What a great Monday! The Phillies are going to the NLCS. The Birds are unbeaten and the Steelers beat Tom Brady.

PA Weather
Dubois | Mostly Cloudy, 50
Camp Hill | Mostly Cloudy, 62
Wilkes-Barre | Mostly Cloudy, 60

PA Sports
Phillies | Atlanta, W, 8-3 | TUE vs. San Diego
Penn State (5-1) | Michigan, L, 41-17
Steelers (2-4) | Tampa Bay, W, 20-18
Eagles (6-0) | Dallas, W, 26-17
Flyers (2-0) | Vancouver, W, 3-2
Penguins (2-0) | Tampa Bay, W, 6-2 | MON vs. Montreal

Happy Birthday
Cake and candles for Rep. Steve Malagari.

Thanks for reading PoliticsPA. Are you getting this newsletter forwarded to you? Sign up for free and get your own subscription. And visit us online at PoliticsPA.com.

Top Story

1. Inquirer Endorses Fetterman For Senate

“The editorial board of the Philadelphia Inquirer made its second endorsement call of the 2022 general election season – John Fetterman for U.S. Senate.

The board selected the Democratic lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania as its choice for the open seat vacated by the retiring Pat Toomey over Republican Mehmet Oz.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Related

Do Voters Care About John Fetterman’s Stroke? “The Democrat’s health status is a legitimate election issue for Pennsylvanians. The question is what they should make of it.” (The Atlantic)

John Fetterman’s Health Sparks Contentious Serious Debate In Final Stretch. “The Democrat suffered a stroke in May, and his recovery has become a focal point in the closing phase of the Senate race in Pennsylvania, drawing growing attention from the campaigns and others.” (Washington Post)

‘Very Serious Stakes.’ Why PA’s Doctors Are Rallying Against Oz’s Senate Bid. “Their reasoning is simple: Oz’s history as a television physician undermines the trust of their profession, subsequently threatening the health of their patients. They believe if Oz is elected, he would exploit his constituents just as he’s done to his viewers.” (WHYY)

• Doctors Seek a Bigger Voice In Races As Midterms Approach. (Axios)

Allies Of Oz, Fetterman Give Advice Ahead of U.S. Senate Debate: Just Stick to the Issues. “Allies of John Fetterman and Mehmet Oz — including two familiar names who have debated them in the past, but now support their candidacies for U.S. Senate — are urging their candidates to stick to the issues on Oct. 25 when they go head-to-head in a primetime televised debate.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Money

2. Fundraising Numbers In For Q3

“(Saturday was) October 15 or as the Federal Election Commission likes to call it, “Filing Day.”

All registered candidate committees must disclose the money they raise and spend to the FEC. These “receipts” and “disbursements” are reported quarterly by House and Senate candidate committees.” (PoliticsPA)

Related

As Wild Rakes In Cash, Scheller Spends Big On Advertising. “Incumbent Democrat Susan Wild is entering the final stretch of her bid for reelection in the 7th Congressional District with $1.5 million in cash on hand, nearly three times that of her opponent Republican Lisa Scheller.” (Armchair Lehigh Valley)

• Congressional Fundraising Climate Favors Democrats. (Roll Call)
• Campaign Finance Record Broken in PA Governor Race. (AP)

Governor

3. As Shapiro and Fetterman Run As a Ticket, Mastriano and Oz Avoid Each Other

“The Democratic candidates have largely kept to their own races, but their even occasional alliance is in sharp contrast to the candidates at the top of the GOP ticket, state Sen. Doug Mastriano and Mehmet Oz. While Mastriano and Oz have ignored each other, (Josh) Shapiro and (John) Fetterman have done a handful of appearances together and make a point to tout the other’s candidacy in stump speeches across the state.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Related

In a Rare Rebuke, Two Retired War College Professors Say Mastriano Unfit To Be Governor. ““I didn’t want to look back on this moment in time and regret a decision to stay silent,” said the former faculty council chair. Another retired professor said: “This guy is not fit for office.”” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Mastriano and Shapiro Both Say They’re The ‘Freedom’ Guy. But What Does That Even Mean? “It’s red, white and blue — and difficult to define, at least with any true consensus.” (Bucks County Courier Times)

Around The Commonwealth

PA-11: Smucker Faces Converted Democrat. “With national polls showing Republicans with a strong chance of regaining a majority in Congress, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker is likely to see his influence over economic policy grow significantly when the next Congress is sworn in on Jan. 3.” (LNP | Lancaster Online)

• PA-08: Bognet, Cartwright Explain Their Positions On Abortion, Climate Change, Elections, and Ukraine. (Standard-Speaker)
• PA-16: Pastore Sees ‘Big Commitment’ Needed In New-Look District. (The Derrick)
• PA-16: Kelly Wants Policy Over Party For The Nation. (New Castle News)
• U.S. House Preview: PA-02. “Brendan Boyle vs. Aaron Bashir.” (PoliticsPA)
• U.S. House Preview: PA-03. “Dwight Evans vs. Christian Hoeppner.” (PoliticsPA)
• U.S. House Preview: PA-04. “Madeleine Dean vs. Christian Nascimento.” (PoliticsPA)

What Happens If Former State Rep. Tony DeLuca Wins His Election Race Posthumously? “If DeLuca wins, no one would be seated as the 32nd District’s representative when it begins its next term. The Department of State would set a special election date sometime after state legislators are sworn in in January.” (Tribune-Review)

Pocono Candidates From The 189th, 40th Discuss Abortion at Forum. “Participating in the forum were the 40th Senate District candidates, state Rep. Rosemary Brown (R-189) and Jennifer Shukaitis, a Democratic Stroud Township supervisor; and the 189th House District candidates, Steve Ertle, a Republican and manager of The Lounge at Baymont Inn, and Tarah Probst, a Democrat and mayor of Stroudsburg.” (Pocono Record)

At Berks Democratic Party Dinner, Candidates Say Democracy Is On The Ballot. “Congresswoman Madeleine Dean knows that politics can be complicated, that for many people it can seem overwhelming.That’s why this election season she’s urging voters to simplify things.” (Reading Eagle)

• CDT Voter Guide (Centre Daily Times)
• Lehigh Valley Voter Guide: Statewide. (LehighValleyNews)
• Lehigh Valley Voter Guide: Local. (LehighValleyNews)
• PA Election Day 2022. (StateCollege.com)
• Procrastinator Guide to Philly Elections. (Billy Penn)
• SD 44: The Race To Represent. (Pottstown Mercury)
• HD 1: Voters to Choose Between Harkins, Thomas. (Erie Times-News)
• HD 3: Bizzarro, Kujawa Vie to Represent Millcreek, Fairview. (Erie Times-News)
• HD 88: Two Officeholders Vie For Seat Representing Cumberland County. (PennLive)
• HD 101: Catherine Miller, John Schlegel Vie For Seat. (Lebanon Daily News)

Wolf Administration Insists Undated Mail Ballots Will Be Valid This November As Counties Proceed With Caution. “Pennsylvania’s top election official is doubling down on guidance that directs county officials to count undated mail ballots during this November’s highly consequential midterm election.” (Spotlight PA)

Thousands Sign Petition Asking Temple to Cancel Classes on Election Day to GOTV. “Temple is still planning to hold classes on Election Day — despite a student-led push for the university to cancel instruction and deploy some of its resources to help students and other Philadelphians get to their polling places.” (Billy Penn)

Luzerne County Election Preparations In Full Swing. “With the Nov. 8 general election nearly three weeks away, Luzerne County’s election bureau is in high gear. The county has 203,396 voters registered for the general.” (Times-Leader)

How The ‘Never Trump’ Movement Became ‘Never Trumpism.’ “For many disaffected Republicans, 2022 is the year the “Never Trump” movement became “Never Trumpism.”” (Washington Post)

Opinion

• Midterm Contests Offer Stark Choices. (Ruth Ann Dailey)
• How The U.S. Supreme Court Is Ready To Roll Back Decades of Progress on Racial Equity. (Salewa Ogunmefun)
• Gerrymandered Congressional Districts Defy Both Logic and Decency. (Marc H. Morial)
• Out-Of-State Money Influences PA Votes In Both Parties (Tribune-Review)