I had the pleasure of speaking with Democratic candidate for Lt. Governor Valerie McDonald Roberts here in PA last night on the phone for forty-five minutes after a long day on the campaign trail which didn't end for her until well after sunset. The race is for the #2 spot in the 6th most populous state in the country and she's a very progressive/liberal person with a progressive political agenda. This position has been called a vanity position, but it would not be so with a person like McDonald Roberts at the post. Seeing progressive candidates in statewide races gives me hope and a sense that all is not lost. We've still got some great candidates to fight for.

McDonald Roberts is currently in her fifth year as the Allegheny County [Pittsburgh's county] Recorder of Deeds and prior to that she served on the Pittsburgh City Council and was a member of the Pittsburgh School Board. Her background also includes experience as a teacher, small business owner, Fortune 500 employee, mother and chemist. She'd love to serve the state as an elected official and bring her progressive agenda to the other 11+ million residents of Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania is one of the few states which holds separate primary elections for the spot of Lt. Governor and Governor which McDonald Roberts says has its advantages and disadvantages. While it has been the tendency for the gubernatorial candidate to indicate who their preferred running mate is, it is not always the case and it wasn't in 2002 where now Gov. Ed Rendell did not indicate a preference and the ensuing campaign was said to have more of a shotgun wedding feel to it. McDonald Roberts feels that the Lt. Governor, in addition to simply having a good working relationship with the Governor, s/he should also be philosophically in tandem as s/he could take over the position of Governor for one reason or another, she feels that she is in tandem with Gov. Rendell's philosophies. It happened in 2001 when Tom Ridge was picked by President Bush to be the Secretary of Homeland Security. If the Democrats take a house of Congress and the Presidency in 2008, Gov. Rendell, the former chair of the DNC, could very well be picked by President X (D) for a cabinet position. On the upside, it allows the people to choose the ticket they feel best represents their views thereby empowering them. McDonald Roberts points to her experience in legislative and executive capacities as examples of her superiority as a Lt. Governor candidate.

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