September 9: Watching

SpongeBob and Patrick

I’ve got Friday On My Mind. Thanks Easybeats.

PA Weather
Washington | Sunny, 82
Gettysburg | Sunny, 81
King of Prussia | Sunny, 82

PA Sports
Phillies (75-62) | Miami, L, 6-5
FRI-SUN vs. Washington
Pirates (50-86) | FRI-SUN v St. Louis
Union (17-4-9) | SAT v Atlanta United, 3:30
Penn State (1-0) | SAT v Ohio, 12:00
Pittsburgh (1-0) | SAT v Tennessee, 3:30
Temple (0-1) | SAT v Lafayette, 2:00
Eagles | SUN v Detroit, 1:00
Steelers | SUN v Cincinnati, 1:00

Happy Birthday
Cake and candles for Sen. Jake Corman (R-Centre) and Rep. Melissa L. Shusterman (D-Chester/Montgomery). Early returns for Sen. Mike Regan (R-York, Sat.)

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Top Story

1. The Races We’re Watching This Fall 1.0

We are now just 60 days away from the 2022 general election and as the campaigning heats up, we turn our attention to what we think are the five most closely-watched races in the Commonwealth.

Fetterman vs. Oz; Shapiro vs. Mastriano; Wild vs. Scheller; Cartwright vs. Bognet; Deluzio vs. Shaffer (PoliticsPA)

Related

After Rallying With Trump, Mehmet Oz Is Pivoting Toward the Suburbs That Have Abandoned the GOP. “Mehmet Oz and other Republicans hoping to win in Pennsylvania almost certainly need to improve their showings in suburban areas, which swung sharply against the GOP during Donald Trump’s presidency.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

  • Oz Calls For September Debate With Fetterman. (PoliticsPA)

 

Trumpier Than Trump. “Some GOP candidates are softening their rhetoric and scrubbing their campaign websites of hardline positions as the midterms get closer. But Doug Mastriano is running a much different playbook in the Pennsylvania governor’s race, one of the most important contests in the nation.” (Axios)

  • Doug Mastriano’s Security Bubble Insulates Him From Prying Eyes and Dissenting Views. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
  • Pennsylvania School Directors Speak Out Against Doug Mastriano’s Education Funding Plan (Tribune-Review)

 

‘Absolutely Terrifying Prospect’: How The Midterms Could Weaken U.S. Election Security. “Republicans who support former President Donald Trump’s lies about the 2020 election would gain the power to open up access to their states’ voting machines if they win in November — a prospect that security experts call potentially catastrophic for American democracy.” (POLITICO)

 

Harrisburg

2. How Harrisburg Works: The Rules for PA Lawmaker Per Diems, Speaker vs. Leader, and Other Q&As

“The Pennsylvania Capitol is a convoluted place. Spotlight PA’s Stephen Caruso wants to help you understand how the sausage really gets made, how your tax dollars are spent, and how Harrisburg works (or doesn’t).” (Spotlight PA)

Related

Wolf, Philadelphia Lawmakers Announce More Than $100M For Violence Prevention Grants. “At a Philadelphia playground in a neighborhood marred by gun violence, Gov. Tom Wolf announced more than $100 million in funding for two grant programs to fund efforts to prevent violence before it begins. ” (Pennsylvania Capital-Star)

Pennsylvania Turnpike: More Debt Than the State, With Toll Increases Likely. “The auditor general noted “growing financial issues” with the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and the news is not good for drivers who pay tolls.” (The Center Square)

 

U.S. House

3. PA-11 Smucker Declines Debate Invitation Due to LNP Involvement

Lloyd Smucker, who represents all of Lancaster County and the southern half of York County as their 11th District congressman, has declined to participate in two debates with Democratic challenger Bob Hollister due to the involvement of LNP | Lancaster Online.

The Republican incumbent turned down the invitation from the Lancaster Chamber and the York County Economic Alliance for debates on October 6 and 13. The reason he gave LNP | Lancaster Online’s executive editor Tom Murse – wanting to work with a news organization “with broader reach and less bias.” (PoliticsPA)

Related

Smucker Declines Debates With LNP. “U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker has declined to participate in a pair of proposed debates to be hosted by two regional business associations, citing the involvement of LNP | LancasterOnline in organizing the events.” (LNP | Lancaster Online)

Found: Former Noem Campaign Manager Back East, Running Bognet House Bid in Pennsylvania. “Tying up loose ends, I find that Kristi Noem’s former campaign manager is now working in Pennsylvania. Joe Desilets, whom Noem brought from out of state to run her campaign last November but who disappeared from the South Dakota scene in April after a rumored firing, now runs Jim Bognet’s campaign for U.S. House in Pennsylvania’s 8th District, around Scranton.” (Dakota Free Press)

Group Representing Immigrants, Working Class Favors Shamaine Daniels Over Scott Perry. “CASA in Action has endorsed Democrat Shamaine Daniels in the race for the 10th U.S. House district.” (PennLive)

 

Around the Commonwealth

Race to City Hall. “In 2023, voters will decide who will become Philadelphia’s 100th mayor. The highly anticipated race comes as the city faces a crippling gun violence crisis, an uncertain economic outlook, and a depleted city bureaucracy struggling to rebuild in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

  • With Four Vacancies, Is a Special Election Coming to City Hall? That’s Up to Darrell Clarke. (Billy Penn)

 

Westmoreland Democrats Say Concerns Abound as November Election Nears. “Anger and discord among voters has made the campaign season leading up to the November general election a potential safety hazard for members of her party, Westmoreland County’s Democratic Committee chairwoman said Thursday.” (Tribune-Review)

A Chambersburg Church Wants Voters to Bring Their Political Differences to Service. “According to the Pew Research Center, about half of all Americans avoid having conversations about political issues because they’re too stressful. Many Christian faith leaders avoid having them with their congregations out of fear of alienating their members, or possibly losing their job.” (WITF)

Melissa Cerrato Will Not Be Bullied Into Silence by State Rep. Todd Stephens. “Republican State Rep. Todd Stephens doesn’t want voters to know about his anti-choice record. In fact, he is so desperate to hide his record that he sent his Democratic challenger Melissa Cerrato a cease and desist letter to effectively “shush” her from raising her voice and speaking out. ” (Bucks County Beacon)

 

Commentary

3 Responses

  1. Bognet bringing in support from South Dakota Gov Kristi Noem’s campaign is par for the course for political hack. Just will be more of the same right wing babble will be generated that Bognet can use when he runs for a House seat in Calif.





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