Singel fails in bid to replace Casey as gov.

HERSHEY, PA. -- For supporters of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mark Singel, the chocolate capital of the world was a bittersweet place to be last night, as Singel and his runningmate Tom Foley were narrowly defeated by Republican Congressman Tom Ridge and Mark Schwieker. In the cavernous ballroom that served as Singel headquarters at the Hershey Convention Center, a mood of careful, cautious optimism prevailed among Singel volunteers. Hoping to celebrate victories for Democrats across the state and the country, they gathered around a large-screen broadcast of CNN programming and computerized returns. Yet they remained conspicuously quiet throughout the evening. Sporting a T-shirt that read "Every SINGEL vote counts," Foley spokesperson Rose Wuenschel said early in the evening that she hoped the beautiful election day weather had helped the Democratic party to get out the vote. "I did hear that polling places were seeing a high percentage [of registered voters]," she said, anticipating a long night. "This is the poll that really counts." As Singel and Ridge endured a roller-coaster ride of results, running neck-and-neck at some points and separated by more than four percentage points at others, Singel spokesperson Beth Shipp was reluctant to speculate on the outcome of the race. "We won't know until the very end," she said repeatedly. "Until we have every vote in, we're not calling it." But pollster Terry Madonna, professor of political science at Millersville University, said Singel would lose because he had been caught trying to "outcrime" Ridge after his opponent aired an advertisement about Reginald McFadden, a convicted criminal whose sentence Singel voted to commute. The emphasis on crime took Singel's energies away from key issues such as his experience and efforts to create jobs in Pennsylvania, Madonna said. "Up to that point, the election was dead even," he added. "The whole thing started to fall apart with McFadden and with the subsequent negative commercials." Madonna said he did not believe the candidacy of Independent Peg Luksik had significantly impacted on Singel's support base, instead blaming the lieutenant governor's loss on a lack of decisive moves for support from women. Despite Madonna's pessimism, Singel/Foley interns Stacie Clark and Lisa Cunningham remained hopeful. "I think there's still 18 percentage points to go, and I think he's got a chance," Clark said. And Pennsylvania State Educators Association Treasurer Patsy Tallarico, who said his organization opposed Ridge because he favors school choice vouchers that could take state funds from public schools, said if Ridge's election bid was successful, the PSEA would "do the best we can to move forward in education and jobs." "We'll listen if he will," Tallarico said. While the Associated Press called the Pennsylvania governor's race shortly after 10 p.m., Singel did not deliver his concession speech until nearly 11:30 p.m. "You are wonderful friends, you are terrific supporters, and you are like family to me," he told the crowd of more than 300. "We have fought the good fight, we have run the good race." "We must all join together now to make this state as great as we know that it can be, and there is a strong foundation on which to build," Singel added. Linda Rhodes, chairperson of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, reflected on the campaign. "The race was very close," she said. "We did everything we could. "We'll have our day again for the '96 race," Rhodes said confidently. "It means we work, we work hard -- I'll start tomorrow."

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