The latest poll numbers for Gov. Tom Corbett again don’t look good.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett. Photo by CHRISTOPHER MILLETTE

His job performance remains low, with only 25 percent of registered voters saying he’s doing an excellent or good job,  according to the Franklin & Marshall College poll released today.

That percentage represents little change from February’s 26 percent.

Not surprisingly, the poll showed that few Democrats (12 percent) or Independents (20 percent) think he deserves re-election in 2014, but the poll summary said it’s surprising that fewer than half of Republicans (46 percent) think he should get a second term.

“The governor’s difficulties with voters may be due in part from the priorities he has emphasized in recent months,” the pollsters wrote.

“Debate in the state capital has centered on efforts to privatize the state liquor stores and the state lottery, but these issues rank well below the economy, creating jobs, or improving public schools as important issues (that) voters want state government to address,” they wrote.

The data represented the responses of 526 registered voters, including 265 Democrats, 196  Republicans and 65 registered as Independent or a third party.

The survey was conducted April 30-May 5.

Among other findings, the survey showed that U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey’s favorability ratings jumped to 35 percent, up from the 26 percent in February.

That could be due to the senator from Pennsylvania’s bipartisan effort to close the loopholes on background checks for gun buyers – an effort that was defeated in the Senate.

– John Guerriero

Scratch one Democratic candidate from the 2014 gubernatorial primary.

The Associated Press is reporting that Philly millionaire businessman Tom Knox won’t run for Pennsylvania governor.

Instead, he’s considering another run for Philadelphia mayor, according to AP.

There still will be no shortage of Democrats announcing plans to compete in the party primary for the right to face Republican Gov. Tom Corbett, should he win the GOP nomination.

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter cannot run again after being re-elected to a second term in 2011, according to AP.

– John Guerriero

Add another Democrat to the list of candidates who want to take on Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett.

Tom  Wolf, previously mentioned as a potential candidate in 2014, today declared his candidacy in an e-mail to supporters.

Tom Wolf/2008 file, AP

The York County businessman and former state revenue secretary called for an end to Corbett policies that he said have pinched the middle class.

“I  believe we can do so much better. So today we begin a journey together to reclaim fairness for the middle class. Let’s engage in a great debate over policy, values, fairness and our future,” he said in a statement.

Former Gov. Ed Rendell appointed Wolf as revenue secretary in 2007, and he served in that job until November 2008.

– John Guerriero

The proposed expansion of Medicaid in Pennsylvania is getting another hearing — this time in Pittsburgh.

And state Sen. Sean Wiley, of Millcreek, D-49th Dist., is joining the Senate Democratic Appropriations Committee for the public hearing — though he isn’t a member of the panel.

Sean Wiley/ETN file photo

The hearing is scheduled to last until noon at the Wyndham University Center in Pittsburgh.

It will be streaming live at www.pasenate.com.

Among those scheduled to testify is Shona Eakin, executive director of Voices for Independence. The Erie nonprofit advocates for the disabled.

Gov. Tom Corbett is awaiting more answers from the federal government before he decides whether to accept the expansion of Medicaid in Pennsylvania. The expansion is a component of the Affordable Care Act.

The House Democratic Policy Committee held a hearing Thursday in Erie on the same subject.

– John Guerriero

Gov. Tom Corbett is going on another trip soon.

Gov. Tom Corbett/ETN file photo

He plans a trade mission to Brazil and Chile in April, one year after a trade mission to France and Germany.

But Corbett told the Erie Times-News Editorial Board that it wasn’t a boondoggle.

Corbett said during his European trip, he attended 46 meetings in six days.

“It was like a political campaign in France and Germany,” he said.

Corbett also said that all governors make trade missions to California, hoping to lure high-tech business to Pennsylvania.

– John Guerriero

Do Democrats need a contested primary for governor in 2014?

Political commentators Terry Madonna and Michael Young think it would be to the party’s advantage if it hopes to unseat incumbent Gov. Tom Corbett, a Republican.

Political analyst Terry Madonna/ETN file photo

They argue in their latest “Politically Uncorrected” column that the Democrats have a “nobody problem,” meaning not enough people know what they call an “impressive” field of potential candidates statewide.

One way to generate name recognition, they say, is through “a good old-fashioned party primary, one that will give their candidates a chance  to offer their vision for Pennsylvania, while giving those voters a chance to size up the candidates.”

But they acknowledge a primary battle is not a popular view. “It’s widely believed that contested primaries usually waste limited campaign resources, gratuitously offer general election opponents juicy targets and turn off voters,” they wrote.

How many of the potential Democratic candidates do you know?

The analysts say they include former state Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger; Philly businessman Tom Knox; state Treasurer Rob McCord; Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski; Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz; former Congressman Joe Sestak; state Sen. Mike Stack; and former Revenue Secretary and businessman  Tom Wolfe.

One name that won’t be on the list is former Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper, of Erie, who has decided to run for Erie County executive this year.

– John Guerriero

The news for Gov. Tom Corbett doesn’t seem to get much better.

Gov. Tom Corbett/ETN file photo

Low approval ratings have some people wondering about his chances for re-election.

He’ll come out with a budget Tuesday that’s sure to draw criticism from some quarters.

And now political analysts Terry Madonna and Michael Young have come out with a column spelling out what they say have been Corbett’s missteps in what they call “a brutal first two years.”

Madonna is a political science professor at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, while Young is managing partner of Michael  Young Strategic Research.

Read the column here and see what you think.

– John Guerriero

It looks like Gov. Tom Corbett will get some competition, possibly within his own party, when he seeks re-election in 2014.

PoliticsPA reports that Montgomery County Commissioner Bruce Castor is considering a GOP primary challenge against Corbett. The online report says that Castor’s primary complaint is with Corbett’s leadership style.

PoliticsPA noted that Castor and Corbett have been on the ballot together before, with Castor losing to Corbett by 5 percentage points in the 2004 primary for state attorney general.

Even if Castor doesn’t run, Corbett is sure to get competition from the Democratic Party.

Democrat John Hanger, former secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, has announced that he will run. Others could join the field as well.

Stay tuned.

– John Guerriero

Political pundits Terry Madonna and Michael Young are already handicapping the field for the 2014 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election.

Gov. Tom Corbett/ETN file photo

Gov. Tom Corbett is expected to seek re-election. But Democrats smell blood in the water based on his job polling numbers, and the Nov. 6 Democratic victories in the state highlighted by President Barack Obama’s second-term win and U.S. Sen Bob Casey’s re-election.

Their column can be found here.

Madonna and Young say it’s even possible that Corbett could face a challenge in the GOP primary.

They say the field of potential Democratic candidates includes Ed Rendell (again, though he says no), state Treasurer Rob McCord, Attorney General-elect Kathleen Kane, former Congressman Joe Sestak, Casey, and Josh Shapiro, current chairman of the Montgomery County commissioners.

Sounds like 2014 could be interesting.

– John Guerriero

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett is endorsing Mitt Romney, the Romney campaign announced today.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett. File photo by Christopher Millette

The announcement comes just days before the state’s primary, but with an eye toward the Nov. 6 election.

“I’m extraordinarily proud to earn Tom’s support,” Romney said in a statement.

“Tom has been a wonderful leader for Pennsylvania and shares my values of spurring economic security through scaling back the size of government and promoting pro-growth policies,” he said.

Mitt Romney speaks in Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

“There is no doubt that Pennsylvania will be a crucial state in November. With Tom’s help, I know that I will be able to share my vision of restoring American greatness to Pennsylvania voters,” Romney said.

Corbett said now that the long primary season has ended, it’s time for Republicans “to come together and unite around the one candidate who can defeat Barack Obama and institute a bold conservative vision that we need in Washington.”

Corbett said that’s why he supports Romney.

It might be news to Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul that the primary season is over. Both have vowed to stay in until the GOP convention in August.

– John Guerriero