Barbara Hafer
| Barbara Hafer | |
|---|---|
| 33rd Treasurer of Pennsylvania | |
|
In office January 21, 1997 – January 18, 2005 |
|
| Governor |
Tom Ridge Mark Schweiker Ed Rendell |
| Preceded by | Catherine Knoll |
| Succeeded by | Bob Casey |
| 48th Auditor General of Pennsylvania | |
|
In office January 17, 1989 – January 21, 1997 |
|
| Governor |
Robert Casey Tom Ridge |
| Preceded by | Donald Bailey |
| Succeeded by | Bob Casey |
| 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 |
August 1, 1943 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Political party |
Republican (Before 2003) Democratic (2003–present) |
| Spouse(s) | John Pidgeon (Deceased) |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | Duquesne University |
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.
Hafer began her working career as a public-health nurse in the Monongahela Valley. She founded the Allegheny County Center for Victims of Violent Crime in 1973. Elsie Hillman, one of the donors to the center, convinced Hafer to run for public office, leading Hafer to run for the Allegheny County Board of Commissioners in 1983.
She defeated incumbent Republican William Hunt in the primary election, who had dismissed Hafer as "the little nurse from Elizabeth." In 1988, she ran for State Auditor General, and defeated incumbent Democrat Donald A. Bailey. She went on to serve two four-year terms in the post.
In 1990, she won the Republican nomination for Governor to go against the incumbent Robert P. Casey in the general election. In many areas, Hafer ran to the left of the moderate Casey; noted for his strong pro-life stance, Hafer was actually pro-choice. Though Casey had a strong lead in the polls and high approval ratings, Hafer campaigned hard and went as far as calling him a "redneck Irishman." Her campaign was widely criticized, helping Casey seal his commanding lead in both 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.
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