Top 10 Stories: Harrisburg/PA Politics Reported By Local News Media Last Week

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- Governor’s Race

-- AP: Mastriano Wins Republican Race For Governor

-- AP: How PA Republican Governor Pick Could Turn Election Lies Into Action

-- The Guardian: Sen. Mastriano’s Win Prompts Election Fears In Pennsylvania

-- Inquirer: How The PA Republican Establishment Broke Itself Trying To Stop Mastriano

-- PennLive/TNS: How PA Republican Establishment Tried, Failed To Stop Mastriano

-- Post-Gazette - Julian Routh: For PA Republicans, No Turning Back In Bid vs. Shapiro As Party Leaders Back Mastriano For Governor

-- WPost: PA Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Master’s Thesis Warned The U.S. Is Vulnerable To A Left-Wing ‘Hitlerian Putsch’

-- LancasterOnline - Brad Bumsted: It’s Way Too Soon To Bet Against A Mastriano Win This Fall In Race For Governor

-- LancasterOnline Editorial: Primary Postmortem: A Vicious Campaign, Another  Ballot Printing Error In Lancaster County, An Appalling Win [Mastriano]

-- PA Capital-Star Editorial Cartoon: Mastriano’s Win Explained

-- PA Capital Star: Rep. Carrie DelRosso Wins Republican Lt. Gov. Race

-- AP: How PA Republican Governor Pick Could Turn Election Lies Into Action

-- Inquirer: Republican Mastriano Won PA Governor’s Primary After A Campaign Fueled By Election Lies 

-- PennLive: Mastriano Claims Republican Mandate For Governor In Primary Win

-- Post-Gazette: One Day After Primary, The General Election Campaign Has Already Started

-- York Dispatch: Primary Sets Up Tough Choices For PA’s Republican Establishment

-- Citizens Voice: Barletta Reflects On Governor’s Race

-- Post-Gazette - Tony Norman: Onward Christian Nationalists, PA Republicans Just Nominated An Unapologetic Theocrat For Governor

-- PennLive - John Baer: Mastriano vs. Shapiro - PA Governor’s Race Will Be Like Nothing We’ve Ever Seen

-- MCall - Paul Muschick: Gov. Doug Mastriano?  Why It’s Not Such A Long Shot, Other November Predictions

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: PA Republican Party Chair Should Resign Over Mastriano Debacle 

-- WSJ Editorial: The Democrats Get Their Man In PA - Republican Mastriano

-- TribLive/AP: Shapiro Wins Democratic Primary For Governor

-- PA Capital Star: Rep. Austin Davis Wins Democratic Nod For Lt. Governor

-- U.S. Senate Race

-- AP: Dr. Oz, McCormick Tied In PA Republican U.S. Senate Race With 8,700 Ballots To Count

-- AP: Dr. Oz, McCormick Prepare For Recount In PA Republican U.S. Senate Race

-- Inquirer: There’s Another High-Profile Vote Count In PA, But PA Republicans Aren’t Objecting This Time [Spoiler- U.S. Senate Race]

-- TribLive/Bloomberg: PA Republican U.S. Senate Fight In Epicenter Of Ex-President’s 2020 Grudge

-- Financial Times: PA U.S. Senate Race Gets Messy For Republicans After Photo Finish

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Wait, You Say The Election Wasn’t Rigged?

-- MCall: Fetterman Wins Democratic U.S. Senate Primary

-- MCall/Post-Gazette: Fetterman Raises $1.6 Million Within 24 Hours Of Primary Victory

-- PA Capital-Star: Fetterman’s Lesson For Dems: A Clear Brand And Coherent Message Wins Every Time

-- Post-Gazette: Fetterman Testing Whether PA’s Backroads Can Take A Progressive Democrat To Washington

-- TribLive: Gisele Fetterman On Stepping Into Campaign After John’s Stroke: ‘I Didn’t Have To Think Twice’

-- AP: Democratic U.S. Senate Candidate Fetterman Says He Had A Stroke; Continuing With Campaign   

-- PA Capital-Star: Lt. Gov. Fetterman Has Stroke, Says He Expects To Make Full Recovery

-- Post-Gazette: Lt. Gov. Fetterman To Have Pacemaker Installed

-- Gov. Wolf: Lt. Gov. Fetterman Submits Declaration He Is Able To Resume Duties 

-- TribLive: What Went Wrong With Conor Lamb’s U.S. Senate Campaign?

-- May 2022 Primary Election

-- PA Election Results Webpage - Dept. Of State

-- LancasterOnline Editorial: Primary Postmortem: A Vicious Campaign, Another  Ballot Printing Error In Lancaster County, An Appalling Win [Mastriano]

-- PennLive: Eleven Incumbent Lawmakers’ Re-Election Hopes Likely Dashed In Primary

-- AP: PA Lawmakers See Terms Ended By Primary Defeats, Or In Serious Danger 

-- York Daily Record: York Incumbent Republicans Stan Saylor  [Appropriations Chair], Keith Gillespie Lose House Seats By Narrow Margins

-- MCall: Republican State Sen. Browne Losing By 30-Votes In Unofficial Returns 

-- LancasterOnline: Republican House Speaker Cutler, Sen. Aument Survive Primary Challengers

-- LancasterOnline: Lancaster County Republicans Hold Back Challenge From [Far] Right In Midterm Primary

-- TribLive: Rep. Abney Leads By Wind Margin In Pittsburgh State House Race

-- Post-Gazette: Narrow Contests Remain In PA Legislative Races In Western PA

-- TribLive/AP: Summer Lee Winner In 12th Congressional Democratic Race

-- The Economist: Republicans Divide And Democrats Unite In PA Primaries

-- Courier Times: PA Primary Highlights Republican Voters’ Split In Bucks County

-- MCall: How The Lehigh Valley Voted In PA Primary

-- PA Capital-Star: LGBTQ Candidates Ran Across PA To Mixed Results In Primary

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Democrats Are Finding Their Footing - Mark Singel

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: PA Primaries Spotlight National Political Pressures

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Losing Gracefully And Winning Patiently Are Necessary Democratic Norms

-- Dept. Of State Reports Successful Primary Election In PA

-- LancasterOnline: Lancaster County Printing Mistakes Means Two-Thirds Of Mail-In Ballots Won’t Scan;  Same Issue Happened In 2021 Primary Election

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Lancaster County [Again] Botched Mail-In Ballots, Undermines Voter Confidence

-- Erie Times: Franklin County Democrat Given Republican Ballot, Told The Democratic Primary Was On A Different Day

-- Centre Daily Times: Centre County Sees Highest Voter Turnout For Nonpresidential Primary In 10 Years

-- WITF: Berks County Primary Election Faces Technical Problems, Errors, Criticism

-- TribLive: Outstanding Votes In Allegheny County Could Sway Races, But Will Take Time

-- TribLive: Voter Turnout Strong For Westmoreland Primary As Political Leaders Look To Fall Campaign

-- York Dispatch Editorial: We, As Voters, Must Accept Responsibility For Toxic Political Ads On Our Airwaves

-- November 2022 Election

-- Scranton Times: Democrats Face Political Headwinds But PA May Be Different

-- Erie Times: In 2024, These 2 Groups Will Decide Which President PA Picks

-- Post-Gazette - David Mills: How Politics Works When Everyone Is Mastriano To Someone

-- Post-Gazette - Salena Zito: Rhetoric Versus Realism At The Pump, And In The Formula Aisle

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Democrats Are Finding Their Footing - Mark Singel

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: A New Era Of Pennsylvania Politics

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Republicans Further Narrow Democrat’s Registration Edge

-- Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout

-- AP: How PA Republican Governor Pick Could Turn Election Lies Into Action

-- The Guardian: Sen. Mastriano’s Win Prompts Election Fears In Pennsylvania

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: PA Senate Republican Election Inquiry Continues, Consultant Contract Extended

-- NYT: How Ex-President’s 2020 Election Lies Have Gripped State Legislatures [PA Included]

-- AP EXPLAINER: How Mailed Ballots Law Slow Results In PA

-- Post-Gazette: PA Mail-In Ballot Law Could Slow Down Election Results Again

-- Wilkes-Barre Times Editorial: Attempts To Delegitimize Mail-In Voting Are Getting Tiresome

-- MCall: Federal Court Rules Lehigh County Must Count Mail-In Ballots Without Dates From Nov. 2021 Election

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Lancaster County [Again] Botched Mail-In Ballots, Undermines Voter Confidence

-- Citizens Voice Editorial: Give Counties More Flexibility To Count Mail-In Votes

-- Williamsport Sun: Group Still Seeking Hand Recount Of 2020 Election Results In Lycoming County

-- PA Capital-Star: 40 PA Republican Lawmakers Joined Far-Right Facebook Groups 

-- LancasterOnline: Hate Crime Reporting In PA Is Inconsistent, But Trends Clearly Show An Increase

-- Post-Gazette/NYT: PA Republican U.S. Senate Candidate Kathy Barnette Confronted With Her Anti-Islamic Tweets

-- MCall: Catasauqua Bar Owner, Companion Savaged Online For Racist Comments After Ride-Share Driver’s Video Goes Viral

-- Reading Eagle: Reading Redevelopment Authority Chairman Apologizes For Racial Slur; Council Removes Him From Post

-- LancasterOnline Editorial: We Must Fully Reject White Nationalism And Hatred Before They Take Even Deeper Root Here

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: What’s The Vaccine For Hate?

-- Inquirer: Proposed Central Bucks School Library Policy Targeting ‘Sexualized Content’ Spurs Worries About Sweeping Book Removal

-- LancasterOnline: Elizabethtown School District Parent Challenges Best-Selling Novel ‘Me And Earl And The Dying Girl’

-- WHYY: Central Bucks School District Backpedals Classes About Puberty Area Now Optional And Virtual

-- PA’s Role In Assault On U.S. Capitol

-- Erie Times: Photos Of Republican U.S. Senate Candidate Kathy Barnette Marching Near Proud Boys During Assault On U.S. Capitol Surface Online, Will It Matter? 

-- Post-Gazette/NYT: PA Republican U.S. Senate Candidate Kathy Barnette Confronted With Her Anti-Islamic Tweets

-- Post-Gazette - Tony Norman: Republican Kathy Barnette And The Return Of The Good Old Days 

-- State Constitutional Amendments

-- Spotlight PA: Complete Guide To More Than 70 Proposed Amendments To State Constitution

 

-- PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

-- House Local Govt. Committee Meets May 25 On Bill To Prohibit Communities From Moving To Clean, Cheaper Energy Sources To Address Climate Change  [PaEN]

-- TribLive: Respite From Gasoline Price Increases Will Be Brief As Summer Driving Season Nears, Analyst Says

-- WHYY - Susan Phillips: Good News For Philly Oil Refiners, Bad News For Travelers: Diesel And Jet Fuel Costs Are Skyrocketing

-- Scranton Times: UGI To Increase Natural Gas Rates By 7.4% On June 1

-- PennLive: UGI To Raise Cost Of Natural Gas, With Another Hike Possible In December 

-- Utility Dive: FERC To Monitor Natural Gas, Power Markets For Manipulation As Summer Electricity Prices Jump Up To 233%

-- Reuters: U.S. Natural Gas Producers Added One Drilling Rig During Past Week

-- Harrisburg Politics Potpourri

-- Gov. Wolf: Lt. Gov. Fetterman Submits Declaration He Is Able To Resume Duties 

-- Post-Gazette: Lt. Gov. Fetterman To Have Pacemaker Installed

-- Gov. Wolf: Senate President Pro Tempore Corman To Temporarily Assume Duties Of Acting Lt. Governor Whilte Fetterman Recovers

-- TribLive: Fmr State Sen. Jim Ferlo Dies At Age 70

-- PennLive: The Pennsylvania Society Elects First Female President Since Founding In 1899

-- Post-Gazette: Sen. Brewster Wants PennDOT To Make PA Bridge Inspection Data Public

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Overdue Bill To Disclose Fees Paid By State Pension Funds

-- Post-Gazette: Texas Trio Admits To Multi-Million-Dollar Ripoff Of Government Meal Programs In PA

-- TribLive Editorial: Avoiding Bidding Process Isn’t An Emergency

-- TribLive Editorial: Confidentiality Agreements Are Counter To Transparency

-- Post-Gazette: PA Traffic Deaths Rise Again, Up 9% In 2021

-- Budget 2022

-- PA Gaming Board Reports Revenue For April Up 14% Compared To April 2021

-- TribLive: PA Casino Revenue $462 Million In April, Down Slightly From March

-- AP: PA Judge Halts Bridge Tolling Plans, For Now

-- Altoona Mirror Editorial: Clock Ticking On Planning For State Budget

-- COVID Pandemic/Health

-- WITF: COVID Cases, Hospitalizations Rising In Pennsylvania

-- TribLive: PA COVID Update: 27,391 Cases Reported In Last Week

-- PennLive: With Rising PA COVID Cases, Officials Remind Public About ‘Being Prudent’ With Masks, Vaccines

-- Post-Gazette: New COVID Variant Of Concern Detected In Western PA

-- Spotlight PA: Despite High Vaccination Rates Among PA Prisoners, Some COVID Restrictions Remain In Place

-- NPR: Counties Supporting Ex-President Continue To Suffer Far Higher COVID Death Tolls

-- WESA: PA Will Delay Closures Of 2 Institutions For People With Intellectual Disabilities

-- COVID - Schools

-- WHYY: Mask Mandate Returns For Philly Schools

-- Erie Times: Erie School District Again Requires Face Masks

-- TribLive: Pittsburgh Whittier K-5 Closed Until Thursday Because Of COVID Cases

-- KYW: 2 Montgomery County Schools To Require Masks Again Due To Increase In COVID Cases

-- MCall: How Lehigh Valley School Districts Are Working to Get Kids Their COVID Shots

-- Opioid Deaths

-- WLVR: PA Teen Drug Deaths Are Down But Officials Warn That Could Change

-- School Districts/Higher Education

-- MCall Guest Essay: How Bethlehem School District Is Overpaying Private Cybercharter Schools $2.7 Million

-- Scranton Times Editorial: School Funding From State Issue Beyond Mere Legality

-- Spotlight PA: PA’s Richest Person Spent At Least $18 Million On Primary To Support Private Alternatives To Public Schools

-- Inquirer: Proposed Central Bucks School Library Policy Targeting ‘Sexualized Content’ Spurs Worries About Sweeping Book Removal

-- LancasterOnline: Elizabethtown School District Parent Challenges Best-Selling Novel ‘Me And Earl And The Dying Girl’

-- WHYY: Central Bucks School District Backpedals Classes About Puberty Area Now Optional And Virtual

-- TribLive: New Lawsuit Contends Retaliation Against Sewickley Academy In Race Debate

-- Gun Violence/Law Enforcement

-- TribLive: Gov. Wolf Calls Recent Mass Shootings 'Appalling,’ Reiterates Call For Gun Reforms

-- TribLive: Butler County Gun Parts Supply Store Files Federal Lawsuit Opposing Ghost Gun Rules, Enforcement

-- KYW: Philadelphia’s Gun Violence Epidemic Continues To Have Devastating Impact On City’s Youth

-- WHYY: In West Philly, Families Of Gun Violence Victims Come Together For Healing And Reflection

-- WHYY: Teen Committee Conducts Gun Violence Survey To Bring Solutions To Philly Officials

-- PennLive: Harrisburg Summit Gives Teens A Chance To Have Meaningful Conversations About Gun Violence

-- PA Economy

-- Dept. Of Labor & Industry Reports PA Unemployment In April 4.8%, Down Slightly From March

-- AP: PA Jobless Rate Fell In April; Payrolls, Labor Force Up

-- PA Capital-Star: Thousands In Philly Have Arrests, Convictions Hurting Job Chances; Clinics Aim To Fix That

-- Gov. Wolf: New State Authority Ready To Deploy $100 Million In Life-Changing Internet For All Funds

-- WPSU: PA Takes First Step To Join Federal ‘Internet For All’ Initiative

-- WESA: PA WIC Family Skips Bills To Buy Infant Formula

-- MCall Guest Essay: Why I Put My Job In The Allentown Symphony On The Line To Not Pay Union Dues

-- Inquirer Editorial: Philadelphia Screwed Up Property Tax Assessments, Start Over

-- MCall: Why Rentals Are Hard To Find In The Lehigh Valley: ‘We’ve Never Experienced The Demand Like We Are Experiencing Today’

-- WHYY: PA Grants Chester Receiver Permission To File For Bankruptcy On Behalf Of City

-- TribLive: On The Brink, With No Clear End In Sight To Population Declines, Fate Of Some Communities Could Be In Jeopardy

-- TribLive: Ghost Towns Dot Western PA, Pittsburgh Landscape And History

-- TribLive Editorial: Preventing Ghost Towns Means Being Open To Change

[Posted: May 22, 2022]