Tom Wolf
Tom Wolf (Democratic Party) was the Governor of Pennsylvania. He assumed office on January 20, 2015. He left office on January 3, 2023.
Wolf (Democratic Party) ran for re-election for Governor of Pennsylvania. He won in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Wolf filed for governor on a joint ticket with lieutenant governor candidate John Fetterman (D) in 2018.
In 2014, Wolf became the first candidate to defeat an incumbent governor since the state began allowing governors to serve two terms, rather than one term, under the 1968 constitution. He defeated Republican incumbent Tom Corbett.[1]
Before being elected governor of Pennsylvania, Wolf was the head of the state's Department of Revenue under Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell. Wolf also owned the Wolf Organization.
Biography
Wolf grew up in York County, Pennsylvania.[2] He received a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College in 1972, a master's degree from the University of London in 1978, and a Ph.D. in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1981.[3][4]
Wolf owned his family's business, the Wolf Organization, which distributes building products. Before that, he spent two years in India with the Peace Corps and ran a hardware store. Wolf served as state revenue secretary under Gov. Ed Rendell (D) from February 2007 through November 2008.[2][5]
Political career
Governor of Pennsylvania (2015-2023)
Wolf was elected as governor of Pennsylvania in the general election on November 4, 2014. He was sworn into office on January 20, 2015.[6]
Elections
2022
Tom Wolf was not able to run for re-election due to term limits.
2018
General election
General election for Governor of Pennsylvania
Incumbent Tom Wolf defeated Scott Wagner, Ken Krawchuk, and Paul Glover in the general election for Governor of Pennsylvania on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Tom Wolf (D) | 57.8 | 2,895,652 | |
| Scott Wagner (R) | 40.7 | 2,039,882 | ||
| Ken Krawchuk (L) | 1.0 | 49,229 | ||
| Paul Glover (G) | 0.6 | 27,792 | ||
| Total votes: 5,012,555 (100.00% precincts reporting) | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Pennsylvania
Incumbent Tom Wolf advanced from the Democratic primary for Governor of Pennsylvania on May 15, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Tom Wolf | 100.0 | 749,812 | |
| Total votes: 749,812 | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Pennsylvania
Scott Wagner defeated Paul Mango and Laura Ellsworth in the Republican primary for Governor of Pennsylvania on May 15, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Scott Wagner | 44.3 | 326,612 | |
| Paul Mango | 36.9 | 271,857 | ||
| Laura Ellsworth | 18.8 | 138,843 | ||
| Total votes: 737,312 | ||||
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2014
- See also: State executive official elections, 2014
Wolf ran for election to the office of governor of Pennsylvania. Wolf won the Democratic nomination in the primary election, which was held in May 2014. The general election took place on November 4, 2014.[7]
| Governor of Pennsylvania, Democratic Primary, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
 Tom Wolf |
57.9% | 488,917 | ||
| Allyson Schwartz | 17.6% | 149,027 | ||
| Rob McCord | 16.8% | 142,311 | ||
| Kate McGinty | 7.7% | 64,754 | ||
| Total Votes | 845,009 | |||
| Election results via Pennsylvania Department of State. | ||||
| Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Tom Wolf/Mike Stack |
54.9% | 1,920,355 | |
| Republican | Tom Corbett/Jim Cawley Incumbent | 45.1% | 1,575,511 | |
| Total Votes | 3,495,866 | |||
| Election results via Pennsylvania Department of State | ||||
Campaign themes
2018
Campaign website
Wolf's campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
REFORMING GOVERNMENT Leading by Example Governor Wolf refuses to take a state salary or pension. He also requires cabinet secretaries to post their expenses online each month. SENIORS Enhancing Quality of Care Governor Wolf created a task force to enhance the quality of care for seniors in long-term living facilities. OPIOID CRISIS Improving Doctor Prescribing Guidelines Governor Wolf has announced improved prescribing guidelines for the safe and effective use of opioids. ENVIRONMENT Banning Drilling in the Delaware River Basin In September, Governor Wolf and the governors of Delaware and New York, comprising a majority of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), announced that they voted in favor of a resolution put forward by the commission to issue draft regulations to permanently ban hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas in the Delaware River Basin. ENVIRONMENT Enacting the Gas Drilling Moratorium With one of his first actions in office, Governor Wolf enacted a gas drilling moratorium on Pennsylvania’s state parks. Governor Wolf knows we must strike the right balance with Pennsylvania’s growing energy economy, and he knows our state parks and forests are unique assets that should be preserved, protected, and utilized by our residents for recreational purposes. ENVIRONMENT Fighting back against cuts from the Trump Administration Governor Wolf stood up to Trump’s proposed cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency. These cuts if enacted would harm businesses seeking permits, and harm residents’ clean water, air, and land. The reductions would also impact safe drinking water inspections, sewage and industrial wastewater inspections, brownfield redevelopment, and eliminate funding for radon protection, a problem that plagues Pennsylvania homes. Governor Wolf fought the Trump Administration’s efforts to delay new ozone pollution regulations. Governor Wolf fought this to protect children who suffer from asthma and respiratory illnesses. ENVIRONMENT Supporting Solar Energy Governor Wolf reopened a $30 million loan program to encourage the use of solar energy in Pennsylvania. The governor is working to make sure that the benefits of increased renewable jobs, a cleaner environment, and a growing renewable economy will be felt throughout the commonwealth. EDUCATION Restored the $1 Billion Cut to Education Made Under Corbett Governor Wolf has fully restored the $1 billion cut to education made under the Corbett administration that led to teacher layoffs, larger class sizes, and cuts to important programs. EDUCATION REFORMING GOVERNMENT Enacting a Fair Funding Formula Governor Wolf believes that all children, no matter their zip code, deserve a high quality education. That’s why he enacted a fair funding formula that removes politics from school funding. EDUCATION Investing in Pre-K and Kindergarten Governor Wolf knows that we need our students to start early in order to get a head start in life. Since he’s taken office, Governor Wolf has increased the number of children able to attend pre-kindergarten by 64% and increased the number of students enrolled in full-day kindergarten to 93,800. EDUCATION Preparing Students for 21st Century Jobs Governor Wolf wants to make sure Pennsylvanians are prepared for jobs of the future. He’s launched Pennsylvania to third in the nation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and increased the number of credentials earned by students in career and technical education programs by 32%. EDUCATION Improving Graduation Rates Under Governor Wolf, high school graduation rates have increased to 86%, making Pennsylvania a national leader. EDUCATION Improving School Safety and Security Governor Wolf has made ensuring the safety of Pennsylvanians, especially our children, a top priority. That’s why he created a task force to bring together officials, educators, parents and students to talk about ways to improve school safety and security. JOBS Expanding Workforce Development Opportunities Governor Wolf has approved nearly $1 million in funding through the new Manufacturing PA initiative for seven new training programs across Pennsylvania to give 250 job-seekers the skills they need to secure a stable, high-paying job in manufacturing and passed a manufacturing tax credit. Governor Wolf has supported the training of more than 120,000 workers at more than 2,200 companies across the commonwealth to help workers thrive in their jobs and develop more marketable skills. REFORMING GOVERNMENT Banning Gifts Governor Wolf’s first actions as governor were to sign an executive order banning members of his administration from accepting gifts and reforming legal contracting to end the pay-to-play culture in Harrisburg. HEALTH CARE OPIOID CRISIS Expanding Medicaid One of Governor Wolf’s first actions as Governor was to expand Medicaid giving an additional 720,000 Pennsylvanians the health care they need, including over 125,000 Pennsylvanians with substance abuse disorder. HEALTH CARE Reducing the Uninsured Rate Governor Wolf has reduced Pennsylvania’s uninsured rate to 5.6%, the lowest rate on record. HEALTH CARE PROGRESSIVE VALUES Standing up to Donald Trump’s Extreme Agenda Governor Wolf is standing up to Donald Trump’s extreme agenda by fighting against Trumpcare and proposed federal budget cuts that would eliminate Meals on Wheels, heating assistance for low-income people, and educational resources for students with disabilities. PROGRESSIVE VALUES Strengthening Animal Cruelty Laws Governor Wolf signed Libre’s Law which improves Pennsylvania’s protection for animals. This bill increases penalties for animal cruelty and neglect and raises standards to ensure our pets and other animals are properly cared for. PROGRESSIVE VALUES Expanding Rights for our LGBTQ Community Governor Wolf has expanded protections from discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender expression or identity for state employees and is fighting for similar protections at the statewide level. SENIORS Standing Up to Donald Trump’s Age Tax Governor Wolf fought GOP efforts to institute an age tax and roll back prescription drug and health care coverage for our seniors. JOBS Fighting for A Minimum Wage Increase Governor Wolf has fought for and continues to fight for a statewide minimum wage increase to $12 an hour, tied to inflation. OPIOID CRISIS Increasing Access to Overdose Antidote Governor Wolf directed his physician general to sign a standing order for Naloxone, the overdose reversing antidote, so that any Pennsylvanians can get the life saving drug without a prescription. He also equipped law enforcement, first responders, and schools with the overdose-reversing antidote naloxone, leading to over 6,700 reversals since 2014. REFORMING GOVERNMENT Bringing the Liquor System into the 21st Century Governor Wolf modernized Pennsylvania’s archaic liquor system by instituting the most significant reforms since Prohibition that improve customer convenience and for the first time allow beer to be sold at gas stations and c-stores and allow grocery stores to sell wine. HEALTH CARE REFORMING GOVERNMENT Legalizing Medical Marijuana Governor Wolf signed a bill that legalized medical marijuana, providing long overdue medical relief to patients with serious medical conditions such as cancer & multiple sclerosis. SENIORS Upgrading Senior Community Centers Governor Wolf invested millions in senior community centers in order to upgrade technology and facilities to give the centers the resources needed to revitalize and expand the services that enrich the lives or our senior population. JOBS Creating 21st Century Jobs Governor Wolf has worked to expand companies like Amazon to make Pennsylvania a technology hub and passed a manufacturing tax credit. ENVIRONMENT PROGRESSIVE VALUES Standing up to Big Oil and Gas Governor Wolf stopped the Republican plan to gut environmental regulations in favor of big oil and gas. Governor Wolf passed new safeguards that improved the protection of water and public resources, as well as public health and safety, and also addressed landowner concerns, enhanced transparency, and improved data management. JOBS Eliminating Burdensome Business Taxes Governor Wolf has eliminated burdensome taxes on businesses like the Capital Stock and Franchise Tax. REFORMING GOVERNMENT Improving Government Contracting Governor Wolf signed an executive order to increase diverse and small business participation in state government contracting. OPIOID CRISIS Keeping Drugs off the Street Governor Wolf strengthened the use of the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program so that doctors can identify if patients are “doctor shopping” and have been prescribed opioids by other physicians. The system now has 90,000 users who have conducted over one million searches. Governor Wolf also increased the number of drug-take back boxes to 700 for unwanted, expired, or unused prescriptions leading to the destruction of over 150 tons of drugs. HEALTH CARE Increasing Access to Health Insurance for our Kids Governor Wolf has increased enrollment in the Children’s Health Insurance Program by 20%. The program now serves more than 180,000 Pennsylvania children. SENIORS Protecting the Lottery Fund for Senior Programs Governor Wolf stabilized the Lottery Fund, which supports important senior programs, by authorizing the Pennsylvania Lottery to offer virtual sports games at Lottery retailers, including bars and taverns. SENIORS Increasing Opportunities to Age in Place Governor Wolf has increased opportunities for older Pennsylvanians to remain in their homes. Under Governor Wolf, more than 50,000 additional seniors, a 41% increase, are able to age in their homes. PROGRESSIVE VALUES REFORMING GOVERNMENT Leading on Criminal Justice Reform Governor Wolf has pushed for criminal justice reforms to refocus the system on rehabilitation and end mass incarceration. Under his leadership, Pennsylvania has reduced recidivism. The governor also banned the box on non-civil service applications for jobs under his jurisdiction and he signed into law a bill allowing non-violent ex-offenders to ask the court to seal their criminal records, which will help them to get jobs and not return to prison. The governor is also leading an initiative to further improve our criminal justice system from sentencing guidelines to our bail system. REFORMING GOVERNMENT Increasing Transparency Governor Wolf publishes his schedule for the public each day and requires cabinet secretaries to post their expenses online each month. SENIORS Protecting Seniors’ Health Care Governor Wolf saved more than 180,000 seniors from losing their Medicare Advantage health plans. JOBS Investing in Infrastructure Under Governor Wolf, 1,300 roads, 600 bridges, and more than 6,000 miles of roadway have been repaired or rebuilt, with $6 billion in infrastructure improvements funding jobs across Pennsylvania. Governor Wolf announced plans for an additional investment of more than $2 billion in road, highway and bridge projects over the next 10 years. OPIOID CRISIS Expanding Access to Treatment Governor Wolf signed a first-of-its-kind Statewide Disaster Declaration for the heroin and opioid epidemic to enhance state response and increase access to treatment. He worked with medical professionals to create 45 centers that will treat more than 11,000 individuals. Governor Wolf also launched a 24/7 helpline, 1-800-662-HELP, for those who need immediate assistance with drug and alcohol problems. PROGRESSIVE VALUES Protecting Women’s Right to Choose Governor Wolf has vetoed the most extreme anti-choice bill in the country, which would criminalize abortions and leave no exceptions for rape, incest, health or tragic fetal anomalies. As a former Planned Parenthood patient escort, Governor Wolf has also opposed Republican efforts to defund the organization. REFORMING GOVERNMENT Reforming our Pension System Governor Wolf signed comprehensive pension reform which reduced risk to taxpayers, continues to pay down our debt, and slashes Wall Street fees while still offering state employees fair benefits. PROGRESSIVE VALUES Unrigging the Political System Governor Wolf rejected Republicans’ gerrymandered maps to ensure that Pennsylvanians are fairly represented. He introduced a voting reform plan that includes same day and automatic voter registration, modernizing absentee voting, and enacting campaign finance reform. Governor Wolf instituted online voter registration in 2015, resulting in over 1 million new or updated Pennsylvanian voter registrations. He also refused Donald Trump’s request for Pennsylvania voters’ personal information. JOBS Streamlining Services for Small Business Governor Wolf has assisted more than 7,000 entrepreneurs and business owners by cutting through red tape and establishing the new PA Business One-Stop Shop. JOBS Investing in Job Creators Governor Wolf’s investment in the creation of a Shell Cracker Plant in Western Pennsylvania, the Port of Philadelphia, and a steel plant in Johnstown will create over 15,000 jobs.[8] |
” |
| —Wolf for PA[9] | ||
Presidential preference
2020
Wolf endorsed Joe Biden (D) in the 2020 presidential election.[10]
2016
Wolf endorsed Hillary Clinton (D) in the 2016 presidential election.[11]
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Noteworthy events
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| Coronavirus pandemic |
| Select a topic from the dropdown below to learn more.
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On December 9, 2020, Wolf announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus.[12]
Stance on Syrian refugee resettlement (2015)
- Main article: U.S. governors and their responses to Syrian refugees
After the attacks in Paris, France, on November 13, 2015, many U.S. governors declared their support or opposition to Syrian refugee resettlement in their states. Wolf expressed strong support for the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the state of Pennsylvania. He said:
| “ | I believe we can keep Pennsylvania safe while also ensuring that Pennsylvania stays true to its values and builds on its rich history of accepting immigrants and refugees from around the world. These two goals are not mutually exclusive. As millions in Syria face violence, persecution and death, we should continue to help those who we can while taking care to protect our commonwealth and our country, just as have done for hundreds of years. To reject only Syrian refugees could embolden the message of those who seek to inspire violence by saying that we, as Americans, do not have compassion or care for specific groups of people in the world facing religious persecution.[8] | ” |
| —Gov. Tom Wolf[13] | ||
Veto of liquor privatization bill (2015)
On July 2, 2015, Gov. Tom Wolf (D) vetoed House Bill 466, a liquor privatization bill.[14] The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 27-22, and the House passed the bill by a vote of 113-82 on June 30.[15] Under House Bill 466, more than 600 state wine and spirits stores would have been closed to allow for grocery stores with eateries and distributors to sell alcohol and wine.[14] Gov. Wolf vetoed the legislation, saying that it was not a good business decision and that it would have led to higher prices for consumers.[16]
| “ | It makes bad business sense for the Commonwealth and consumers to sell off an asset, especially before maximizing its value. During consideration of this legislation, it became abundantly clear that this plan would result in higher prices for consumers.[8] | ” |
| —Gov. Tom Wolf (D)[16] | ||
Supporters of the bill claimed that the plan would have provided $220 million in annual revenue.[17] Opponents argued that more than 4,700 jobs would have been lost if state-owned liquor stores were closed.[17][18]
Ballot measure activity
The following table details Wolf's ballot measure stances available on Ballotpedia:
| Ballot measure support and opposition for Tom Wolf | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballot measure | Year | Position | Status |
| Pennsylvania Question 1, Legislative Resolution to Extend or Terminate Emergency Declaration Amendment (May 2021) | 2021 | Opposed[19] | |
| Pennsylvania Question 2, Emergency Declarations Amendment (May 2021) | 2021 | Opposed[20] | |
| Pennsylvania Marsy's Law Crime Victims Rights Amendment (2019) | 2019 | Supported[21] | |
See also
| Pennsylvania | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ WNEP, "Long Trend in PA Governors Could Come to End," November 3, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Governor Tom Wolf, "Governor Tom Wolf," accessed June 3, 2021
- ↑ League of Women Voters, "Tom Wolf/Mike Stack," accessed June 3, 2021
- ↑ Pittsburgh Post Gazette, "York's Wolf spending own fortune in his bid for governor," January 2, 2014
- ↑ York Daily Record, "Catching up with Tom Wolf on his first anniversary as state revenue secretary," March 3, 2008
- ↑ The Morning Call, "Democrat Tom Wolf sworn in as Pennsylvania's 47th governor," January 20, 2015
- ↑ TribLive News, "AP: Ex-revenue chief Tom Wolf running for Pa. gov," April 2, 2013
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Wolf for PA, "Record," accessed September 27, 2018
- ↑ Penn Live, "Joe Biden gets endorsement from Gov. Tom Wolf," May 27, 2020
- ↑ Tom Wolf, Twitter: WolfForPA, June 13, 2015
- ↑ The Hill', "Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolfe tests positive for COVID-19," December 9, 2020
- ↑ York Daily Record, "Wolf defends accepting Syrian refugees," November 17, 2015
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 TribLive News, "Gov. Wolf vetoes bill to privatize Pennsylvania's liquor system," July 2, 2015
- ↑ TribLive News, "In historic vote, Legislature approves bill selling state liquor stores," June 30, 2015
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Pittsburgh Post Gazette, "Wolf vetoes GOP liquor privatization bill for Pennsylvania," July 2, 2015
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Pennsylvania Business Daily, "Pennsylvania Senate passes historic liquor privatization bill," archived July 5, 2015
- ↑ WTAE, "Wolf vetoes bills on liquor privatization, school funding," accessed July 6, 2015
- ↑ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Gov. Wolf advocates against ballot questions in visit to Pittsburgh," May 12, 2021
- ↑ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Gov. Wolf advocates against ballot questions in visit to Pittsburgh," May 12, 2021
- ↑ Pennsylvania Governor, "Governor Wolf Supports Marsy’s Law for Crime Victims Constitutional Amendment," April 11, 2018
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Governor of Pennsylvania 2015-2023 |
Succeeded by Josh Shapiro (D) |
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