Governor
REPUBLICANS
Tom Corbett - State attorney general, is the front-runner. His investigation into the alleged use of tax dollars to pay state employees for campaign work brought Corbett a lot of attention. Now Harrisburg is waiting for the other shoe to drop. Will Corbett, who so far has indicted only Democrats, also come down on fellow Republicans?
Jim Gerlach - This four-term congressman from Chester County is challenging Corbett from a base with a substantial population of registered Republicans.
DEMOCRATS
Dan Onorato - Allegheny County's chief executive leads the Democratic field, but just barely since polls show many voters are undecided or unfamiliar with the candidates. Onorato has been picking up parts of Gov. Rendell's political team for his campaign.
Jack Wagner - The state's auditor general, also from Allegheny County, has been using his post to pummel Rendell on the handling of state contracts. Is Wagner setting himself up as the anti-Rendell in the primary?
Joe Hoeffel - This former congressman failed to unseat Specter in 2004 and now serves as a Montgomery County commissioner. He looks to position himself as the liberal candidate in the crowded field.
Tom Knox - The millionaire businessman from Philly, who came in second for mayor in the 2007 Democratic primary, is again willing to dip deep into his bank account to fund a campaign. How much will he spend? For now, Fort Knox isn't saying.
Chris Doherty - Scranton's mayor wants to tell the story of that city's economic rebirth. Is anyone out there listening?
U.S. Senate
DEMOCRATS
Arlen Specter - This political survivor ran hard to the right in the 2004 Republican primary, spending millions on television ads showing him at the White House with then-President George W. Bush. After squeaking by, he moved swiftly to the political middle. That trip keeps heading left. Specter is now a Democrat, having decided he would not survive another Republican primary.
