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What We’re Hearing
“I don’t think there’s any problem motivating our base. But the question is, ‘Is our base big enough to beat their base?’” – Jamie Perrapato, Turn PA Blue.
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Top Story
1. He’s Back
https://t.co/MlIKklPSJT pic.twitter.com/Mcbf2xozsY
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2023
Former President Donald Trump on Thursday posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, for the first time since January 2021 to share an image of his mugshot following his surrender in Fulton County, Ga., on Thursday evening.
It was the first time Trump posted on the social media platform since his account was suspended shortly after the Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol. Trump was known during his 2016 campaign and his first term in the White House for using Twitter prolifically to share everything from jabs at his political opponents and to announcing major decisions out of the White House. (The Hill)
Related
Five For Friday: Congressional Competition. “Stop us if you’ve heard this one before, but … Pennsylvania is a key battleground state in the upcoming midterm elections.” (City & State)
GOP’s Houck Problem Hits A Leadership Group Chat. “Conservative anti-abortion activist Mark Houck says a member of House GOP leadership was among the lawmakers encouraging him to primary Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick. That same leader wants nothing to do with Houck’s candidacy.” (POLITICO)
Obstacles Abound As PA Plans For Surge Of Federal Broadband Funding. “In the coming years, Pennsylvania will receive more than $1 billion in federal funding to bring high-speed internet access to everyone in the state.” (Spotlight PA)
State
2. Democrats In PA Want To Keep A Supreme Court Majority. They Are Talking Up Abortion Rights
“As they try to pad their state Supreme Court majority in a presidential battleground, Democrats in Pennsylvania now hope to harness the same voter enthusiasm for protecting abortion rights that has already helped their side to a string of high-profile election victories.
Democrats and their allies are bringing up talk of abortion rights at their rallies and in their ads and are casting a contest for a Pennsylvania high court seat as an existential response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority.” (AP)
Related
Voters in Innamorato’s Former District Will Choose Her Successor — And Which Party Controls PA House. “A relatively small group of Allegheny County voters will have a big statewide impact next month when they pick the successor to former state Rep. Sara Innamorato, who resigned on July 19 and is seeking the job of Allegheny County executive.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Leaving the House: PA Rep. Paul Schemel Won’t Seek Sixth Term. “Pennsylvania Rep. Paul Schemel, a Republican whose district covers southern Franklin County, announced he will not seek a sixth term in next year’s election.” (Chambersburg Public Opinion)
A Guide To Resignations, Retirements And Special Elections In PA Legislature. “One-third of the way through the 2023-24 legislative session, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives has had almost as many special elections as it had in the entirety of the previous session.” (PA Capital-Star)
Berrier Named PUC Executive Director. “The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today announced the appointment of Jennifer Berrier of Harrisburg as executive director for the PUC, effective September 11, 2023.” (PoliticsPA)
Barton: Legislation Will Increase Campaign Finance Transparency. “Rep. Jamie Barton is circulating a co-sponsorship memo for legislation to increase campaign finance transparency by requiring campaigns and campaign organizations to itemize reimbursements on campaign finance reports.” (PoliticsPA)
Around The Commonwealth
3. Why Innamorato Winning Labor Endorsements In Allegheny County Executive Race Wasn’t A Total Cakewalk
“Ordinarily, “local unions endorse Democrat” is the “dog-bites-man” story of political news. But to hear some labor leaders tell it, there may be a bit more to the story when it comes to labor endorsements garnered last week by Democrat Sara Innamorato’s bid for Allegheny County executive.
What may be at stake, beyond her race this fall against Republican Joe Rockey, is a chance for the county to thrive amid a generational shift in local leadership and a once-in-a-generation investment of federal funds.” (WESA Politics)
Related
The Race For Mayor In Philadelphia Inevitably Has Become A Debate About Debates. “Every general election for mayor in Philadelphia eventually comes around to an inevitable debate about debates. David Oh wants 10 of them. Cherelle Parker won’t commit.” (Philadelphia Inquirer Clout)
Bucks County GOP Sued Over 2022 Party Officers’ Election, Bylaws. “Just as the fall election season is about to begin, the Bucks County Republican Committee and the state GOP, along with the party officers, were hit with a lawsuit by a Hatfield man who ran for party chair last year and lost.” (DV Journal)
Democrats Nominate Committee Stalwart To Run For Westmoreland Commissioner. “Party officials on Thursday announced that longtime committee member Lisa Gephart will fill a vacancy on the November ballot to run alongside Commissioner Ted Kopas as Democrats seek to reclaim a majority at the courthouse.” (Tribune-Review)
Editorial
4. What They’re Saying
- Body Language Told Me Everything I Needed to Know About the GOP Debate. (Joe Navarro)
- Presidential Debate Or Cafeteria Food Fight? (Lori Falce)
- ‘Really Dangerous Territory’: Trump Offers A Telling Clue About Second Term Plans. (John T. Bennett)
- Does Anyone Care About The Study Linking PA Fracking To Cancer In Kids? (Will Bunch)
- 8 GOP Candidates Debate Funding To Ukraine, Trump’s Future And – Covertly, With Dog Whistles – Race. (Jordan Tama, Brian Kait and Calvin Schmerhorn)
- Shapiro’s Wrong Approach To Grid Reliability. (Gordon Tomb)
- Polluters Should Pay To Protect Communities From The Climate Crisis They Created. (Joseph Minott)
- Settlement Boosts Voting Transparency. (Scranton Times-Tribune)
- America’s Scandalous Churches And Its Great Dechurching. (Nicholas Kristof)
- The March On Washington Happened 60 Years Ago. Today, The Work Continues. (Shira Goodman, Andrea Custis)
- Let’s Not Gamble Our Safety Away. (Bill Miller)
1 Thing
5. National Cinema Day Is Sunday
Movie tickets for “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer” and the rest of the season’s lineup will drop to $4 — a fraction of their regular price — at theaters nationwide this Sunday.
How it works: More than 3,000 movie theaters with 30,000-plus screens across the country will participate. You can find a local theater at nationalcinemaday.org.
Don’t forget: Tickets for all showtimes, including premium format screens including IMAX and Dolby Cinema, “will be no more than $4,” the nonprofit Cinema Foundation said in a news release.
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2 Responses
Trump is just a vile POS.
“I don’t think there’s any problem motivating our base. But the question is, ‘Is our base big enough to beat their base?'” – Jamie Perrapato, Turn PA Blue.
As usual, Dems live in a delusional echo chamber. Turnout is so bad – despair is so great – in Philadelphia that in mid-terms, more Dems voted in Pittsburgh!
Philadelphia African-Americans now regularly repeat GOP talking points about the pandemic (anti-mask, anti-lockdown, not getting vaxxed), economy (Biden is doing terribly), crime (crime is out of control (it’s not) and it’s liberals’ fault), police (even the slightest criticism is framed with pro-police disclaimers).
They won’t vote GOP because of that party’s open racism, but I don’t see those people voting Democrat either – and they didn’t in the mid-terms.