Pennsylvania's Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll Dies

As a native Pennsylvanian who had the honor of casting one of my first votes for Lt. Gov. Knolls I was particularly saddened by this news. Lt. Gov. Knoll was a trailblazer for Pennsylvania politics. She helped move the state back to its progressive roots being an important voice for providing access to those often let out. Tough and smart, she was a guide for all of us how to win elections while being true to her heart. The Philadelphia Inquirer has a good obit: Knoll announced this summer that she was suffering from the disease, which generally affects specialized cells that work to keep many of the body's hormonal and digestive functions in check. She had vowed to return to work and did so for a day, presiding over the Senate for the start of its fall session. But she looked drawn and tired. ...One of nine children, Knoll was born in McKees Rocks, a working-class community outside Pittsburgh. She got into politics by campaigning at the side of her father, who was mayor. Knoll's life was devoted to public service. She was a schoolteacher and a businesswoman, and she served eight years as state treasurer before joining Rendell on the Democratic gubernatorial ticket in 2002. Knoll made history at the polls in 1994. Running for a second term as treasurer, she collected what at the time was the largest number of votes cast for a Democrat in a statewide race in Pennsylvania. ...She supported numerous causes and programs that ranged from promoting the proper securing of firearms in homes to helping disadvantaged women enter the workforce. G. Terry Madonna, a pollster and politics professor at Franklin and Marshall College, called Knoll "one of Pennsylvania's true political pioneers." "She opened up doors for women in politics in our state that had been closed before," Madonna said. She was a true Pennsylvanian loving my state and spending a lifetime serving us. She will be sorely missed.