Energy companies donate more than $1 million to Corbett's campaign coffers | StateImpact Pennsylvania Skip Navigation

Energy companies donate more than $1 million to Corbett's campaign coffers

Governor Corbett speaks to the Shale Gas Insight conference in September 2011.

Scott Detrow / StateImpact Pennsylvania

Governor Corbett speaks to the Shale Gas Insight conference in September 2011.


With the election less than a week away, Tom Corbett is way ahead when it comes to support from energy interests including coal, natural gas and power companies operating in the state. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has tallied up campaign contributions for the governor’s race and Tom Corbett’s campaign took in $1,148,351 in energy donations. That’s almost ten times the amount of energy dollars going to his opponent Democrat Tom Wolf. The Post-Gazette reports Wolf raised $192,985 from energy companies, including coal, wind and pipeline operators. Three of Wolf’s top individual energy contributors seem to have hedged their bets by also donating to Corbett.
Corbett’s highest individual donors are shale executives. Terrance Pegula from East Resources donated $250,000 to the governor, while John Monk of Energy Corporation of America gave $100,000. Third in line is Kelsey Warren, CEO of Energy Transfer Group, which has plans to build a pipeline to transport Marcellus Shale gas.
Wolf and Corbett differ when it comes to taxing the natural gas industry. Corbett wants to maintain the status quo by charging $50,000 a well. But Wolf wants to impose a five percent tax on the market value of the gas produced. Even as the race tightens, it’s unclear what this money will mean to Corbett. Today’s Franklin and Marshall survey has Tom Wolf still leading in the polls.

Up Next

Election 2014: Corbett and Wolf differ on approach to Obama's carbon rules