Michael Perez/Philadelphia InquirerIn a landmark election, Ed Rendell has become Pennsylvania’s 45th governor, and the first Philadelphian to be governor in 88 years.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Mike Fisher conceded the race shortly before 11 p.m. at a hotel in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Rendell, mayor of Philadelphia for eight years during the ’90s, had long been the projected winner. The Philadelphia Daily News went so far as to declare the headline, “Ed Wins!,” on their Wednesday, Oct. 30 front page.
Dr. Jim Hedtke, chair of the history and political science department, was not surprised at Rendell’s win. Hedtke feels that Rendell will work hard to keep out-of-state college students in Pennsylvania.
“He has always spoken quite openly about keeping Philadelphia college students in the area,” Hedtke said. According to Hedtke, Rendell is a, “cheerleader for the state of Pennsylvania.”
Hedtke said that Fisher has not helped himself with his, “Philly bashing.”
“Keep your mouth shut about cheesesteaks,” Hedtke said, referring to Fisher’s campaign ads in which he claimed to prefer Pittsburgh-style sandwiches more. Hedtke said that Philadelphians would turn against Fisher for his comments.
According to Hedtke, Pennsyl-vanians have long seen Philadelphia as a money-sucking “appendage” to the state.
Hedtke mentioned a long-standing joke about Pennsylvania which says that, “Pennsylvania is Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, surrounded by Pa-tucky.”
