News & Brews October 10, 2023
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Shapiro rallies in support of Israel
Yesterday, Gov. Josh Shapiro joined more than 1,000 others in a rally outside Philadelphia in support of Israel. Speaking to the crowd, Shapiro said, “This is not a moment to retreat from who we are, but to be proud of who we are.” He noted, “There is no moral equivalency between Hamas and Israel. We are witnessing crimes against humanity; … we must call out what is right and what is so obviously wrong.”
RFK Jr. launches independent presidential bid in Philly
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced yesterday in Philadelphia that he will end his Democrat campaign. for president and instead run as an independent or third-party candidate. The AP reports, “The move is likely to impact the 2024 race, which appears to be heading toward a rematch between Trump and President Joe Biden, but it’s still unclear exactly how.” That said, Democrats have been fighting to keep third party candidates off the presidential ballot.
Who’s on the ballot, how to vote, and more
Spotlight PA has published a handy dandy election guide for the November 7 General Election. In it, you’ll find who’s on the ballot, how to check your voter registration, how to find your polling place, how to get an absentee ballot, and much more. For the statewide judicial races, Commonwealth Partners has endorsed Judge Carolyn Carluccio for Supreme Court, Megan Martin for Commonwealth Court, and both Maria Battista and Judge Harry Smail, Jr. for two open seats on Superior Court.
What’s next for RGGI?
Spotlight PA reports that emails obtained through Right-to-Know requests show, “From almost the beginning of the Shapiro administration, top aides to the Democratic governor were looking for ‘RGGI alternatives.’” RGGI, of course, is the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a carbon tax plan that would raise energy prices and kill jobs. Now that Shapiro’s working group on RGGI has produced its report (which came to no consensus on joining RGGI), the story notes the Shapiro administration is reviewing the report and waiting for the resolution of an ongoing court battle over joining RGGI.
Podcast: Sen. Kim Ward on PASS Scholarships
Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (Westmoreland County) recently joined the Independent Women’s Forum’s Students over Systems Podcast to discuss “the strong support in Pennsylvania for education freedom, including the proposed ‘Pennsylvania Award for Student Success’ (PASS) program designed to provide lifeline scholarships to K-12 students trapped in the state’s lowest-performing schools.” Listen/watch here.