News & Brews July 24, 2024
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Pa. ‘dominates’ in political ad spending
Political ad spending in Pa. this election year has topped $507 million, which is more than any other state. Advertising for the presidential race accounts for nearly $190 million of this, and spending in the U.S. Senate race makes up nearly $193 million. The Inquirer reports, “While Democrats have outspent on the race overall, MAGA Inc., a pro-Trump super-PAC, was the top spender in Pa. at $62 million.”
Pa. state police commissioner testifies before U.S. House committee
Appearing yesterday before the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee, Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Col. Christopher Paris answered hours of questions surrounding the assassination attempt on former President Trump. The Post-Gazette reports, “While not berated by committee members the way [former Secret Service Director] Ms. Cheatle was at a House Oversight hearing the day before, lawmakers still peppered Commissioner Col. Paris with questions about state police procedure regarding communications, coordinating with the feds and local law enforcement, and what had gone so wrong to put Trump’s and others’ lives in jeopardy.” Unlike Cheatle, Paris actually answered questions lawmakers posed to him.
Bucks County voter registration flips red
The Delaware Valley Journal reports, “For the first time since George W. Bush was in the White House, there are more registered Republicans than Democrats in Bucks County.” The edge is slim, at a 264 red-over-blue advantage as of Monday, but county Republican committee chair Pat Poprik called it “major” adding, “It’s a long time getting it back.” Democrats hold a voter registration lead over Republicans statewide, but it’s been steadily shrinking. Whereas about a decade ago there were more than 1,000,000 more registered Ds than Rs, the gap is now under 400,000.
Pa.’s higher ed chief resigning
Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education Chancellor Dan Greenstein has announced he will be leaving the role on October 11. Greenstein has been chancellor since 2018. He said he’ll be free to share his next steps in September but hinted that “a compelling opportunity presented itself to work nationally.” PennLive reports, “The system’s board plans to commence a national search for the next chancellor and will identify an interim chancellor who will be appointed when Greenstein ends his service.”
Dem state treasurer nominee is no Shapiro fan
Taking a swipe at Gov. Josh Shapiro, Democrat state treasurer nominee Erin McClelland tweeted yesterday, “I want a VP pick that’s secure enough to be second under a woman, is content to be VP & won’t undermine the President to maneuver his own election & doesn’t sweep sexual harassment under the rug. I want someone that can speak to rural voters. That is @RoyCooperNC.” It’s unclear the specific origin of the bad blood between the two Democrats, but in a follow-up tweet, McClelland said that “all he’s [Shapiro] done is sabotage me and have people threaten me since the beginning.”