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From PoliticsPA:
Today’s Quinnipiac poll finally puts down a baseline for a gubernatorial campaign that’s just started to heat up. The poll (the first taken since the primary) shows Republican Tom Corbett leading Democrat Dan Onorato 44 percent to 37 percent.
We’ll have more on the splits later today, but the top-line number, though kinder to the Democrat than others, confirms he is the firm underdog in this race.
But just as notable as the top-line numbers are Pennsylvanian’s feelings on immigration legislation, an issue that has taken center stage nationally after Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer introduced controversial immigration legislation last month. The poll will show how the state’s residents feel about enacting an Arizona-style law here. PoliticsPA favorite Chris Cillizza noted earlier this month that immigration has quietly become one of the top issues for the 2010 midterm races.
PODCAST: The Roarty, Detrow and Micek trio return this week to discuss Tom Corbett’s gaffe and the Philadelphia Family Court controversy
First, Alex looks at the past week’s skirmish between Sestak and Toomey: “Nearly a week of hand-to-hand combat between Joe Sestak’s and Pat Toomey’s campaigns reached a crescendo Monday when the Democrat’s campaign director accused Toomey of suggesting his time working on Wall Street was more important than Sestak’s career in the Navy.”
Then, there’s PolitcsPA’s coverage of Corbett’s gaffe, and Onorato’s response: “Days after the GOP gubernatorial nominee said some people would rather receive unemployment benefits than find a job, his Democratic rival Monday used the remarks to call Corbett “out-of-touch” with voters anxious about the state’s near-10-percent unemployment rate.”
Don’t be surprised to see other Pennsylvania Dems join in Onorato’s chorus on Corbett’s comments. Other Pa. Dems may model their response on what SEPA Dems in the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 15th said following Rep. Joe Barton’s (R-Texas) infamous BP apology. Expect Republicans in competitive districts to be called on to denounce Corbett’s comments. In fact, Rep. Paul Kanjorski got that party started in a press release last evening.
Also worth noting – As the jobs discussion came into focus for the two gubernatorial campaigns, Corbett came out to support an unemployment benefit extension currently log-jammed by congressional Republicans, while Onorato didn’t give a definitive answer. A very weird contradiction.
Also from PoliticsPA: Will Bubba come to campaign with Dan Onorato? “Dan Onorato’s campaign is talking with former President Bill Clinton about campaigning with the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, but no final agreement has been reached about a possible appearance, a spokesman for Onorato said Monday.”
From Public Policy polling, the impact of outgoing governors, including the Guv, of course.
Fundraising reports are due Thursday (!), but expect campaigns hoping to catch attention from their totals to disclose their numbers to reporters early on.
PoliticsPA has got you covered with our second quarter fundraising cheat sheet. As the numbers come in, we’ll update it for you to keep you up to speed.
One fundraising number to look out for — Pat Toomey’s. The former congressman has built a fundraising machine so far, and a spokeswoman tells PoliticsPA he will report his best fundraising quarter yet this week. He raised $2.3 million in the first quarter, by the way.
Down in DC – If you missed The Fix’s Politics and Pints last night (which we did, again), you’re in luck – the final Specter-Casey staff softball matchup is tonight (h/t Colby Itkowitz)
Post Gazette: Former State Rep. Veon remains in a jail cell – A judge denied Mike Veon’s motion to be set free while he appeals his sentence.
Post-Gazette: Specter brokering Middle East peace? – Sen. Specter flew to the Middle East this weekend to talk it out with the Israelis and Syrians.
Want to see the Allegheny River Crossing get demolished? Ya, so do we. Check it out at paturnpike.com later today.
The Post-Gazette follows up on Ravenstahl’s latest slip up: “The debacle that ensued when Mayor Luke Ravenstahl tried to appoint new members to the Citizen Police Review Board called attention to a hole in the city ordinance that established the agency, and council members have put forward ideas for how to fill it.”