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August 22nd, 2024 Len’s Political Note #665 Pennsylvania legislature
2024 General Election
This term, Pennsylvania Democrats gained a majority in the State House of Representatives. We need Pennsylvania to keep that majority and to gain a Democratic majority in its State Senate.
The political situation of the House of Representatives and the State Senate
Right now, Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives has 102 Democrats and 101 Republicans. Pennsylvania’s state senate has 20 Democrats, 2 Forward Democrats (Andrew Yang acolytes), and 28 Republicans. Getting the Democrats up to 25 Senators and a majority when there is a Democratic Lt. Governor, is our challenge.
First — Keep a House Majority
CNalysis identifies 99 seats that range from dark blue to light blue, 101 seats that range from dark red to light pink. Three seats are toss ups. All of them have incumbent Democratic representatives. Re-elect the incumbents, we have a Democratic margin of 102-101. Add one more vulnerable Republican seat, and the Democratic margin could be 103 to 100. Let’s aim for that.
Three Toss ups
PAHD144. Incumbent Democrat Brian Munroe v Daniel McPhillipsA former navy enlistee, Brian Munroe is a retired cop. In 2016, he was elected a township supervisor and treasurer. In 2020, he was elected Clerk of Courts, and in 2022, he was elected a state rep. A little like the cop he was, his legislative focus has been caring for the vulnerable – seeking to protect the elderly from fraud, children from being taken advantage of on the internet, and, in what he sees as his most important legislative achievement, protecting the police themselves. He worked with a Republican senator in a bipartisan effort to allow police officers to move part of their pension contributions from one department to another – allowing men and women to move from job to job, allowing police departments to hire qualified and experienced officers. The top three issues in his campaign website are protecting the rights women had under Roe v Wade, protecting the environment, and ensuring gun safety.
Brian Munroe’s Republican opponent, Dan McPhillips, is a former township supervisor and the County Recorder of Deeds. McPhillips works to limit has visible political opinions to a belief that other politicians are double talkers and that small businesses are important to the economy. His presence is, nevertheless, important. A Pittsburgh newspaper counts this race in a northern suburb of Philadelphia as one of those that could be affected by national politics. The newspaper suggests a Trump victory could carry McPhillips to victory and gain a Republican majority in the state House of Representatives.
Help keep Brian Munroe in Pennsylvania’s House. DONATE and keep the Pennsylvania legislature Democratic.
PAHD118 Incumbent Democrat James Haddock v McKayla KathioBefore he was elected as a state rep in 2022, Jim Haddock had been a small town banker, mayor of Avoca, a small city outside of Scranton, and clerk of courts. He touts his commitment to the second amendment, though he adds his intention to keep guns out of the hands of people who should not have them. First on his list of issues is protecting women’s right to their choice regarding reproductive health. The political experience of which he is most proud was as mayor. He took on the Kerr-McGee corporation for endangering the environment. He filed an EPA Complaint and was a leading figure in a lawsuit against the oil company for dumping toxic waste into local rivers and streams. The law suit gained a $5 billion settlement. Not that it was an easy victory. Kerr-McGee fraudulently transferred their funds to a company called “New Kerr-McGee” in their attempt to avoid paying their debts.
Jim Haddock’s opponent is a 2019 graduate of Scranton Prep and a 2022 graduate of the University of Scranton. Daughter of the late owner of an animal medical hospital and a preschool teacher, she describes herself as a life-long Republican. The only issue about which she is explicit is her love of animals. Help Jim Haddock remain in Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives. DONATE.
PAHD72. Incumbent Democrat Frank Burns v Amy BradleyFrank Burns was first elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 2008. He is a conservative Democrat. He describes himself as fighting for jobs in Cambria County (roughly halfway between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg) while opposing big state projects and supporting union jobs. He sought ways to reduce health care costs, to support widely available health insurance, and to support the disabled. He is also a supporter of the second amendment and an opponent of abortion.
Frank Burns’ opponent is Amy Bradley, the President and CEO of the county Chamber of Commerce. She began her campaign at a petition signing at the Johnstown area Christian Fellowship. She criticizes Frank Burns for his “negativity,” for his expressions of concern about the local poverty rate. Her rosy vision emphasizes the area’s low cost of living. If she were elected, Amy Bradley would vote like Frank Burns on abortion and guns. She would oppose unions and any effort to raise the minimum wage or anything else that would make the Johnstown area more expensive for her to live in. Frank Burns would keep Pennsylvania’s Democratic majority in the state House of Representatives. DONATE to Frank Burns.
PAHD28. Democrat William Petulla v Jeremy Shaffer
William Petulla
This is a tilt Republican, slightly pink district north of Pittsburgh that is now represented by Republican Robert Mercuri. Mercuri is running what appears to be a futile effort to defeat Democratic Congressman Chris Deluzio.
William Petulla could flip this district and give the Democrats a wider 103 to 100 lead in the House. A graduate of Washburn University’s Law School, he began his practice representing abused and neglected children. Appointed to the Allegheny County DA’s office, he gravitated toward dealing with crimes of domestic violence and subsequently worked in the homicide unit. Endorsed by police groups as well as by teachers and private sector unions, his priority is resources for first responders including the police. He emphasizes the importance of mental health services being available to everyone and the importance of reproductive freedom. He would seek legislation to make it harder to possess firearms illegally.
William Petulla could win this race against Jeremy Shaffer, a computer engineer with a PhD from Carnegie Mellon. Shaffer is for fiscal responsibility and “rooting out wasteful spending.” A vice president of Bentley Systems, software supporters of infrastructure ranging from roads to trains to electrical systems, he is confident that businessmen can solve public problems and govern more efficiently than politicians. Help William Petulla flip this seat. DONATE.
Gaining a Senate majority.
CNalysis sees 27 red seats and 23 blue seats. Of the red seats, though, one is very light pink and another is pink. If Democrats can flip these seats, the Senate division becomes 25-25. With a Democratic Lt. Governor, Democrats would control a 25-25 Senate. Democrats need to defeat two incumbents. Let’s work on that.
PASD37. Democrat Nicole Ruscitto v Incumbent Devlin Robinson
Nicole Ruscitto can flip this district. Her opponent, incumbent Devlin Robinson, is completing his first term after defeating a Democrat.
Nicole Ruscitto is the daughter of educators, married to a teacher and football coach, and one of her highest priorities is ensuring a state funding package that works for the school districts in Senate District 37, southwest of Pittsburgh. She argues for higher wages, beginning with increasing the minimum wage. She notes that in 2022, the state senate voted to eliminate abortion rights. She wants to be in the state senate to protect reproductive rights. On the county council, she was an advocate for public health and for economic development.
Incumbent Devlin Robinson is an ex-Marine with considerable combat experience in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the State Senate, he claims credit for preventing tolls from being installed on a local bridge, for forcing insurance companies to cover mammograms and cancer screening, and ensuring the possibility of medical leaves. He was among those in the state Senate who voted to end abortion rights in Pennsylvania. While he hosted a sportsmen’s group forum on gun safety, he did not advocate any legislative action on the topic. Help Nicole Ruscitto. If Democrats can achieve a legislative majority, reproductive rights would be protected in the Commonwealth as would gun safety. DONATE.
PASD49 Democrat Jim Wertz v Incumbent Daniel Laughlin
Jim Wertz teaches at Edinboro State. His BA is from Edinboro State. He has an MA from American University and a doctorate from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He owns a video production company and teaches courses in the Department of Communications and Media Studies. He also chairs the Erie County Democratic Party and serves as a contributing editor to the Erie Reader, an alternative newspaper. Jim Wertz grew up in Reading PA and was the first member of his family to graduate from college. He promises to protect women’s right to an abortion, to protect all workers’ right to unionize, and to properly fund Pk-12 education, vocational schools, and community colleges.
Jim Wertz’ opponent is the incumbent Daniel Laughlin. Laughlin has sued Jim Wertz for writing, in an op-ed, that Laughlin was on a list of people considered for Presidential pardons by Donald Trump for attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Laughlin insists that the amicus brief he signed did not favor either the plaintiff or the defendant and that there was no list of those being considered for presidential pardons. Laughlin is an abortion opponent, a supporter of medical marijuana, and of allowing those not registered in a political party to vote in party primary elections.
Jim Wertz would be a great addition to the Pennsylvania State Senate. Help him get there. DONATE.
Statewide races in Pennsylvania
US Senate.
Bob Casey is running for reelection. He has represented Pennsylvania in the US Senate since 2006. His dad had been governor of Pennsylvania and, nationally, was the leader of anti-abortion Democrats.
After graduating from Scranton Prep, Bob Casey went to Holy Cross for his BA and Catholic University for his JD. He practiced law in Scranton, but there was little question that he would run for office. He was elected the state’s Auditor General in 1996, lost in the Democratic primary for Governor in 2002, but was elected state Treasurer in 2004. He defeated incumbent US Senator Rick Santorum in 2006 by a wide margin after easily defeating opponents in the primary who were to his left.
Bob Casey’s election career continued just as it had in 2006. In 2012 and 2018 he defeated challengers on the left in primaries and defeated Republicans in the general election handily. On economic issues, he has supported raising the minimum wage, supported unions in their efforts to gain higher wages, and has opposed access to American markets of foreign steel. He has been a supporter of early childhood education and an opponent of challengers to the existing educational system such as vouchers. He was an advocate for access to health care, was even a proponent of the Health Care for All proposals. He was an early supporter of civil unions for members of the LGBTQ community and moved with those who were like-minded to supporting same sex marriage.
Cultural issues have dominated our political conversations during Bob Casey’s tenure. He changed his viewson gun regulations. He took a few days for contemplation after the Sandy Hook massacre of children in 2012. He changed from being a kind of conventional pro-gun protector of the hunters of Pennsylvania to being an advocate for gun safety laws including bans on assault weapons and more comprehensive background checks of gun purchasers.
Bob Casey’s views on abortion changed gradually. When he had entered the Senate, he was identified as “pro-life.” He had previously expressed support for overturning Roe v Wade. During the ten years after entering the Senate, observers could see changes. He supported the Affordable Care Act as well as access to contraception. In 2011, he voted against cutting funds for Planned Parenthood and supported over the counter sales of the emergency morning after contraceptive pill. In 2015, he and Joe Manchin and Indiana senator Joe Donnelly supported a proposal to limit abortions nationally to the first 20 weeks. By 2017, he voted to overturn foreign aid policies that precluded support for abortions. By 2022, his views were entirely reversed. He expressed support for a national codification of abortion rights.
Bob Casey has an extremely wealthy opponent in 2024. David McCormick grew up in western Pennsylvania where his father was president of Bloomsburg State University. His mother also taught at the university. He attended the local high school, from which he went to West Point. Ten years after graduating from the US Military Academy, he earned a PhD from Princeton.
McCormick’s career was in finance. He became the CEO of one of the largest hedge funds in the world; a hedge fund located in Connecticut where he lived. In his first attempt at the Senate in Pennsylvania, he lost the Republican primary, unable to escape the claim that he still lived in Connecticut. His Connecticut address remains an issue he needs to overcome even in 2024.
As for his views, McCormick will not claim the 2020 election was stolen. On economic issues, he has been an advocate of free trade and of Trump‘s America First Policy. He says the US should advocate human rights internationally and at home. He has said that when China succeeds, the US succeeds and also praised Trump’s efforts to oppose China. He has been an advocate for gay rights but an opponent of abortion.
Does those mixed views make him a winning candidate for the Senate? In recent polls, Casey has been leading by 5 points. In one relatively recent poll, he led by 11. According to the FEC, the two candidates are tied financially. On June 30, Bob Casey had $8.4 million; David McCormick had $8.3 million. Since McCormick can reach into his pocket and find millions, that tie means the Bob Casey is behind financially.
Help Bob Casey hold his lead. DONATE. VOLUNTEER. See Len’s Political Note #581
The Attorney General race
Eugene DePasquale
Compared to the US Senate race, which truly has national implications, Pennsylvania’s contest for Attorney General seems modest. It is not unimportant. Where the Attorney General of so key a state as Pennsylvania stands on issues from gun safety to abortion to election integrity matters at home and, to some extent, nationally.
Former State Auditor Eugene DePasquale is not a charismatic figure. A former state rep, and former State Auditor General, he grew up near Pittsburgh, went to play football at the College of Wooster, got an MPP from the University of Pittsburgh, and a law degree from Widener University.
Family issues had an enormous impact on Eugene DePasquale’s life. His younger brother, for whom he had been a caretaker during high school, later died of his Muscular Dystrophy. His father, a Vietnam Vet drifted into alcoholism and drugs and ultimately to more than 10 years in prison. Prison was good thing, says Eugene DePasquale. His dad came out of prison sober and remained sober while making a living renovating houses and then selling them.
As Auditor, Eugene DePasquale did serious work. He audited the state’s environmental protection agency (a promise he made in his campaign) and found that they could not and did not ensure safe drinking water because they were unprepared to administer the laws related to oil and gas. Audits of local police departments testing of rape kits and a study of gun safety in Pennsylvania after the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue shooting were equally impactful. He can point to this work in his candidacy for attorney general.
He cannot point to a recent political success, though. He lost a Congressional race to Scott Perry of Pennsylvania 10, one of the most notorious supporters of Donald Trump’s effort to remain President after the 2020 election.
Eugene DePasquale’s opponent is York County District Attorney David Sunday. Sunday takes credit for a drop in crime during his tenure. He found an issue during Covid. He refused to prosecute businesses which violated the governor’s order to close to avoid disease. Similarly, he refused to prosecute those who rejected requirements for mask wearing in schools. He insists he follows the law – that there is a need for more vigorous prosecution of those who have illegal possession of firearms and no constitutional obligation to protect those seeking an abortion.
Help Eugene DePasquale win this election. DONATE. VOLUNTEER. See Len’s Political Note #642
Pennsylvania House races
Almost as much as New York and California, Pennsylvania has several close races. Here is a list:
Pennsylvania 01: Veteran helicopter pilot Ashley Ehasz v Incumbent Brian Fitzpatrick. DONATE. See Len’s Political Note #631
Pennsylvania 07: Incumbent Susan Wild v State Rep Ryan MacKenzie. DONATE. See Len’s Political Note #546
Pennsylvania 08: Incumbent Matt Cartwright v Businessman Bob Bresnahan. DONATE. See Len’s Political Note #547
Pennsylvania 10: Local Television Anchor Janelle Stelson v Incumbent fervent Trump supporter Scott Perry. DONATE. See Len’s Political Note #640
Pennsylvania 17: Incumbent Chris Deluzio v State Rep Rob Mercuri. DONATE See Len’s Political Note #611
WE ALSO HAVE A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
As we look toward November, 2024, Help sustain the enthusiasm for the Kamala Harris/Tim Walz campaign. They are a phenomenon – capturing resources and receiving many donations. Nevertheless, they will need still more resources to win. Every donation, large or small, makes a difference. Larger donations mean more money for the campaign. But many in the media count the number of small donations as a measure of enthusiasm for the candidate. Make a small donation if you cannot afford a large one. DONATE TO KAMALA HARRIS and TIM WALZ. VOLUNTEER
