Kammala wannan jumla: A shekara ta 1978, ya lashe zaben farko na Republican don mataimakin gwamnan kuma daga baya a wannan shekarar ya zama mutum mafi ƙanƙanta da aka taɓa zaɓa mataimakin gwamnan a Pennsylvania. Matsayinsa na biyu a matsayin shugaban kwamitin kula da makamashi na Gwamna da kuma shugaban kwamitin kula da gaggawa na Pennsylvania ya sanya shi a tsakiyar tsibirin Three Mile
rikicin a shekarar 1979. A matsayinsa na mataimakin gwamnan, Scranton ya dauki Nat Goldhaber, dan kungiyar Transcendental Meditation, a matsayin babban hadiminsa a Harrisburg. A shekarar 1982, an zabe shi baki daya a matsayin Shugaban Majalisar Wakilan Gwamnonin Kasa.