Bring independents into the primary mix

The primary season is here. Democrats and Republicans are working to win votes so they can face off with the opposition in the fall. And until the day after the May 18 primary, they are only interested in talking with Democrats and Republicans.

But in the midst of this, state Representative Eugene DePasquale (D-York) holding a press conference Tuesday in Harrisburg to announce legislation that would open primary contests to independent voters in Pennsylvania. DePasquale,…

Thoughts on ballot challenges

There are a lot of them out there, and you can

It’s leadership time

Long before Glenn Beck and the Tea Party movement, Pennsylvania held its first Tea Party in Harrisburg in 1989, with a few people who believed in the idea that conservatives should have a voice. In 21 years, the Pennsylvania Leadership Conference has now become the premiere annual gathering of Keystone State conservatives.

This idea of a state level conservative conference came from two college students who attended the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in…

Touey ‘disgusted’ by Lentz ballot challenge

Democrat E. Teresa Touey wants 7th District primary opponent Bryan Lentz to withdraw the ballot challenge against her, saying the signatures she gathered to get on the ballot are valid and that voters are “angry at both parties for these kinds of tactics.”

“This is the kind of behavior that voters do not want,” Touey said in an interview Monday morning.

After a few days of silence following the challenge filed by supporters of Lentz,…

Health care reactions from the pols

The passage of health care legislation in the House Sunday night yielded the usual flurry of political pronouncements from elected officials and candidates.

Here is just a sampling of them.

Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper (D-3):

“Today is a great day for the American people and for the pro-life community. I am proud to support this whole-life legislation that preserves the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. This legislation will help pregnant women choose life…

Altmire and Holden are again the holdouts

For Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation, House health care vote No. 2 was identical in outcome to House health care vote No. 1.

Republicans joined their colleagues in unified opposition. And Congressmen Jason Altmire (D-4) and Tim Holden (D-17) were once again the only Democrats to vote against the bill, which passed Sunday night.

Altmire in particular had been a target for both sides of the debate for weeks before saying over the weekend that he would…

LEFTOVERS: Endorsements for Onorato, Wagner, Trivedi & Bucchianeri

A truckload of endorsements dropped for Democrats toward the end of this week. We also made

Corrections and clarifications

A couple mistakes we’ve got to own up to this week.

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Westmoreland Dems endorse Specter, Wagner, Conklin

The Westmoreland County Democratic Committee handed out its endorsements Saturday, backing Senator Arlen Specter for reelection and Auditor General Jack Wagner for governor.

The party also handed state Representative Scott Conklin (D-Centre) his first big endorsement win in nascent bid for Lieutenant Governor. Conklin only got into the race shortly before filing nominating petitions to get on the ballot; former Philadelphia City Controller Jonathan Saidel has been easily cruising to most county party endorsements.

Former…

Cernic drops out of Dem primary in the 12th

Cambria County Controller Ed Cernic Jr. has decided not to run in the Democratic primary to succeed John Murtha in the 12th Congressional District. His withdrawal from the race leaves Navy veteran Ryan Bucchianeri and attorney Ron Mackell Jr. as the only Democrats still running against former Murtha aide Mark Critz, the party’s nominee for a special election to finish out Murtha’s term and the overwhelming favorite to win the primary being held the same…