News & Brews September 28, 2022
Get News & Brews in your inbox each day: Subscribe here!
Shapiro hauls in >$25 million to Mastriano’s $3.2 million
Yesterday, campaign finance reports were due for the period covering June 7 through Sept. 19. During this time, Democrat Josh Shapiro raised $25.4 million (more than $26.4 million if you count in-kind contributions), spent almost $28 million, and ended the period with more than $10.9 million cash on hand. Meanwhile, Republican Doug Mastriano raised about $3.2 million, spent nearly $998,000, and ended the period with a bit over $2.5 million cash on hand. You can view the Cycle 4 reports by searching by last name here.
Latest poll: Double-digit leads for Fetterman, Shapiro
A new Marist poll shows Democrat John Fetterman leading Republican Mehmet Oz 51-41% among registered voters in the race for U.S. Senate, while Democrat Josh Shapiro leads Republican Doug Mastriano 53-40% among registered voters. Meanwhile, inflation is the top issue for 40% of Pennsylvania adults. Coming in second is “preserving democracy,” at 29%, although I’d guess that how folks define “preserving democracy” varies greatly by partisan lean.
This is the only union to have a congressional charter
When you think of labor unions, various things might come to mind, but I’m guessing a congressional charter probably isn’t one of them. Yet, as our friends at Americans for Fair Treatment (AFFT) point out, one labor union (and only one) enjoys such a charter: The National Education Association. AFFT notes, “The NEA charter was granted prior to any federal guidelines for charter approval, and there is an assumption that to keep this status it would now need to meet the requirements set forth in 1969, which include being, ‘organized and operated as a nonpartisan and nonprofit organization.’ Clearly, this is not the case.” Read more here.
A(nother) look at Pa.’s shifting voter registration
The Inquirer takes a new look at voter registration trends in Pennsylvania, noting that while registered Dems outnumbered Republicans by one million a decade ago, that lead has shrunk to 540,000. A few of the Inky’s takeaways: “Many new Republicans are Democrats and independents who switched parties and have likely already been voting Republican for years. Democrats have far fewer party-switchers coming their way, and are instead pulling in new voters, especially young ones….. [and a] steadily rising number of voters … are registering as independent or with a third party, even though they often vote for Democrats or Republicans.”
Pa. to spend $45 million for new state parks
Pennsylvania plans to spend $45 million for three new state parks—one in Tunkhannock in Wyoming County, one on Big Elk Creek in Chester County, and one along the Susquehanna River in York County. The AP reports, “The expansion was funded in the state budget that passed in July. They are the first new state parks in Pennsylvania since 2005, not counting Washington Crossing in Bucks County, which was transferred from the state Historical and Museum Commission.”
Erie Times-News: COVID ‘created’ Mastriano’s candidacy
The Erie Times-News posits that COVID created Republican Doug Mastriano’s gubernatorial candidacy, as he was at the forefront of fighting against Gov. Wolf’s harmful mandates and shutdowns. The piece looks at Mastriano’s political rise, considering the voters he’s won over, as well as the ones he’s pushed away. Read more here (paywall).
‘Fettermobile’ takes to the streets
Who needs the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile when you’ve got ‘Fettermobile’? The Times Leader reports that the Fetterman campaign this week launched the “food truck-style vehicle that will criss-cross Pennsylvania in the final six weeks of the campaign, selling merchandise, organizing, registering voters, and spreading Fetterman’s message.”