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Top Story

1. Fetterman Has More Cash On Hand Than Oz Entering Homestretch

With three weeks remaining in the contentious U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania, Democrat John Fetterman has a considerable edge over Republican nominee Mehmet Oz in available campaign funds.

Fetterman has $4.2 million on hand, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission, after raising more than $22 million in the third quarter.

Oz has $2.5 million in the bank after accumulating $9 million during the same period and contributing $7 million from his own pocket. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Related

Fetterman Receives More, Smaller Donations. Oz Supported By Personal Loans And Outside Spending. “Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman continues to raise and spend substantially more money than his Republican counterpart, Mehmet Oz. But spending by outside groups has ensured that Oz remains competitive this fall.” (WESA)

Behind Oz’s Crime Attacks Is A For The Philly Suburbs. “An impeachment vote against Larry Krasner, the Philadelphia district attorney, points to the potency of an issue that works against Lt. Gov. John Fetterman.” (NY Times)

Fetterman’s Options: Disclose More About His Health Or Let Innuendo Fill The Void. “In the absence of hard facts from medical professionals, they can’t help but make their own amateur assessments based on whatever clues they can glean from his public appearances. It might not be to Fetterman’s advantage.” (TIME)

What To Know About The 2022 PA Candidates For Senate and Governor. “Here’s everything you need to know about John Fetterman, Mehmet Oz, Josh Shapiro, and Doug Mastriano before Nov. 8.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Courts

2. GOP Goes To Court Again Over PA Mail-In Ballots

“The state and national Republican parties are suing anew in Pennsylvania in an effort to block some mail-in ballots — those lacking the voter’s handwritten date on the return envelope — from being counted in November, when voters will elect a new governor and U.S. senator.
The GOP’s filing late Sunday went straight to the state Supreme Court, with barely three weeks left before Election Day. The court does not have to take up the lawsuit.” (AP)

Related

Republicans Want The PA Supreme Court To Stop Undated Mail Ballots From Being Counted. “Republicans are taking the fight over undated Pennsylvania mail ballots straight to the state’s high court, and they’re not waiting until Election Day to do it.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

How Doug Mastriano Deployed Facebook Live To Build His Far-Right Base. “Join us as we walk you through how the far-right Pennsylvania state senator wielded the power of Facebook Live to secure the Republican nomination for governor.” (Philadelphia Inquirer audio)

Where Candidates Stand On Rural Healthcare, Broadband and Agriculture. “The winner of the 2022 Pennsylvania race for governor will have the authority to address a wide range of issues affecting roughly 3.4 million people.” (Spotlight PA)

Giuliani Names Trump Election Deniers As Witnesses In Legal Ethics Case. “A witness list filed by lawyers for Giuliani on Friday included Doug Mastriano, the Republican candidate for governor in Pennsylvania; the former Trump campaign lawyer Jenna Ellis; and Christina Bobb, an attorney currently caught up in Trump’s fight with the US Department of Justice over the retention of classified records.” (The Guardian)

U.S. House

3. U.S. House Preview: PA-05

“It will be incumbent Democrat Mary Gay Scanlon against Republican challenger David Galluch in PA-05 that includes Delaware, and parts of Chester, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties.” (PoliticsPA)

Related

PA-04 Ad Watch: Democratic incumbent Madeleine Dean is airing a new ad highlighting how she helped a local manufacturing plant stay in business. Dean is eyeing the position of House Democratic Caucus vice chair in the next Congress. (Punchbowl News)

PA-07: LehighValleyNews.com To Host Debate For Hotly Contested Seat. “LehighValleyNews.com will host a debate between Democratic incumbent Susan Wild and Republican Lisa Scheller on Friday, Oct. 21, at the Univest Public Media Center in Bethlehem.” (LehighValleyNews)

PA-11: Smucker Sidesteps 2020 Election Question, Ties Opponent To ‘Radical Leftists.’ “In a short televised debate that aired Monday afternoon, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker declined to directly answer whether Donald Trump fairly lost the presidency in 2020.” (LNP | Lancaster Online)

PA-17 Ad Watch: Republican Jeremy Shaffer is running an ad where his wife vouches he will “stand up for women’s health care.” (Punchbowl News)

Around The Commonwealth

Voting By Mail: A Primer. “For you, dear reader, I signed up for a no-excuse mail ballot for November to explain how it all works.” (PoliticsPA)

PA Mail-In Ballot Applications From Third Party Cause Confusion. “The deadline to register to vote is one week away, and there are numerous groups trying to sign voters up. At least one of them is raising eyebrows.” (WHTM)

Campaign Signs Booby-Trapped With Razor Blades In Upper Makefield. “A resident trying to remove a political sign on their Upper Makefield property was injured after discovering razor blades had been affixed to the outside of the poster.” (Bucks County Courier Times)

PA Latino Voters Still Lean Democratic As Republicans Work to Woo Them. “Latino voters are finding their voice in Pennsylvania, and being courted by Democrats and Republicans.” (PennLive)

SD 16: Pinsley, Coleman Battle For Seat Long Held by Sen. Browne. “With incumbent’s primary loss, voters must choose between candidates far apart on issues.” (Armchair Lehigh Valley)

SD 38: North Hills Race Reflects Stakes In Effort To Change Checks and Balances In Harrisburg. “The legislators that voters elect to the General Assembly could shape the future of an effort to redefine abortion rights, election oversight, and the power of the executive branch.” (WESA)

• HD 112: Mullins vs. Torbeck (Scranton Times-Tribune)
• HD 114: Burgerhoff Faces Kosierowski (Scranton Times-Tribune)
• HD 131: Branco vs. Mackenzie (Times Herald)
• HD 146: Ciresi vs. Neafcy in Rematch. (Pottstown Mercury)
• HD 151: Stephens Faces Challenge From Cerrato (Norristown Times-Herald)
• HD 162: Delloso Challenging Mattus. (Delaware County Times)
• HD 168: Chris Quinn vs. Lisa Borowski. (Delaware County Times)
• Voting Guide (Axios Philadelphia)

Candidates’ Night Canceled Due To Objections By GOP To NAACP Moderator. “A Candidates’ Night Forum that had been scheduled for Monday, Oct. 24, at the Lebanon Municipal Building Auditorium has been canceled after county Republican party candidates declined to participate because an NAACP representative would have acted as a co-moderator.” (LebTown)

Faith-Based Group Hitting The Road To Encourage Pennsylvanians To Vote. “The Freedom Express starts this week in Philadelphia with plans to travel to more than a dozen Pennsylvania counties. The bus tour will urge people to vote in a state that could be crucial to the midterms nationwide.” (WHYY) 

Wolf With An F: Fiscal Policy Report Card Gives PA Low Grade. “In a recent ranking of America’s governors, Pennsylvania’s Tom Wolf ranked at the bottom of the pack – 44th for his fiscal policies.” (The Center Square)

Opinion

• This Is Why I Want PA’s Vote In The Midterm Election. (Mehmet Oz)
• We’re PA Clergy. Christian Nationalism Isn’t Christian. Here’s Why. (Pennsylvania Capital-Star)
• On Learning How To Forgive and Let Live. (Lloyd E. Sheaffer)
• Appalachia Counting On Dr. Oz’s Prescription (Riley Keaton)
• What’s Wrong With Faith, Freedom, Family, And America First? (Robert Russel)
• Proud Boys’ Only “Idea” Is Violence. Penn State Is Wrong To Give Its Leader A Platform. (Will Bunch)
• Proposed Amendments To PA State Constitutions Are Dangerous Attacks On System. (Rochelle Kaplan)