News & Brews July 20, 2023
Get News & Brews in your inbox each day: Subscribe here!
Pa. House Dem resigns, special election set
Democrat state Rep. Sara Innamorato (Allegheny County) resigned from office yesterday to campaign for Allegheny County executive. Her resignation deprives the House Democrats of their one-vote majority, as the chamber is now split 101-101. House Speaker Joanna McClinton immediately announced that a special election to fill the vacant seat—in the heavily Democrat district—will take place on September 19. And candidates are already lining up.
McCormick, not yet a candidate, picks up endorsement
David McCormick has landed the endorsement for U.S. Senate of Americans for Prosperity Action, the Delaware Valley Journal reports. The backing come as McCormick is expected to run, although he has not yet formally announced his candidacy. An AFP spokesperson said recent election cycles have shown “that if we want better policies from Washington, we need better candidates who can lead our country forward.”
Whom to Pa. politicos follow on Twitter?
I haven’t independently confirmed this data. But if you want a fun read, Legislata.com has compiled a list of the Twitter accounts most followed by Pa. politicians. Click here for overall findings and a brief description of methodology, or click here to access the data directly.
Previewing President Biden’s Philly visit today
President Biden is slated to give a speech at a Philadelphia shipyard today, the AP reports. His visit comes “just as some major unions are weighing strikes that could disrupt the growth he wants to campaign on in 2024.” The story notes that Biden will argue that companies benefit from hiring unionized workers. “Despite Biden’s optimism,” however, “business and labor are at a dangerous impasse over who will benefit from the changing economy.”
Stephen Moore: ‘Dems throwing kids off the bus’
Committee to Unleash Prosperity Co-Founder Stephen Moore has an op-ed in the Boston Herald—and multiple other outlets—highlighting Democrats’ hypocrisy in opposing school choice. Leading the piece is Gov. Josh Shapiro’s flip-flop on supporting Lifeline Scholarships. But Democrats in other states—like Arizona and North Carolina—are also guilty of opposing opportunity. Moore writes, “Did I mention that in nearly every one of these cases across the country, the Democrats blocking private and Catholic school options went to private schools themselves? Or they send their kids to private schools. But poor black kids aren’t allowed that same opportunity? These are hypocrites with a capital H.” (Notably, Shapiro went to private school and sent his children to private school.)