The Governor received a less-than-encouraging welcome in Pittsburgh over the weekend. When Corbett came out to flip the coin before an arena football game, he was greeted by “a seemingly never ending chorus of boos.”

Today is the day. Berks County voters head to the polls to choose a replacement for the late state Senator Mike O’Pake. Will Democrats turn the page on 2010, or will Republicans continue their statewide streak? We will soon find out.

Larry Medaglia’s campaign has backed out of the four largest local television markets and will not be airing television ads in the final day of the campaign, PoliticsPA has learned. Consultants on both sides of the aisle are reading the writing on the wall.

Judy Schwank’s supporters tell everyone it’s a no-brainer, Mike O’Pake would back Schwank for his now-vacant seat in the PA Senate. The most recent campaign finance reports would seem to validate that claim. O’Pake’s committee contributed the bulk of its cash on hand, $75,000, to Schwank on February 3rd.

Governor Tom Corbett’s budget plan for the 2011-2012 year is creating a stir. The $27.3 billion plan certainly stays in line with GOP-encouraged fiscal policy such as avoiding tax increases and instead cutting spending, and PA Republicans have been vocal in their support.

Governor Corbett is approving more than $48 million in grant money that was requested by state legislators before he took office according to Marc Levy of the AP.  Corbett had pledged to end the grants also known as walking-around money or WAMS.  ” Spokesman Steve Kratz tells The Associated Press that the Republican administration felt an […]

GOP Consultant Chris Nicholas breaks down the census numbers in this non-partisan analysis for PoliticsPA.

Former State Rep. Tom Houghton has announced that he will challenge PA Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi in 2012. Houghton, who won the 13th district seat in Chester County during the wave election of 2008, but lost it during the wave election of 2010, sent a message to friends and supporters that he will challenge Pileggi next fall.

State Rep. Rick Geist, Chair of the PA House Transportation Committee, noted that Governor Corbett didn’t mention transportation in his budget address this week. That leaves big details up to his committee.

More than anything, Governor Corbett’s budget is a major hit on PA’s 14 public universities (PASSHE) and four state-affiliated schools. That got PoliticsPA wondering. Every college graduate knows what it’s like to get a phone call from his or her school’s alumni relations asking for donations, but how easily could that translate into lobbying?