Tom Corbett (gov)

Four former U.S. Attorneys have filed to run for office in Pennsylvania. Tuesday marked the deadline for major party candidates to file with the Pennsylvania Secretary of State’s office. The primary elections to decide who will run in the November general elections will take place May 18.

Tom Corbett, who was appointed U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania by President George H.W. Bush in 1989 and served until 1993, is one of two candidates vying for the Republican nomination for governor. Current Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) is term limited.

Corbett, who is the current state attorney general, will face state Rep. Sam Rohrer in the Republican primary. On the other side of the political aisle, four candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination: Montgomery County Commissioner and former U.S. Rep. Joe Hoeffel, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato, state auditor general and former state Sen. Jack Wagner and state Sen. Anthony Williams.

Several former U.S. Attorneys are running for Congress in Pennsylvania:

Mary Beth Buchanan (Steve Pope)

Mary Beth Buchanan, who served as the Western District of Pennsylvania U.S. Attorney from 2001 until November 2009, is one of two candidates seeking the Republican nomination in the 4th Congressional District. She will face former Department of Homeland Security official Keith Rothfus in the Republican primary. Both candidates hope to challenge Democratic Rep. Jason Altmire, who is unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Patrick Meehan (doj)

In the 7th Congressional District, Pat Meehan, who led the Eastern District of Pennsylvania U.S. Attorney’s Office from 2001 to 2008, is running unopposed in the Republican primary. Three Democrats — attorney Gail Conner, state Rep. Bryan Lentz and political consultant E. Teresa Touey – are looking to win their party’s nomination. The candidates hope to replace Democratic Rep. Joe Sestak, who is challenging Sen. Arlen Specter in the Democratic primary.

Tom Marino (Tom Marino for Congress)

Finally, Tom Marino, who was the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania from 2002 to October 2007, is one of three Republicans looking to unseat Rep. Chris Carney (D), who is unopposed in the Democratic primary. The other two Republicans seeking the nomination are chiropractor and 2006 state Senate candidate David Madeira and Snyder County Commissioner Malcolm Derk.

Patrick Meehan (doj)

The former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Pat Meehan, is keeping pace on fundraising with his likely Democratic opponent for a House seat next year, Federal Election Commission reports show.

Meehen is running for the Republican nomination for the seat being vacated by Democratic Rep. Joe Sestak in Pennsylvania’s 7th congressional district. State Rep. Bryan Lentz is bidding for the Democratic nomination.

Meehan’s FEC report shows he raised $212,000 in the third quarter of this year, and has $210,942.01 on hand. Lentz raised$220,000 in the quarter, and has $218,000 cash on hand.

Bryan Lentz (gov)

The seat is open because Sestak is mounting a Democratic primary challenge against party-switching Sen. Arlen Specter (D) next year. Meehan was previously considering a run for Pennsylvania governor in 2010.

Meehan served as the Philadelphia-based district’s top prosecutor from September 2001 until July 2008. Meehan’s deputy, Laurie Magid, was named interim U.S. Attorney. But she abruptly resigned in May, a month before her 120-day interim appointment would have expired. Magid’s husband had hosted a fundraising event for Meehan, which stirred controversy in the office. Some prosecutors had also complained about her management skills.