The presidential campaign continues to roll through PA producing winners and losers alike; a shakeup at casa de Corbett; and grades of congressional eloquence. Here are this week’s Ups & Downs!

Tom Corbett. We didn’t even have to solicit comments for this story, wherein GOP operatives express hope about a significant shakeup in the Guv’s office and criticism of his style to date. The fact that Bill Ward story leaked is telling, too. Add that to two polls showing Corbett’s negative approval numbers growing (37 pos to 50 neg in PPP; 45 pos to 51 neg in Rasmussen), throw in thousands of budget protesters around the state, and you’ve got a picture of a Governor playing defense – and losing.

PA TV Stations. It’s not quite the $3 million that Mitt Romney promised to spend then retracted when Rick Santorum dropped out of the primary, but it helps. The rise of super PACs looks like it will coincide with a rise in advertising revenue for television stations here. In the past week alone, the Obama campaign, a pro-Obama PAC, and Karl Rove’s PAC have each spent money on TV in PA, and it’s still 6 months from the election.

This. The legislature is considering a bill to mandate online filing for PA campaign finance reports. About time! It’s faster, easier, and more transparent (and faster for campaign reporters). Rep. Lynda Schlegel-Culver’s bill passed the House State Government Committee unanimously. And objections are bunk: anyone who isn’t able to use the internet to file a report like this has no business legislating communications or technology for the state.

Jim Gerlach. The Sunlight Foundation analyzed members of Congress based on floor speeches and came out this week with a list of members according to grade level. The Chester County Congressman did the best of any PA member, speaking on average at a grade level of a college sophomore.
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Ed Rendell. The former Guv and former DNC Chair made headlines – and Romney press releases – this week when he criticized the President’s use of Bain Capital as a campaign tactic. He didn’t score any team player points, but he helped get his name out there and bolster a sort of referee reputation. And hey, the man has a book to sell.

Scott Detrow, Donald Gilliland & Laura Olson. These three reporters from the NPR, Patriot-News and Post-Gazette respectively, appeared on Journalists Roundtable Thursday for a discussion on Marcellus shale. Laura Legere of the Scranton Times-Tribune joined by phone. They knocked it out of the park. Watch here.
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Tweet of the week: Colby Itkowitz, Allentown Morning Call:

On a playground where I spent most of my days… MT @PhilipRucker Philly mayor says Romney “suddenly somehow found West Philadelphia.”

— Colby Itkowitz (@DCMorningCall) May 24, 2012