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April 24th Ups & Downs

Polling shows troubling numbers for President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania, Sen. Pat Toomey gets the nod to serve on an economic oversight commission, plus Wawa and Sheetz team up for a good cause. All of that and more are in this week’s Ups and Downs. 

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Tom Wolf. A significant majority of Pennsylvanians approve of Gov. Tom Wolf’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic according to three polls released this week. A Fox News poll shows Wolf has a 44 net approval rating on his response to the coronavirus, a Public Policy Polling survey has Wolf with a 30 point net approval rating of his handling of the matter, and polling FOX43/Susquehanna Polling and Research gives the governor a 50 point net approval rating on the issue. 

Donald Trump. A slew of polls released this week shows President Donald Trump trailing former Vice President Joe Biden in Pennsylvania. A Fox News poll has Biden leading Trump 50-42, a Public Policy Polling survey has Biden ahead of Trump 51-44, polling from FOX43/Susquehanna Polling and Research shows Biden besting Trump 48-42, and Ipsos poll conducted exclusively for Reuters has Biden beating Trump 46-40. All of the margins are also beyond the margin of error.  

Pat Toomey. Pennsylvania’s GOP Senator was selected by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to serve on the five member Congressional Oversight Commission that is tasked with the oversight of the “biggest rescue package in the history of Congress.”

Jon Delano. The longtime political analyst and Money & Politics Editor at KDKA conducted an exclusive interview with former Vice President Joe Biden to talk about Pittsburgh, Fracking, and President Donald Trump’s response to the coronavirus. Biden also said in the interview with Delano that he’d take Michelle Obama in a “heartbeat” if she was interested in being his running mate, a response that garnered national attention

Brian Fitzpatrick. The race continues to move in the incumbent Bucks County Republican’s favor according to two national election analysts. Earlier this week, Politico’s 2020 Election Forecast moved Fitzpatrick’s race from the Toss-Up category to the Leans Republican category, while Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball went even further moving the race in the 1st Congressional District from Leans Republican to Likely Republican. Reasons cited in the rating change included Fitzpatrick’s competition on the Democratic side, along with his current “enormous” fundraising advantage. 

Jeff Neff. The GOP state Senate hopeful for the 37th District and Sewickley Council President is receiving backlash for a photo he took this week with an armed militia-group during the stay-at-home order protests in Pittsburgh. Neff is seen holding a campaign sign in a photo with armed protesters, with some wearing patches that include a symbol associated with white nationalist groups, according to the Pittsburgh City Paper. Neff defended himself in a comment to the Beaver County Times saying that he took “more than two dozen pictures” and that he doesn’t “conduct background checks when taking photos with people at events.” Devlin Robinson, a businessman and Marine Corps veteran who is also seeking the GOP nomination for the seat, fired off a statement through a spokesperson saying that Neff showed “shockingly poor judgment” in the picture and described him as “unfit to be the nominee of the Republican Party” and called on him to “apologize and stand aside.” 

Ryan Deto. The Pittsburgh City Paper journalist announced that he will now be the Pittsburgh City Paper News Editor

Pittsburgh Metro Air Quality. The American Lung Association’s 21st annual “State of the Air” report ranked the Pittsburgh metro region as the eighth-most polluted in the nation for airborne particle pollution or soot, and is the only region east of the Mississippi River to receive a failing grade in that category, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Wawa and Sheetz. Pennsylvanians can put aside the great Wawa vs Sheetz debate to appreciate the two joining forces for a good cause during the coronavirus pandemic. According to WFMZ, employees from both companies teamed up to deliver 500 lunches to Helping Harvest’s warehouse. Sheetz and Wawa said that Helping Harvest will “identify quarantined senior citizens who are most in need and deliver the lunches directly to their doorsteps.”

Braskem America Delco Employees. A much deserved round of applause goes to the 40 plus employees at Braskem America in Delaware County who decided to live at the facility where they make equipment for healthcare workers for 28 straight days, according to 6ABC

TWEET OF THE WEEK 

Congratulations to Sen. Bob Casey and his family! 

6 Responses

  1. Republicans are tumbling in the polls and losing in Az and Colorado in Senate races. Trending toward Toomey being in the US Senate minority in January 2021.

    1. My election calendar indicates that the 2020 general election is still 6 1/2 months away. Is it not somewhat early for Chuck Schumer and other members of the party of the billionaire New York elites and the Silicon Valley technocrats to measure drapes in the Senate Majority Leader’s office?

  2. Do-Nothing Toomey is in his element on a panel picked to do nothing about oversight.

    1. He did a real good job of sneaking last minute changes into the the small business bailout so big businesses could loot the fund under false pretenses.
      In Trump world, privilege always wins and Toomey is the paid hoe for the rich.

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