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Top Story

1. Max Baer, Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Dies at 74

Max Baer, chief justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, died overnight Friday at the age of 74.

Baer, who was set to retire at the end of the calendar year, died at his home in Pittsburgh. No reason was given as a cause of death.

Justice Debra Todd now assumes the chief justice role “as the justice of longest and continuous service on the court.” She is the first female chief justice in the commonwealth’s history, a court spokesperson confirmed. (PoliticsPA)

Related

Max Baer, Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court Chief Justice, Dies. “Max Baer, the chief justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, has died only months before he was set to retire, the court confirmed Saturday. He was 74.” (AP)

An Appreciation: Max Baer, A Judge’s Judge, A Lawyer’s Lawyer. “Chief Justice Baer was a true giant in the legal profession, distinguishing himself first as a judge on Allegheny County Common Pleas Court who revolutionized and modernized its Family Division. He had a special passion for Juvenile Law and dedicated himself, particularly, to protecting young people who were at risk within the legal system.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Memorial Service Announced for Baer. “Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Max Baer will be honored and remembered Tuesday during a public memorial service at Duquesne University.” (PennLive)

Cranberry Resident Appointed First Woman Chief Justice of State Supreme Court. Justice Debra Todd now assumes the chief justice role “as the justice of longest and continuous service on the court. (Butler Eagle)

Beyond Harrisburg

2. Trump Is ‘King’ to Some in PA, But Will That Help GOP On Election Day?

“The Trump-Pence sign still hangs on the older building off Main Street in this historic town, a lasting vestige of the campaign fervor that roused voters, including many who still believe the falsehood that the former president didn’t lose in 2020 and hope he’ll run in 2024.

The enthusiasm for Donald Trump’s unique brand of nationalist populism has cut into traditional Democratic strongholds like Monongahela, about 25 miles south of Pittsburgh, where brick storefronts and a Slovak fellowship hall dot Main Street and church bells mark the hours of the day. Republicans are counting on political nostalgia for the Trump era as they battle Democrats this fall in Pennsylvania in races for governor, the U.S. Senate and control of Congress.” (AP)

Related

Trump Allies Interviewed Nearly 200 Election Officials in PA, Elsewhere to Probe For Weaknesses. “The America Project, an organization founded by Michael Flynn, a retired three-star general and former national security adviser, and former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne, has so far interviewed or attempted to interview officials in nearly 200 counties across eight swing states” (Pennsylvania Capital-Star)

Democrats’ New Senate Struggles. “Democrats are facing fresh problems in two pivotal Senate battlegrounds in which their nominees are facing attacks for being too progressive.” (Axios)

Strategists and Political Experts Weigh Effect of GOP’s Crime Focus Ahead of Midterms. “Crime is on the rise in major cities across the country and many Republicans seeking election to the Senate have put the issue at the forefront of their campaigns.” (Fox News)

How PA Midterm Races Affect the Future of Politics. “With just over five weeks left until the midterm elections, we look at Pennsylvania and two high-profile races expected to have a significant impact on both the state and country’s political futures. ” (PBS NewsHour)

Campaign Signs Influence How We Vote More Than You Realize. “With election season in full swing, seemingly every neighborhood and busy intersection is sprouting dozens of multicolored signs touting candidates for offices ranging from register of wills to U.S. Senate.” (WHYY)

Senate

3. The Lands of Oz

“Bruce Springsteen. Jon Bon Jovi. Whitney Houston. Danny DeVito. Chris Christie.

Dr. Oz?”

The list of famous people to grace New Jersey’s ZIP codes — whether they be native-born or transplants — is a lengthy one. Maybe you didn’t know that Mehmet Oz, the doctor who long hosted a medical TV show bearing his name, is on it. Though he didn’t grow up in the state, Oz has owned a mansion overlooking the Hudson River from high upon the Palisades hills in Cliffside Park for two decades.” (LehighValleyLive)

Related

As a TV Doctor, Mehmet Oz Provided Platform For Questionable Products and Views. “Now a Republican candidate for the Senate in Pennsylvania, Oz has made his medical background and his popular TV show a centerpiece of his campaign” (Washington Post)

• Oz Relies On His Personal Story To Rebuff Critics of ‘Out-Of-Touch Millionaire’ Mantra. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Around the Commonwealth

‘Don’t Be Caught Naked’: PA Democrats Warn Voters. “No, it’s not a reminder to wear clothes to the polls, it’s a cheeky new campaign kicking off Tuesday in Philadelphia to stress using secrecy envelopes when voting by mail.” (PennLive)

PA House Preview: Philly North Suburbs. “We continue our series on the candidates for the Pennsylvania State House with a look at Philadelphia’s northern suburbs.” (PoliticsPA)

• The Race to Represent the 6th Congressional District (Reading Eagle)
• Carbon County Voters Could Decide Winner of 7th Congressional District. (Armchair Lehigh Valley)
• HD 107: Tanney Off Ballot, Mock Named Dem Candidate. (PoliticsPA)
• Voters Guide to State House, Senate Races. (Doylestown Intelligencer)

Opioids Become Key Issue in PA Governor’s Race. “Regardless of which way commonwealth voters lean, those in opioid prevention and recovery say something needs to be done.” (CBS News)

Chronically Ill Patients Could Get Easier Access to New Treatments If PA Lawmakers Act Soon. “Supporters say the bill will allow medical providers to spend more time on care rather than fighting with insurance companies, but time is running out to pass it before the session ends.” (Spotlight PA)

In His First Budget Proposal, Gainey Emphasizes Spending on Public Works and Infrastructure in 2023. “Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey’s first preliminary budget calls for spending more money on public works and infrastructure in 2023. The $657 million proposal anticipates a 7% increase in spending over the current year, but does not envision a tax hike.” (WESA)

Commentary

• Mastriano May Be Aiming To Become a Force in U.S. Politics. (LNP | Lancaster Online)
• Failure to Launch: Mastriano Preaches to a Small Choir. (Roderick Random)
• Racist ‘Willie Horton’-Style Fearmongering on Crime May Win Midterms For GOP (Will Bunch)
• Oz vs. Fetterman, Beyond Pills and Pot (Ruth Ann Dailey)
• Hurricane Ian Just Might Unite Two Bitter Rivals For the Common Good. (Mark S. Singel)
• Underreported Data Suggests Victory for GOP in PA Suburbs. (Athan Koutsiouroumbas)
• Ranked Choice Voting Is a Reform Whose Time Has Come. (Rob Richie, Stan Lockhart)
• Philly’s School Board Isn’t Elected. That’s a Problem. (Kyle Sammin)
• Local Newspapers Remain Relevant (MediaNewsGroup)