Former U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart Enters PA Governor's Race

PITTSBURGH, PA — Former U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart became one of more than a dozen Republican candidates for Pennsylvania governor Tuesday, contending the fact that she has not held public office in 15 years would not be a drawback.

Hart, 59, of Bradford Woods, served in Congress from 2001 to 2007 and was in the state Senate for a decade before that. She has spent the past decade and a half as an attorney.

"I submit to you I have a different resume than anyone else in this race," she said at a news conference at the Senator John Heinz History Center in the Strip District. "I served in government already at the state and federal level. The thing that propelled me to get into the race is the last 15 years where I wasn't a member of the state Senate or a member of the U.S. House."

Hart will attempt to succeed outgoing Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, who is barred by law from seeking a third term.

She joins a cluttered field of GOP gubernatorial candidates that includes former U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, state Senators Jake Corman, Scott Martin and Doug Mastriano, Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Gale, Chester County Chamber of Commerce CEO Guy Ciarrocchi, former U.S. Attorney William McSwain, political consultant Charlie Gerow, former Corry Mayor Jason Monn, Monroe County surgeon Nche Zama, former Westmoreland County commissioner candidate John Ventre and Allegheny County attorney Jason Richey.

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