News & Brews October 1, 2024
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‘Warning signs’ for Harris among older Pa. voters?
POLITICO reports on a new AARP Pennsylvania poll—the first from the organization since President Biden dropped out of the race. The poll shows that while Harris is outperforming Biden to a “staggering” degree among some voters, “There is a major voting bloc … among which she has slipped: seniors. Harris is losing voters aged 65 and older by 7 points, compared with 1 point for Biden.” According to a pollster who helped conduct the poll, “Harris’ biggest weakness is older voters. It is the biggest share of the electorate, and she is behind.” And one primary reason appears to be the economy. (See final story below for more on that.)
Where Pa.’s AG candidates stand on election issues
From voter ID to ballot curing and more, Spotlight PA gives a run-down of where Pennsylvania’s attorney general candidates—Republican Dave Sunday, whom we are endorsing, and Democrat Eugene DePasquale—stand on several election-related issue
‘Offended’ Shapiro won’t endorse Dem candidate
In a move that seems rather Trump-like, Gov. Josh Shapiro is withholding his endorsement of Democrat state treasurer nominee Erin McClelland, while endorsing the Dem candidates in the other two row office races (attorney general and auditor general). The reason? Shapiro was reportedly “offended” when, during the VP search, McClelland posted on X (formerly Twitter), “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.” She was referring, of course, to the sexual harassment scandal involving Shapiro’s former secretary of legislative affairs, Mike Vereb.
How dockworker strike could impact Philly region
As of midnight last night, dockworkers in ports from Maine to Texas went on strike, marking the first strike of the International Longshoremen’s Association since 1977. NBC Philadelphia reports that Philly “has one of the region’s largest ports in the country for meat and fruit.” Yet, one academic observer forecasted “that consumers won’t feel the immediate impact, but prices will go up if the strike lasts longer than a month, especially for items like seafood, electronics, cars and medications.”
Pa. pollster: Is Trump’s ‘closing sale’ with inflation voters enough?
Susquehanna Polling & Research CEO Jim Lee writes that Trump “is making serious inroads selling his economic plans to Pennsylvania voters worried about inflation and the economy.” And he is also “winning non-college educated, white working-class voters” in an election that’s “shaping up to be a referendum on good old fashioned pocketbook issues, namely inflation and the economy.” Will it be enough to win Pa.? That, of course, remains to be seen.