Tom Knox is a Democrat running for Pennsylvania governor in 2010. Although he was not successful in his bid to become mayor of Philadelphia last year, Knox may have latched on to an issue that could jump-start his gubernatorial campaign.

Knox wants to prevent the scheduled lifting of caps on electricity rates that could send utility bills skyrocketing for Pennsylvania homeowners and businesses.

From an e-mail the Knox for Governor campaign sent out:

Pennsylvania is about to raise your utility bill 65%. It's true. Even though we are in the middle of a recession, Pennsylvania is about to deregulate its electric utilities. And, every expert agrees this will increase consumers' electrical rates by 65%.

I don't know about you, but I'm not going to just sit by and watch struggling middle class families be squeezed even further by higher utility rates. So, if you are as upset as I am, you must act right now.

Please sign the petition and tell Pennsylvania's state legislature not to raise your utility rates: www.StopThePARipOff.com

Knox goes on to say that in every state where deregulation has been tried, it has failed.

From his e-mail: If you don't want your utility rates to go up 75%, then I need you to join with me and tell the Pennsylvania state legislature to stop this utility rate hike. What you do right now really matters. You have the power to stop this rate hike, put an end to deregulation and protect Pennsylvania's families, but it will only happen if we all join together and demand it.

We must act now - sign the petition today: www.StopThePARipOff.com

Stopping this rate hike, which would be the equivalent to the "biggest tax increase in Pennsylvania history," is just common sense, good government, Knox says.

Pennsylvania already has some of the highest electricity costs in the nation, Knox says. "Deregulation would be disastrous."

I know this guy is a Democrat, but I can't argue with his desire to protect Pennsylvania's beleaguered taxpayers, who have suffered enormously under Ed Rendell.