Even to the gay community, Hoeffel isn’t a sure sale

PHILADELPHIA—If there’s one candidate for statewide office who should expect to bask in support from the gay rights community, it’s Joe Hoeffel.

The Montgomery County Commissioner and Democratic candidate for governor has spent much of his campaign portraying himself as the progressive’s progressive, proudly shouting his support for same-sex marriage, taking pleasure in the salvos he receives from the right and casting his primary opponents as too conservative to call themselves true-blue Democrats.

“I don’t…

Dems hit Corbett over health care suit

The state Democratic Party on Tuesday criticized Attorney General Tom Corbett for threatening to

The danger of single-payer

With the federal government already expanding its intervention into the health care system, there’s a liberal crusade underway to

Paige drops out of 11th District primary

Republican Chris Paige has withdrawn from the primary in the 11th Congressional District, making Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta the party’s de facto nominee for the third time in the last decade.

Paige, whose candidacy was notable for

Contemplating Corbett, the day after

There’s a great deal of political pontificating in print and on the blogosphere, in the wake of pWe’ve pulled together some of the highlights below. But what do you think? Make your voice heard by…

Dem candidates court LGBT leaders in Philly

PHILADELPHIA—Democratic candidate for statewide office—or in some cases their surrogates—wooed a roomful of leaders of Philadelphia’s gay and lesbian community Monday night, as they sought the endorsement of the Liberty City Democratic Club.

The club, founded in 1994, has grown to be one of the more influential gay political groups in the state. Its endorsement, to be voted on early next month, holds significant sway within the gay community. At its meeting in Center City…

Pike and Trivedi talk health care, Afghanistan, job creation

KUTZTOWN—With their contentious nominating contest seeming to tighten two months before primary day, Democrats Doug Pike and Manan Trivedi shared a stage Monday night for their third debate in just over a month.

Their debate, an affable affair at Kutztown University here, touched on everything from the health care legislation on the verge of becoming law and policies for job creation, to the war in Afghanistan and trade policies with China. With not much of…

LEFTOVERS: Toomey pledges repeal, endorsements for Specter, more labor for Pike

Republican Senate candidate Pat Toomey is one of numerous GOP hopefuls who have pledged to work toward repealing health care reform legislation if elected, something Democrats were sure to point out Monday. Toomey signed the pledge, in which candidates promise “to sponsor and support legislation to repeal any federal health care takeover passed in 2010, and replace it with real reforms that lower health care costs without growing government.” It was sponsored by the conservative…

Guilty verdicts for Veon allow Corbett to avoid a setback

Almost three years after word first broke that the state Attorney General’s office was investigating corruption in the legislature, Tom Corbett can boast a conviction.

Former state Representative Mike Veon was found guilty on 14 of 59 counts Monday night, capping a trial that almost strained a jury to the breaking point and for a moment earlier in the day looked like it might end in a mistrial. For Corbett, it was the first sliver…

A former Sestak hand returns for the primary push

With less than two months left until primary voters go to the polls, Democratic Senate hopeful Joe Sestak has brought back one of his longtime political aides and advisers.

Jared Solomon, a Philadelphia lawyer, returned to the campaign Monday. Though official titles are often elusive in Sestak’s political organization, Solomon will essentially by a hybrid political and field director. But as a trusted Sestak aide, he seems likely to have a large portfolio, as the…