News & Brews November 8, 2023
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McCaffery wins open Supreme Court seat
Democrat Dan McCaffery won the hotly contested race for an open seat on the Pa. Supreme Court, defeating Republican Carolyn Carluccio 53%-47% according to unofficial results. Trial lawyers, unions, out-of-state billionaires, and even the ACLU poured millions into McCaffery’s campaign, far outspending Carluccio. His election means Democrats will once again hold a 5-2 majority on the high court. In down-ballot judicial races, Democrats Jill Beck and Timika Lane won two open seats on Superior Court, and Democrat Matt Wolf defeated Megan Martin for an open seat on Commonwealth Court.
Zappala wins re-election as Allegheny County DA
After losing the Democrat primary to progressive Matt Dugan—but winning enough write-in votes to run as a Republican—longtime Allegheny County DA Stephen Zappala Jr. won re-election last night. The vote was close, with Zappala edging out Dugan 52% to 48%, according to unofficial results. Dugan was in essence a George Soros stand-in, as Dugan’s campaign was funded almost entirely by Soros.
Innamorato defeats Rockey for Allegheny exec
In a closely watched—and close—race, progressive Democrat Sara Innamorato defeated moderate Republican Joe Rockey to become the next Allegheny County executive. Rockey had sought to take a centrist approach in the heavily Democrat county. Indeed, the Post-Gazette had recently noted, “Joe Rockey has done just about everything a Republican can do to win an election in Allegheny County.” Indeed, the race was close, with Innamorato edging Rockey out 51% to 49%, per unofficial results. Innamorato will succeed Rich Fitzgerald, who was term-limited from running again.
Parker easily wins Philly mayoral race
Surprising no one, Democrat Cherelle Parker handily bested Republican David Oh to become the 100th mayor of Philadelphia. Parker, who succeeds Mayor Jim Kenney, will be the city’s first female mayor.
Pa. still lags other states in business tax climate
The Center Square reports that although “Pennsylvania is getting more business-friendly … it remains below average.” The latest 2024 State Business Tax Climate Index from the nonpartisan Tax Foundation puts Pa. at 31st, a slight improvement from last year’s 33rd. The primary reason for the move was the reduction in our corporate net income tax rate.
Del. Valley journalist tells what he saw at screening of Hamas terror attacks
The Delaware Valley Journal’s Michael Graham shares his experience after being invited by the Israeli Consulate to screen the graphic footage of Hamas’ terror attacks on Israel last month. “Did I want to participate? Absolutely not,” Graham writes. “But I couldn’t say no, either. And so I went.” He continues, “Some Americans argue because Israel’s invasion of Gaza has resulted in civilian deaths, it is no different from Hamas. But that’s a hard argument for me to accept after watching bodycam footage of gunmen going into a kindergarten with the specific goal of killing or kidnapping children. Unlike the schools in Gaza, there was no military installation hidden under the Israeli classroom floor. And if there had been, the killers wouldn’t have known. They weren’t hunting for a Mossad hideaway. They were hunting children. That was the point.”