Peg Luksik, the third party candidate for governor who has some Republicans worried and Democrats praying, came to the St. Vincent College campus Wednesday night to spread the word about her candidacy.

Speaking to a group of about 45 supporters, Luksik said that government had to be put back in its place after it has intruded on family's prerogatives in education, health and social issues.

"It's like a river. Most cities are built on them because they are wonderful things," Luksik said in what was more a chat than a speech. "But when a river leaves its banks, nothing can be more destructive."

She said she favored taking the state's estimated $673 million surplus and returning it to taxpayers. She also wants to eliminate the inheritance tax that she said is unfair to single people.

She said she favored tax credits to allow for funding of School Choice options.

On education policies, Luksik said Outcomes Based Education is alive and well living in new state-promulgated education policy. She said that only local authorities, not state or federal, are able to create effective education policies.

"Schools are not labs, and kids aren't Guinea Pigs," she said.

Along with being pro-life Luksik is also pro-gun.

"I'm for protecting innocent life. Families have the right to defend themselves and their members," she said.

Four years ago the socially active mother of six from Johnstown captured 13 percent of the vote in the last governor's race and established herself as the leading candidate of conservatives in Pennsylvania.

This time around, she's running as a third party of the Constitutional Party she created.

Republicans fear her pro-life position will split their party and cripple incumbent Republican Gov. Tom Ridge's chance at winning the race. Democrats are hoping for just that and figuring she will force Ridge to fight a war on two fronts, reducing the effect of his $12 million war chest.

But as far as she's concerned the campaign this fall will be between two candidates - and Democrat Ivan Itkin isn't one of them.

"What else is Ivan going to say," referring to Democratic strategies. "There is no campaign there. If you are going to run a successful campaign you can't wait for someone else to make a mistake," she said.

And while most observers are predicting a sleepy gubernatorial race, Luksik is pointing to her candidacy petition effort conducted by 6,000 volunteers as a sign that her supporters are energized for a fight.

Earlier this month, Luksik's campaign submitted candidacy petitions with 75,000 signatures; 50,610 more than was required by law, 11,000 more than in her 1994 race and 5,000 more than would have been required had the governor not vetoed a proposal that would have increased the number of petition signatures needed for third party candidates.