News & Brews October 5, 2022
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Cook Political Report moves Pa. Senate race back to ‘toss up’
After moving Pennsylvania’s race for U.S. Senate from “toss up” to “lean Democrat” in mid-August, the Cook Political Report has moved the race back into the “toss up” column. The Hill reports, “The nonpartisan election forecaster cited recent polls showing a tightening race between Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Mehmet Oz.” Read more here.
GOP group launching ads on Fetterman-jogger incident
The New York Times reports that the Republican Jewish Coalition is making a $1.5 million ad buy mainly in the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh media markets and will run ads focusing on the 2013 incident in which John Fetterman pulled a gun on an unarmed Black jogger. The ads are intended to reach Black voters, among whom Fetterman has a commanding lead. You can view the ads here.
Mail-in voting ‘gray areas’ could lead to more confusion this year
It seems like a recurring theme. Election … mail in voting … confusion over ballots … inconsistencies in how counties handle … court challenges. Wash, rinse, repeat. From ballot “curing” to drop boxes and more, Spotlight PA takes a look at some of the issues that could arise, yet again, in next month’s election.
U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear challenge to Pa. congressional map
In case you’d forgotten (as I had), there was still a pending court challenge to Pennsylvania’s congressional map. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court said it would not hear an appeal of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of the Democrat-supported new map. Reuters reports, “The appeal of the February ruling was brought by former U.S. Representative Ryan Costello, who argued that the U.S. Constitution limits the ability of state courts to interfere with maps or rules adopted by state legislatures for federal elections.” Read more here.
Wolf vetoes bill to limit parole for violent offenders, despite bipartisan legislative support
Gov. Wolf vetoed legislation that would have postponed consideration of parole for inmates convicted of a violent offense while incarcerated. The General Assembly had approved the legislation with strong bipartisan support, with the Senate passing the bill 41-9 and the House passing it 133-69. The Center Square has the story.
Chief Justice Max Baer remembered and honored at memorial service
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Max Baer, who passed away suddenly over the weekend, was remembered and honored yesterday as a “fighting judge” and more importantly as “a dedicated father and grandfather with endless love for family and for living his life to the fullest.” The Post-Gazette recounts some of the memories shared at the service.