Pennsylvania’s first statewide election in a year arrives tomorrow. Here’s what to look for:
The Supreme Court race between Democrat Jack Panella and Republican Joan Orie Melvin has gained a nasty edge in the last few weeks, but turnout is still expected to be sparse. Will the low level of enthusiasm nullify the Democrats’ 1.2 million voter registration advantage, and can analysts use the race as any sort of indicator for 2010′s slate of high-profile campaigns? PoliticsPA stays away from the predictions game, but expect a close race and low turnout.
The Harrisburg mayor’s race has become an interesting battle despite longtime incumbent Stephen Reed, who lost in the primary, staying nearly silent. Democratic candidate Linda Thompson shocked many observers by defeating Reed in the primary, but questions over a non-profit group she runs have dogged her campaign. Can Republican Nevin Mindlin overcome the city’s strong Democratic-registration advantage and pull off a shock upset? His prospects for victory might hinge on whether Reed supporters abandon a write-in campaign for the outgoing incumbent.
Other municipal contests, such as the mayor’s race in Pittsburgh, are expected to be unsurprising. Incumbent Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, now 29, is expected to runaway with his re-election bid, but he will face tough challenges and an increasingly bright spotlight in his next term.
Of course, 2009′s races are just appetizers for 2010. Expect the conversation to change dramatically from judicial campaigns to gubernatorial, congressional and senatorial primaries very quickly, and for the last lingering candidates in each race who haven’t declared to finally do so.
Also, if you haven’t been reading the Scranton Times-Tribune’s series on campaign finance regulation, you should be. After all, it appears that the Pennsylvania Dept. of State is relying on us to comb through candidates finance reports. Click here to read today’s piece.
Tags: Weekly Primer
Loading ...
