News & Brews February 10, 2022
Get News & Brews in your inbox each day: Subscribe here!
State Supreme Court temporarily suspends primary election calendar
In a brief order yesterday, the state Supreme Court “temporarily suspended” the primary election calendar “relating to the time of circulating and filing nomination petitions.” The order, which notes the calendar is suspended “pending further Order of this Court,” comes as the court is scheduled to hear oral argument on February 18 on the proposed congressional redistricting maps. February 15 was originally scheduled as the first day for candidates to circulate and file nomination petitions, but the court’s order puts this on hold. Although only the congressional map is before the court, the order applies to all offices.
Study: Philly lost more than 7% of jobs since March 2020
The Inquirer reports that a new study of Philadelphia by the Pew Charitable Trusts found that “[a]s of September 2021, the city lost 7.6% of its total jobs since March 2020, and due to remote work and other factors, the net impact could be as many as 19,000 fewer workers in the city each day.” The study, found here, notes, “Locally, some sectors were hit harder than others—and harder than the same sectors nationally.” This is, no doubt, due in large part to the city’s particularly harsh mandates and shutdowns. But the Inquirer piece doesn’t mention these.
State House & Senate elections: Who’s running? Who’s retiring?
With redrawn state House and Senate maps now final (pending any court challenges), the progressive Pennsylvania Capital-Star has updated its running list of lawmakers who are ether retiring or facing fellow-lawmakers in newly drawn legislative districts. Check out the tracker here.
A look at PA GOP voter gains in Pennsylvania
Michael Torres writes for the Delaware Valley Journal that Pennsylvania is continuing to see a Republican shift in voter registration. Even as Democrats sill hold a registration advantage, it’s shrinking. What’s more, voter identity (whether a voter aligns more with Democrats or Republicans regardless of registration) has also shifted. Read more here.
Interview with GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill McSwain
The Delaware Valley Journal podcast caught up with former U.S. Attorney and current GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill McSwain to talk about his focus on law-in order, his position on mail-in voting, and his thoughts on Gov. Wolf’s budget proposal. Listen here. (Disclosure: Commonwealth Partners had endorsed Bill McSwain for governor.)