News & Brews May 17, 2022

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WSJ Op-Ed: ‘GOP fails to find a sober populism in Pennsylvania’

Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerard Baker writes that the question for voters in today’s primary election for U.S. Senate is: “How do you like your populism? Do you want it raw and true, instinctive and gut-sourced, warts and all? Or do you want it meticulously manufactured, recently acquired and worn like a neat-fitting suit? Do you want authenticity in your next senator—and your party—however deranged it may sound at times? Or do you want a convincing salesman, a neophyte with pitch-perfect recall, able to recite on demand the full lexicon of Trumpian populism while registering only the merest blip on the lie detector?” Read his piece here (paywall).

Passion for school choice drives political giving of major PA donor

Spotlight PA profiles Jeffrey Yass, Pennsylvania’s wealthiest individual, who has given at least $18 million in this year’s primary races—focused singularly on advancing educational opportunity. Not surprisingly, detractors seem unable to grasp that someone would give that much simply to benefit others.

Republicans divided, Dems united in PA gov’s race

With primary election day upon us, the AP gives a CliffsNotes summary of the Republican and Democrat primaries for governor. In a nutshell, Republicans remain widely concerned over a potential Doug Mastriano nomination, while Democrats are pretty much all-in for Josh Shapiro. 

Fetterman’s stroke unlikely to impact primary

As we continue to wish Lt. Gov. John Fetterman a full and swift recovery, PennLive reportsthat according to political analysts, Fetterman’s recent stroke “is unlikely to affect Tuesday’s results or become a major factor for voters.” One reason is Fetterman’s strong lead in the polls, so even if he loses some voters, he would still likely come out on top in today’s Democrat primary. Further, in a video message, Fetterman assured voters of his recovery.

Two rural PA towns try free housing to draw residents

Here’s some non-political news for you (you’re welcome). The Inky reports that two towns in rural PA (one in Centre County and one in McKean County) are offering a handful of people free housing for a month to encourage them to check out the towns in hopes that they may choose to relocate there. The offer is part of a project called: “The Wilds are Working: A Lifestyle Experience for Remote Workers,” which is a program of the PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship.

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