Barbara Hafer

Barbara Hafer
33rd Treasurer of Pennsylvania
In office January 21, 1997 – January 18, 2005
Preceded by	Catherine Baker Knoll
Succeeded by	Bob Casey, Jr.
48th Auditor General of Pennsylvania
In office January 17, 1989 – January 21, 1997
Preceded by	Donald A. Bailey
Succeeded by	Bob Casey, Jr.
Member of the Allegheny County Board of Commissioners
In office January 2, 1984 – January 17, 1989
Preceded by	William Hunt
Succeeded by	Larry Dunn
Personal details
Born	(1943-08-01) August 1, 1943 Los Angeles
Political party	Democratic Party (Since 2003)
Other political affiliations	Republican Party (Before 2003)
Spouse(s)	John Pidgeon (deceased)
Children	One
Residence	Indiana, Pennsylvania
Alma mater	Duquesne University
Occupation	Registered Nurse, Politician

Barbara Hafer (born August 1, 1943) is an American politician from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Initially a member of the Republican Party, she served as a member of the Allegheny County Board of Commissioners from 1984 to 1989, as the Auditor General of Pennsylvania from 1989 to 1997 and as the Treasurer of Pennsylvania from 1997 to 2005.

Hafer explored a run for Governor of Pennsylvania in 2002, but declined to run after the party rallied around Attorney General Mike Fisher. She went on to endorse Democratic nominee Ed Rendell, and joined the Democratic Party in 2003. After leaving office in 2005, she considered running for several offices, but never did so.

Early political career

Hafer was elected to the Allegheny County Board of Commissioners in 1983, after she defeated incumbent Republican William Hunt in the primary election. In 1988, she defeated incumbent Democratic State Auditor General Donald A. Bailey, and went on to serve two four-year terms in the post.

In 1990, she won the Republican nomination for Governor against Robert P. Casey. In many areas, Hafer ran to the left of the moderate Casey; noted for his strong pro-life stance, Hafer was actually pro-choice. As a popular incumbent, Casey had support from many rural areas of the state which are normally Republican, as well as strong support from the more democratic areas. Hafer was defeated by thirty-six percentage points in one of the most lopsided gubernatorial elections in state history.

Unable to seek a third term as Auditor General under Pennsylvania term limits, Hafer announced she was running for State Treasurer in 1996 to succeed Republican Catherine Baker Knoll. She faced Knoll's daughter Mina Knoll in the general election. A bitter race ensued, with Hafer challenging Knoll's residency status (she lived in New York) while the Knoll campaign alleged Hafer improperly used state funds for personal use as Auditor General. Hafer would go on to win the election.

The race, opened a rift between the two women that culminated in 2000 when Knoll herself ran against Hafer for Treasurer. As the two most prominent women in Pennsylvania politics at the time, the election was noted for being even more bitter than the previous one; Knoll again accused Hafer of questionable state funds use as Auditor General, while Hafer countered that the SEC had investigated Knoll during her time as treasurer. Hafer also called the Knoll campaign "lying scumbags." Hafer was narrowly reelected.

The Pennsylvania Report said that "She has never marched to a regular drummer, but that is part of her long-running appeal." In a 2002 PoliticsPA Feature story designating politicians with yearbook superlatives, she was named the "Most Popular."

2002 gubernatorial election and party-switch

In 2002, Hafer explored a run for the Republican nomination for Governor (incumbent Republican Governor Mark Schweiker had already announced his intention not to contest the race). However, after it became clear that the GOP establishment had already decided on Pennsylvania Attorney General Mike Fisher, she dropped out of the race.

During the campaign, Hafer decided to endorse Democrat Ed Rendell. In 2003, Hafer completed her political conversion by switching to the Democratic Party. Her decision to endorse Rendell "psychologically helped break" the back of the Fisher campaign.

Her switch was criticized by Rick Santorum and other Pennsylvania Republicans, for using the backing of the party for three statewide campaigns, only to then switch without even contesting a primary. She countered that Santorum being the "de-facto" leader of the state party has moved them further to the right, alienating socially liberal (but fiscally conservative) Republicans like herself.

Later political career

After her party switch, it was reported that she was considering challenging long-time rival and incumbent lieutenant governor Catherine Baker Knoll in the Democratic primary. She was also reportedly considering seeking the Democratic Nomination for U.S. Senate against Republican Senator Rick Santorum, with a primary challenge to the front-runner Bob Casey, Jr, son of Hafer's other political rival Robert Casey, Sr. Hafer however affirmed that she buried the hatchet with all of her former rivals long ago, and did not run against either.

Her daughter, Beth, sought to run against Republican Congressman Tim Murphy in 2008, but narrowly lost the Democratic primary.

In February 2010, Hafer declared her candidacy for the Congressional seat left vacant by the death of incumbent Democrat John Murtha. She sought the Democratic nomination for the May special election before ending her Congressional candidacy on March 10, 2010.

Personal life

In the fall of 2010, Hafer was named in an estate lawsuit that revolves around her late husband, John Pidgeon. The lawsuit claims that she shifted more than $900,000 from her late husband's children and grandchildren to herself and her daughter in the final months of her husband's life. Pidgeon's children and grandchildren are claiming that Hafer took advantage of her husband's declining health and mental status in order to gain financial benefit.

Prior to her political career, Hafer was employed as a registered nurse. She resides in Indiana, Pennsylvania.

External links

• Hafer for Congress official congressional campaign website
• OurCampaigns.com Profile

Political offices
Preceded by William Hunt	Member of the Allegheny County Board of Commissioners 1984–1989	Succeeded by Larry Dunn
Preceded by Donald A. Bailey	Auditor General of Pennsylvania 1989–1997	Succeeded by Bob Casey, Jr.
Preceded by Catherine Baker Knoll	Treasurer of Pennsylvania 1997–2005
Party political offices
Preceded by Lowman Henry	Republican nominee for Treasurer of Pennsylvania 1996, 2000	Succeeded by Jean Craige Pepper
Preceded by William Scranton, III	Republican nominee for Governor of Pennsylvania 1990	Succeeded by Tom Ridge
Preceded by Susan Shanaman	Republican nominee for Auditor General of Pennsylvania 1988, 1992	Succeeded by Bob Nyce