 From 1990 to 1992, Hilferty was the Executive Director of PennPorts in the administration of Governor of Pennsylvania Robert P. Casey, where he oversaw development aspects of the commonwealth's ports in Erie, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.In 1994, Hilferty ran unsuccessfully as one of 8 candidates seeking the Democratic Party nomination as Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania.In a 2013 interview, Hilferty said that he would have delayed implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act by a year to allow better coordination between stakeholders that would allow for a better result.