News & Brews November 14, 2024
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Casey-McCormick race heading to a recount
In Pennsylvania, a statewide race whose margin is within 0.5% qualifies for an automatic recount unless the trailing candidates waives that right. Well, the Casey-McCormick race is within this margin, and Casey did not decline the recount by the deadline. So, the close Senate race will head to a recount. As of the latest unofficial results, Casey trails McCormick by about 30,000 votes out of more than 6.7 million cast. The Inquirer reports that there are about 80,000 ballots left to be counted, but “[m]any of those … are provisional ballots that may be rejected.” The AP called the race for McCormick last week, and pretty much every political observer says it’s virtually impossible for Casey to close the gap with the remaining ballots. The Inquirer reports that the recount needs to be completed by Tuesday, November 26, with results submitted to the Pa. Department of State by the following day.
Pa. Dems tap out-of-state billionaires to win House
For all their criticisms of wealthy donors supporting political candidates, Pa. Dems had no problem relying on out-of-state millionaires and billionaires to maintain their one-seat House majority—and, particularly, to re-elect Democrat state Rep. Frank Burns to his Cambria County seat. The Federalist reports, “Local voters may not think of a small, rural state House race as a target for funding from out-of-state leftist millionaires and billionaires, but a look at Burns’ financial reports is a window into how Democrats move money in this and other races around the country….” Much of Burns financing came through the D.C.-based PAC for America’s Future. And who funds that? Many out-of-state millionaires and billionaires, including the Soros family and Hollywood names.
Pa. Senate Ds and Rs hold leadership elections
On the heels of Monday’s Pa. House leadership elections, yesterday state Senate Democrats and Republicans held their similar elections. Republican senators re-elected their entire slate of leaders, including Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, while Democrat Leader Jay Costa will also keep his role.
Judge rejects Krasner’s lawsuit against Elon Musk
The judge overseeing Philly District Attorney Larry Krasner’s lawsuit against Elon Musk over his $1 million-per-day giveaway noted this week that Krasner “failed to establish proof that the contest met even the most basic definition of a lottery,” the Inquirer explains. Further, the judge noted “that Krasner and his attorneys offered little evidence and made ‘unpersuasive’ arguments….” Maybe this is a sign that Krasner, known for his soft-on-crime approach, should start prosecuting real crime.
In key swing states, Trump made inroads with Jewish voters
Jewish voters have long been majority-Democrat voters. And while VP Harris still won the support of most Jewish voters in key swing states, President-elect Trump secured the largest share of Jewish voters in decades in key states, according to information shared by the Republican Jewish Coalition. In Pennsylvania, for example, RJC reports that Trump won 41% of the Jewish vote, according to exit polls. Nationally, he won 32% this year, compared with 30% in 2020 and 24% in 2016. (*Image shared with permission.)
