Today, another major news outlet reported that Ed Rendell's administration has been flying the state's biggest gambling lobbyist on the taxpayer state plane... but they won't tell us why. 

Despite Rendell's empty claims to be a "reformer" just weeks before Election Day, it's clear that the career politician Governor has no intention to make Harrisburg more transparent.

To read more about "Air Rendell" in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, click here.

Today, Swann for Governor launched its first television campaign ad, "Possibilities," which will begin airing Monday, Aug. 21 throughout Western PA. 

The plan is simple: to move strategically throughout important media markets -- and stay up until Election Day.

Watch the ad here!

We think the beginning of our paid media campaign, two weeks earlier than we'd originally anticipated, will mark an important turning point in our campaign, and caps off a late summer political surge. That surge began with a tremendously successful series of grassroots, retail campaign stops on Reform One, our bio-diesel campaign bus; the release of A New Direction: a Plan for a Better Pennsylvania; a Presidential event that generated the highest dollar amount of any Central PA fundraiser in modern history; and now with the release of our first TV ad.

And after withstanding an almost $10 million barrage of unanswered campaign commercials that have yet to significantly raise our opponent's numbers above even 50%, our campaign will only get stronger.

And while nothing will move the polls until the ad war begins in earnest, we have indeed cut into Rendell's lead in every single public poll released in the past month.    

To view the ad, click here.

Rendell 51%
Swann 41%

To read more, click here.

This is the 3rd public poll in 3 weeks illustrating a growing trend in this race: Lynn Swann is gaining momentum, despite Ed Rendell spending nearly $10 million in misleading, unanswered television ads.

Voters are tired of this administration gambling with Pennsylvania's future.  And after four years of bloated budgets, midnight pay raises, skyrocketing property taxes, anemic job creation, and failing test scores, Lynn Swann stands ready to lead.

Today, Lynn held a town hall meeting in Philadelphia and a press conference in Harrisburg to unveil his new book,A New Direction: My Plan for a Better Pennsylvania.  Lynn's new book will give voters greater insight into his policies for Pennsylvania and his vision for leadership as Governor.

Tonight, Lynn and his wife, Charena, and Lynn's running mate, Jim Matthews, will all attend Swann/Matthews house parties and discuss the new book with campaign supporters in all 67 counties.

For a special donation of $10 or more, supporters can obtain a copy of Lynn's book and learn more about his vision for the state of Pennsylvania!  Click here to learn more!

Last monday, Lynn Swann announced his agriculture coalition.

View Lynn's video blog.

Swann 43.4%

Rendell 47.7

View the poll

On Wednesday, Lynn Swann unveiled his bold new plan for government comprehensive government reform in Pennyslvania.

Watch Lynn's video blog to hear about his agenda for changing and reforming state government in the Commonwealth.

View Lynn's video blog.

On Tuesday, Lynn Swann travelled the Commonwealth to visit with voters and talk about principles to reform the state.

Watch Lynn's primary day video blog to hear from him about his agenda for change and watch highlights from his visits to Pittsburgh, Johnstown, Harrisburg, Scranton, Allentown and Montgomery County.

View Lynn's video blog.

We woke up this morning and read this story, and it's safe to say that we join Pennsylvanians in their assessment.  This is absolutely jaw-dropping. 

There is no greater example of Ed Rendell's lack of leadership and the need for change in November than this one simple sentence.  Rendell himself has captured why we can't afford another rudderless four years. 

Thankfully, Lynn Swann will need to do no such thing as Governor. Click here for the full story.

Yet another new poll was released today showing once again what you already know -- that Lynn Swann is the true choice for real reform in Pennsylvania.

After several weeks of negative attacks and even bragging about their campaign war chest, today's Strategic Vision poll shows Lynn is in a virtual dead heat against incumbent and Democratic Party insider Ed Rendell.  Pennsylvania is ready for an outsider who will bring fresh leadership to Harrisburg.  Lynn Swann is ready to lead.

Click here to view the poll.

This week, Lynn kicked off his tour across the state to highlight the proposed policy initiatives that Pennsylvanians can expect under a Swann Administration.

Along the way, Lynn talked with teachers and students at Edison Elementary School in Erie about improving education. He discussed his $1 billion tax relief plan with Lou Galliker at Galliker's Dairy in Johnstown. And he visited Tyrone Hospital to emphasize the importance of tort reform and the Fair Share Act.

Lynn will continue traveling across the state over the next 30 days to highlight his policy proposals that with strengthen and reform Pennyslvania.

In the meantime, you can check out Lynn's latest video blog for tort reform.

Increasing numbers of Pennsylvanians believe the state is moving in the wrong direction. Why is Rendell boasting about his war chest after failing the people of Pennsylvania for four years?

Click here if you’ve had enough.

Our campaign has had a lot of good news lately. Recent polls have shown us in a dead heat with Ed Rendell, it is clear Pennsylvanians are responding to our call for change and reform. Together we are going to make history this November!

As you may know, our campaign has an important fundraising deadline on Monday, March 27th. I need your help to show that our campaign is strong. The media and my opponent will use the amount of money we've raised to measure how success of our campaign.

You and I know there is widespread support for my vision across our great state. But I need to raise as much money as possible in the next 72 hours to communicate our message of positive change.

I've been traveling around the state sharing my plan for positive change in Pennsylvania. One of the central components is my plan for tax reform. I want to:

• Lower your property taxes. (Ed Rendell promised to do something about property taxes in Pennsylvania, and so far heís failed us.)
• Lower the corporate income tax
• Eliminate the capital stock and franchise tax

But I can't implement my plan for change without your immediate help. Time is running out, please make your donation in the next 72 hours so we can make our deadline!

I am always grateful of your support. Without your support, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Many thanks.

A new poll released today by Strategic Vision shows that Lynn Swann is tied with Ed Rendell! Lynn Swann and Ed Rendell were tied at 42% a piece in the poll. The poll also showed that Lynn Swann has a good favoribility rating of over 50%, while Ed Rendell's approval rating is below 50%.

The poll was taken March 10-12, surveying 1,200 likely Pennsylvania voters.

The polls have consistently shown that this race is neck-and-neck. That means that your support is more important now than ever before. If you haven't already done so, sign up to become a Swann volunteer. If you are already a Swann volunteer, make sure that your friends are signed up as Swann volunteers.

This is a quick reminder to all of Lynn Swann's supporters that the period for circulating and filing nominating petitions has already started. We'll have until just March 7th to gather and file petitions.

We need your help in this critical endeavor.

Every candidate running for office in Pennsylvania is required to circulate petitions. Now, in less than three weeks time, we will have to gather thousands of signatures from all over the Commonwealth. Your help will be critical and we need to hear from you.

Once you have filled out our online form indicating that you wish to help, a member of the campaign staff will be in contact with you to go over the rules and procedures. Please tell everyone you know who supports Lynn Swann for Governor about this important first step in his campaign to defeat Ed Rendell.

This past weekend Lynn Swann and Jim Matthews won the state GOP committee's endorsement for Governor and Lt. Governor respectively.

We've put together a video of highlights including Lynn Swann's acceptance speech. Watch it now. In addition, we've also pulled a clip of Lynn talking about his family, as well as some of Jim Matthews' remarks.

Congratulations to the Steelers for a great victory in Super Bowl XL. Lynn was there cheering the Steelers along, and he was also part of a special presentation of former Super Bowl MVPs. When he walked out onto the field on Sunday it was no surprise that he got a thunderous applause from the thousands of Terrible Towel waving Steeler fans in attendance.

Today, Lynn took part in a victory rally with tens of thousands of fans (fans who traveled all across Pennsylvania) in Pittsburgh. This truly has been an exciting week!

Just before going to Detroit, Lynn taped a quick video blog on what it means to the state of Pennsylvania to have the Steelers playing in the Super Bowl.

This has been a successful week for the Swann campaign. Yesterday, Lynn came a step closer to securing the Republican State Committee's endorsement by winning the Southwest Caucus.

This good news was proceeded by a string of endorsements. Within the last week, Lynn has been endorsed by State Senator Don White, State Senator Joe Scarnati, State Senator Jane Orie, State Representative Mark Mustio, as well as Montgomery County GOP Chairman Ken Davis.

Please watch the video blog below, to hear about the campaign momentum directly from Lynn Swann: