Democratic incumbent Treasurer Robin Wiessmann had been appointed by Governor Ed Rendell to fill Bob Casey Jr.'s term when he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006; Wiessman's appointment included the condition that she would not run for election in 2008.

[1] Four candidates sought the Democratic nomination for the office: John Cordisco, an attorney and former State Representative from New Hope; Rob McCord, a venture capitalist from Lower Merion; Dennis Morrison-Wesley, an investment banker from Harrisburg; and Jennifer Mann, a State Representative from Allentown[2] McCord won the primary by a fair margin and faced Tom Ellis in the general election on November 4, 2008; the Republican Ellis, a Montgomery County Commissioner, was unopposed for the nomination.

[3] McCord had no prior record in elected office, but worked at the beginning of his career on Capitol Hill, specializing in "budget and regulatory issues.

"[4] McCord worked more recently as a financial advisor and venture capitalist; his website claims that, during his career, he managed $1 billion in assets and has indirectly worked to create more than 1,900 jobs in Pennsylvania.

[4] McCord's opponents, especially Cordisco, have accused him of a lack of financial transparency and of risking conflicts of interest were he to become Treasurer.