Mark Singel

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Mark Stephen Singel (born September 12, 1953, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania) served as the Democratic lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania from 1987 to 1995 under Bob Casey He was acting governor from June 14, 1993 to December 13, 1993 during Casey's lengthy battle with amyloidosis and subsequent multiple organ transplant.

A graduate of Pennsylvania State University, Singel was elected to the Pennsylvania State Senate in 1980. After reelection in 1984, he sought and won the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor in 1986. Acting as Casey's running mate, the Casey/Singel team won a narrow victory over the Republican team of Lieutenant Governor William Scranton, III and State Senator Mike Fisher. The Casey/Singel team was reelected in 1990.

During their second term, Governor Casey was diagnosed with Appalachian familiar amyloidosis, a rare and usually fatal liver disorder. Casey required a risky experimental multiple organ transplant. During his lengthy recovery, Singel served as Pennsylvania's acting governor.

Singel sought and lost the Democratic senatorial nomination in 1992 to Lynn Yeakel, who would go on to lose the general election to Arlen Spector by a narrow margin. He won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 1994 and faced Republican US Congressman Tom Ridge in the general election. Singel lost the general election to Ridge. Some people in the party blamed Casey for Singel's loss noting that Casey, who was pro-life, gave only lackluster support to the pro-choice Singel. He declined to either campaign or raise money for Singel's candidacy. The incident caused a deep rift between the two men.

After his unsuccessful gubernatorial bid, he remained active in Democratic politics. He served as chairman of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party and was a Presidential Elector in 1996. He briefly considered running against Senator Rick Santorum in 2000, but withdrew his name from consideration and backed eventual party nominee Ron Klink.

In 2000, Singel joined the Philadelphia based Duane Morris law firm as lobbyist and director of their Johnstown, Pennsylvania branch office. Singel started his own firm, The Winter Group, in 2005 and continues to practice government affairs today in downtown Harrisburg. He will also occasionally teach classes at the local Penn State Harrisburg campus.

Singel has been widely rumored to have an ongoing interest in seeking office again. There is speculation that he may choose to run in 2010 when there will be no Democratic incumbent for Governor or seek a US Senate seat in the future.

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