. Scranton dismissed his first two prior campaign manager
s over strategy issues.
In January 2006 Scranton fired his third campaign manager, Jim Seif, after Seif criticized Scranton's African American
opponent during a television
interview by saying, "the rich white guy
in this campaign is Lynn Swann
." In February 2006, after his request for an open primary was denied, Scranton announced that he was withdrawing from the race for Republican nomination for Governor of Pennsylvania.
, because Ed Rendell
could not run for re-election. He created a new political action committee, GrowPAC.http://www.growpa.com/aboutgrowpa/index.cfm?id=2.
He has maintained a presence in the political arena, speaking at the annual Pennsylvania Leadership Conference and testifying before the State House of Representatives budget hearing. In May 2007, Scranton joined the Board of Directors for the Commonwealth Foundation, a Harrisburg public policy research center. http://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/newsreleases/former-lt-governor-bill-scranton-joins-commonwealth-foundation-board-directors.
On August 20, 2009, Scranton effecively ended speculation he would enter the race by endorsing 6th district
Congressman
Jim Gerlach
for governor.
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
) served as the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania
Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
The Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Lieutenant Governor is elected every four years along with the Governor. Jim Cawley of Bucks County is the incumbent Lieutenant Governor...
from 1979 to 1987 in the administration of Governor Richard Thornburgh. He is the son of former Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
Governor William Scranton
William Scranton
William Warren Scranton is a former U.S. Republican Party politician. Scranton served as the 38th Governor of Pennsylvania from 1963 to 1967. From 1976 to 1977, he served as United States Ambassador to the United Nations.-Early life:...
, and a member of the wealthy and politically influential Scranton family, the founders of Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
.
Early life
Scranton attended Yale UniversityYale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. After college he became the editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
of a local newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
in Mountaintop, Pennsylvania
Fairview Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Fairview Township is a township in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,995 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and 0.10% is water.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000,...
. In 1970, he went to Europe to study the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi , born Mahesh Prasad Varma , developed the Transcendental Meditation technique and was the leader and guru of the TM movement, characterised as a new religious movement and also as non-religious...
's method of Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental Meditation refers to the Transcendental Meditation technique, a specific form of mantra meditation, and to the Transcendental Meditation movement, a spiritual movement...
, and became a life-long practitioner of the Transcendental Meditation technique. He then became president and managing editor of the Greenstreet News Company. He entered politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
as a member of the Republican State Committee in 1976.
Lieutenant Governor 1979-1987
In 1978, he won the Republican primary for lieutenant governor and later that year became the youngest person ever elected lieutenant governor in Pennsylvania. His dual role as Chairman of the Governor's Energy Council and Chairman of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Council put him at the center of the Three Mile Island crisisThree Mile Island accident
The Three Mile Island accident was a core meltdown in Unit 2 of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania near Harrisburg, United States in 1979....
in 1979. As Lieutenant Governor, Scranton hired Nat Goldhaber
Nat Goldhaber
A. Nathaniel Goldhaber is an American venture capitalist, computer entrepreneur and politician. He was the 2000 U.S. Vice President candidate for the Natural Law Party.-Education:...
, a member of the Transcendental Meditation movement, as his top aide in Harrisburg. In 1982, he was unanimously elected as Chairman of the National Conference of Lieutenant Governors.
Candidate for Governor 1986
After his tenure as lieutenant governor, Scranton ran for Governor of Pennsylvania in 1986 against Bob CaseyRobert P. Casey
Robert Patrick "Bob" Casey, Sr. was an American politician from Pennsylvania. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 42nd Governor of Pennsylvania from 1987 to 1995...
. The race was virtually tied until five days before election day when Casey's media consultants, led by a young James Carville
James Carville
Chester James Carville, Jr. is an American political consultant, commentator, educator, actor, attorney, media personality, and prominent liberal pundit. Carville gained national attention for his work as the lead strategist of the successful presidential campaign of then-Arkansas governor Bill...
, launched the now-infamous "guru" ad. This television advertisement portrayed Scranton as having been a regular drug user in the 1960s and mocked Scranton's interest in transcendental meditation
Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental Meditation refers to the Transcendental Meditation technique, a specific form of mantra meditation, and to the Transcendental Meditation movement, a spiritual movement...
and his ties to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi , born Mahesh Prasad Varma , developed the Transcendental Meditation technique and was the leader and guru of the TM movement, characterised as a new religious movement and also as non-religious...
. The image of Scranton as a "long haired, dope- smoking hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
" is seen by political observers as having tipped the scales against Scranton in the socially conservative
Social conservatism
Social Conservatism is primarily a political, and usually morally influenced, ideology that focuses on the preservation of what are seen as traditional values. Social conservatism is a form of authoritarianism often associated with the position that the federal government should have a greater role...
rural sections of Pennsylvania. Casey went on to win the election by a narrow margin of 79,216 out of 3.3 million votes cast.
Private Sector
After losing the 1986 election, Scranton exited politics and managed some California companies and start-up firms. He returned to Pennsylvania in 1994 to spend time with his family.Scranton served on the board of directors for a number of Pennsylvania companies. He was Chairman of the Board of the Harleysville Group of Insurance Companies. He also co-founded and co-chaired the Great Valley Technology Alliance.
In 1992, Scranton donated $1,000 to the campaign of his friend John Hagelin
John Hagelin
John Samuel Hagelin is an American particle physicist, three-time candidate of the Natural Law Party for President of the United States , and the director of the Transcendental Meditation movement for the US....
, the Pittsburgh-born presidential candidate for the Transcendental Meditation-backed Natural Law Party
Natural Law Party
The Natural Law Party was a transnational party based on the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. It was active in up to 74 countries, and ran candidates in at least ten. Founded in 1992, it was mostly disbanded in 2004 but continues in India and in some U.S. states.The NLP viewed "natural law" as...
. Scranton says he has always supported Republicans.
Candidate for Governor 2006
On October 17, 2005, Scranton formally announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for Governor of Pennsylvania in 2006. After it became clear that Scranton would not win the Pennsylvania Republican Party endorsement, his campaign called for Pennsylvania change to an "open primaryOpen primary
An open primary is a primary election that does not require voters to be affiliated with a political party in order to vote for partisan candidates. In a traditional open primary, voters may select one party's ballot and vote for that party's nomination. As in a closed primary, the highest voted...
" election. Scranton dismissed his first two prior campaign manager
Campaign manager
A campaign manager is a paid or volunteer individual, whose role is to coordinate the campaign's operations such as fundraising, advertising, polling, getting out the vote , and other activities supporting the effort, directly.Apart from the candidate, they are often a campaign's most visible leader...
s over strategy issues.
In January 2006 Scranton fired his third campaign manager, Jim Seif, after Seif criticized Scranton's African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
opponent during a television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
interview by saying, "the rich white guy
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
in this campaign is Lynn Swann
Lynn Swann
-Collegiate:Swann attended the University of Southern California, where he was an All-American on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the 1972 undefeated and national championship season. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He...
." In February 2006, after his request for an open primary was denied, Scranton announced that he was withdrawing from the race for Republican nomination for Governor of Pennsylvania.
Possible Candidate for Governor 2010
Scranton's name continued to surface as a possible Republican candidate to run for Governor in 2010Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 2010
The Pennsylvania gubernatorial election of 2010 was held on November 2, 2010. The winning candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor will serve a four-year term from 2011 to 2015. Candidates for Lieutenant Governor were nominated in a separate primary contest; however, the Lieutenant Governor,...
, because 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...
could not run for re-election. He created a new political action committee, GrowPAC.http://www.growpa.com/aboutgrowpa/index.cfm?id=2.
He has maintained a presence in the political arena, speaking at the annual Pennsylvania Leadership Conference and testifying before the State House of Representatives budget hearing. In May 2007, Scranton joined the Board of Directors for the Commonwealth Foundation, a Harrisburg public policy research center. http://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/newsreleases/former-lt-governor-bill-scranton-joins-commonwealth-foundation-board-directors.
On August 20, 2009, Scranton effecively ended speculation he would enter the race by endorsing 6th district
Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district
Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District was substantially redrawn in 2002. Its strange shape brought charges of gerrymandering by Democrats who argued it "looms like a dragon descending on Philadelphia from the west, splitting up towns and communities throughout Montgomery and Berks Counties." ...
Congressman
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Jim Gerlach
Jim Gerlach
James "Jim" Gerlach is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.- Early life, education and career :...
for governor.