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đWhat Weâre Hearing. â”Erie is the quintessential Pennsylvania electorate all in one area,” U.S. Sen. John Fetterman said. “You have urban, you have more rural and suburban all together.”
đ Whatâs Happening Today. The state House convenes at noon, while the state Senate convenes at 1 p.m.
đ PoliticsPA Polling Tracker (avg. of last 5 PA polls)
President: Harris +1.3% | Senate: Casey +6.9%
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Top Story
1. From Obama to Trump to Biden, Why Erie County’s Next Choice Will Likely Be Our New President
âFor seven consecutive elections, Erie County was a Democratic stronghold in presidential politics, from Michael Dukakis to Barack Obama.
Donald Trump changed everything in 2016, becoming the first Republican to win the county since Ronald Reagan in 1984 and the first to win the state since 1988.
That a Democratic stronghold would back Trump, however narrowly, thrust Erie County into the political spotlight. Only 206 counties nationwide backed Obama twice and then turned to Trump.â (Erie Times-News)
Elsewhere
In Erie, Donald Trump Doubles Down On Suggesting Kamala Harris Is âMentally Impairedâ. âRepublican presidential nominee Donald Trump suggested Vice President Kamala Harris is âmentally impairedâ during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania Sunday, the second time in as many days he questioned his opponentâs mental capacity, despite facing widespread criticism for doing so.â (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Trump Suggests Giving Cops âOne Really Violent Dayâ to Stop Crime. âDuring yet another anti-migrant rant, the former president falsely claimed crime is up and so cops should be allowed to be âextraordinarily roughââ (Rolling Stone)
Republicans Deploy Cash to Crack Democratsâ Blue Wall in Senate. âIn working to flip seats currently held by Democrats, the Senate Leadership Fund plans to spend $67.5 million on TV, radio and digital ad reservations in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. The super PAC will add $28 million in outside spending to Republicansâ effort to unseat Sen. Bob Casey in Pennsylvania.â (Wall Street Journal)
What Bridgewater Is and Why It Matters In U.S. Senate Race in PA. âWith $124 billion in assets under management, Bridgewater is not a typical hedge fund. In addition to being massive, Bridgewater is known on Wall Street as a unique and sometimes-controversial firm that pioneered a research-based investment approach that helped predict the 2008 financial crisis.â (PennLive)
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State
2. Election 2024: The Powerful Interests Bankrolling Critical Row Office Races
âAs unions, interest groups, and Pennsylvaniaâs richest man pour millions into the critical election for attorney general, the stateâs two other row office races have attracted far fewer dollars in the months leading up to Nov 5.
Money doesnât always determine outcomes in these critical-but-low-interest races. In 2020, two virtually unknown Republicans won upsets over better-funded opponents for auditor general and treasurer. Democrats want those positions back, though only one of the partyâs candidates is outraising the incumbent.â (Spotlight PA)
Elsewhere
As Kamala Harris Courts Voters in Pennsylvania, Black Greek Life Is Thrust Into the Spotlight. âFor Black Americans, the path to the polls wasn’t without cost. For parts of two centuries, scores of Black men and women put their lives on the line for the right to vote, and thatâs what keeps voter engagement as a top priority for the National Pan-Hellenic Council, the governing body for nine of the countryâs oldest and most prominent Black sororities and fraternities.â (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Democrats Bullish About TV Anchor Janelle Stelson’s Chances Against GOP Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania. âThe 10th-District race has some distinctive features and unique candidate back stories that have thrust the race into the spotlight, even in a state that’s already saturated with high-stakes political races.â (CBS News
Deluzio, Mercuri Trade Jabs Over Debates That Havenât Materialized in Congressional Race. âJust over a month from Election Day, the candidates in the region’s most competitive Congressional race do not have plans to meet each other on a debate stage â although both sides say they are still willing to meet for one.â (WESA)
PA Treasurer Race Pits Pro-Trump Incumbent Against Democratic Upstart. âVoters are focusing more on the presidential race than the battle for treasurer between incumbent Republican Stacy Garrity and Democratic challenger Erin McClelland. But here’s why it matters.â (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Kenyatta Massively Outraises Incumbent Auditor General Defoor According to Latest Financial Reports. âMalcolm Kenyattaâs campaign reported raising $491,200 while DeFoorâs claimed $67,800. The difference is especially notable when, generally speaking, incumbents usually outraise their competitors.â (Penn Capital-Star)
Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta Sued By Drexel University For Unpaid Tuition, Late Fees. âKenyatta, also the Democratsâ nominee for auditor general in this Novemberâs election, was sued in January by Drexel University for more than $36,000 in unpaid tuition and late fees, according to court documents.â (Broad + Liberty)
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Around The Commonwealth
3. These Are the PA House Races to Watch In November That Will Determine Who Takes or Keeps Control
âAll 203 state House seats are up for reelection this year. But only a handful of races will decide who will take or keep control.
There are five Democrats and five Republicans across Pennsylvania who are vulnerable to a challenger due to the makeup of their district.â (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Elsewhere
Mail-In Ballots Mean Many Will Have Voted Long Before Election Day. ââAs soon as ballots are available, we will also begin âover the counterâ voting at the County Office Building â that means you can walk up, apply for a mail in ballot on the spot, receive a ballot, vote it and turn it in on the spot, or take it home and complete it later.â (Greensburg Tribune-Review)
Race to Watch: What Voters Need to Know About PA State Rep. Craig Williams and Democratic Challenger Elizabeth Moro. âThe 160th District race between Williams and Moro could determine which party controls the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.â (WHYY)
Republican State Rep. Brett Miller Faces Progressive Challenger in 41st District. âVoters in Lancaster Countyâs most competitive state House race will decide between two very distinct candidates: a self-described “constitutional conservative” and a liberal Democrat.â (LNP | Lancaster Online)
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Editorial
4. Whatâs On Your Mind
- Nuclear Now: Reopening Three Mile Island is a Huge Boost for PA. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
- Why Good People Support Donald Trump. (Bradley R. Agle and Travis Ruddle)
- In Charleroi, Haitian Immigrants Are Succeeding Where America Has Failed. (Brandon McGinley)
- A Lot of Good Republicans Are Disappointed In Their Party and In Their Candidate For President. (Mark S. Singel)
- Kamala Harris Is Using a Strategy Rooted in Civil Rights Activism. (Sheryll Cashin)
- Is Pennsylvania Board of Higher Education a Solution to Post-Secondary Problems? (Greensburg Tribune-Review)
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1 Thing
5. Sorry, Harvard. Everyone Wants to Go to College in the South Now
âA growing number of high-school seniors in the North are making an unexpected choice for college: They are heading to Clemson, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, Alabama and other universities in the South.
Students say they are searching for the fun and school spirit emanating from the South on their social-media feeds. Their parents cite lower tuition and less debt, and warmer weather. College counselors also say many teens are eager to trade the political polarization ripping apart campuses in New England and New York for the sense of community epitomized by the Southâs football Saturdays.â (WSJ)
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