News & Brews May 11, 2022
Get News & Brews in your inbox each day: Subscribe here!
GOP insiders planning ’11th-hour’ attempt to stop Mastriano
The Inquirer reported last night that “Republican insiders are making a last-ditch effort to rally behind a single candidate in the gubernatorial primary – and defeat the front-runner, Doug Mastriano.” Specifically, leaders in the party “are trying to corral Mastriano’s four leading rivals to urge all but one of them to drop out — and endorse the one with the best poll numbers.” Separately, the AP joined the chorus of those reporting that Republicans are concerned that if Mastriano wins the primary, the GOP will ruin its chances of winning back the governorship in November.
PA gov’s race: How did we get here?
PennLive gives a rundown of the “twists and turns” in the GOP primary for governor over the past many months, including the state party’s decision not to endorse, former President Trump’s decision to anti-endorse, and Democrat Josh Shapiro’s backhanded endorsement of a Republican.
Op-Ed: ‘Media’s deference to preferred pollsters sends wrong message’
Jim Lee, CEO of Susquehanna Polling and Research, has an op-ed in RealClear Politicstaking issue with the criteria (or lack thereof) the media uses in giving deference to “preferred pollsters,” regardless of their track record of accuracy. He uses the monthly Pennsylvania Press Club luncheons to provide a case in point. Read more here.
A look at how Lt. Gov. Fetterman ran the Board of Pardons
Our state constitution provides that the lieutenant governor also serve as the chair of the Board of Pardons. According to the Inquirer, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman’s tenure on the board “offers a lens into his political style: direct, unabashed, and sometimes stubborn.” Read the story here.
PA electricity rates set to rise
With inflation already wreaking havoc, this isn’t news anyone wants to hear: PA regulators are warning that on June 1, “[e]nergy supply costs will increase between 6% and 45% across the state for consumers who aren’t under contract with a supplier,” the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports. Gee, maybe Gov. Wolf’s insistence on forcing Pennsylvania into RGGI, which would spike electricity costs even more, isn’t such a great idea.