By Dick Miller
WE.CONNECT.DOTS: Lowman Henry isn’t a household name, even to active Pennsylvania Republicans.
For the last two decades, however, Henry has been an important reason why his GOP hasn’t strayed to the extremes of their counterparts in Florida, Texas, Arizona and the like. Each of the governors in those three states builds political support by slapping down President Obama at every chance.
Henry, a self-styled right-wing political pundit, is dangerous to Democrats because he creates an effective barrier between Tea Party members and the rest of the electorate. Consequently, many efforts of the far-right to make Pennsylvania look more like Extremism USA see little light.
Henry is the Chairman, CEO and co-founder of the Lincoln Institute for Public Opinion Research in Harrisburg. Lincoln is a two-decade old non-profit promoting all that is Republican with an emphasis on business.
Under the Lincoln label (www.lincolninstitute.org), Henry publishes guest columns in mainstream media and manages talk radio shows across the state and beyond. His writing is crisp and easy to understand.
Henry began adult life as a newspaper reporter – slash – active Republican. A story in a June, 1986 edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette explains.
“Lowman Henry, 29, a reporter for the Irwin Standard-Observer, has been elected to his fourth two-year term as chair of the Westmoreland County Republican Committee.” Small wonder that Richard Scaife, owner of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, writes big checks to sustain the Lincoln Institute.
Journalists may cringe at the preceding paragraph, but the political right continues to invest in mainstream media. Richard King Mellon, Scaife and Rupert Murdoch have helped shape American political philosophy, while also making a buck or two. Now the Koch brothers are looking to go “all in” for metro newspapers, TV and radio stations.
Henry knows that truly “objective journalism” no longer works. Readers in a busy world look for conclusions from their reporters. Journalists fear being painted subjective. Consequently, if the reporter is writing negative about one party or candidate, he or she feels compelled to compose the same about the other side to remain labeled as “fair and balanced.”
That’s fine with Henry. He jumps into columnist space on the editorial page or soaks up air time, often successfully spinning what passes for a news event.
Recently Gov. Tom Corbett trailed in several polls against every conceivable Democrat opponent in 2014. Time for Henry to make his move.
The Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion Research announces its “Spring 2013 Keystone Business Climate Survey.” Not surprising, business owners weighed in with far higher approval ratings for Corbett. Just like that, Henry had peppered the populace with a positive Corbett poll. If nothing else, he diffused a public conclusion that it was time to stick the fork in the current governor.
After helping Westmoreland County start to transition from a half-century Democrat stronghold, Henry, 56, served as political director of the Republican State Committee, worked in the state senate and was a Dauphin County Commissioner.
After losing a race for state treasurer in 1992 Henry and a friend formed Lincoln Institute. Never denying he is a social conservative, nevertheless Henry steered the Lincoln Institute into more business causes to keep the Republican Party tent as broad as possible.
The 1990s was the era of pro-choice Republican stars such as former Gov. Tom Ridge and Barbara Hafer, a time that required skillful management of GOP voters. A while back Henry wrote:
“I am frequently appalled at the negative and angry rhetoric which often characterizes social issues policy discussions. Commentary and arguments tend to be preachy and self-righteous, seeking to demean rather than uplift . . . He (Jesus) did not condemn. Instead He sought to redeem.”
The National pundits incorrectly say Pennsylvania is turning permanently blue. Such conclusion defies facts. The governor’s office, both legislative assemblies and all three appellate courts have majority Republican judges. As Obama beat Mitt Romney in the Keystone State last year, Republicans still won 13 of 18 Congressional seats.
Democrats hold a million voter registration plurality, but party leadership has trouble walking and chewing gum.
Perhaps guys like Lowman Henry keep the odds even.
