Jim Gerlach for Pennsylvania governor?

Two very interesting items at The Lamp Lighter column in The Philadelphia Bulletin.

The first says that Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel, a Democrat, is backing a campaign to unionize Montgomery County employees. He would need the support of his partner, Republican Jim Matthews, to do it, but Matthews has been Hoeffel's doormat for six months so it's a done deal. The question Montgomery County voters should ask themselves is who does Hoeffel represent? The taxpayers of Montgomery County or Big Labor? If more county workers are unionized, they'll expect more money, more benefits. That means taxpayers will have to dig deeper to support the union workers. The fallout from Matthews' betrayal of Montgomery County voters continues.

The second item at The Lamp Lighter is something I heard about more than a year ago. U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach, who is seeking his fourth term representing Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District, may be dark horse candidate for Pennsylvania governor in 2010. I've talked to people close to Gerlach and they tell me he's tired of the grind of having to run for re-election every two years in a tough district, not to mention having to raise $3 million each time he runs. If Gerlach wins re-election this November by a comfortable margin (which he probably will against a weak Democratic opponent), look for him to throw his hat in the crowded ring for Pennsylvania governor.