From Keystone Politics - Corbett Campaign Shamelessly Politicizes the Pope

Who paid for this trip? I wonder how the Pope would feel about Governor Corbett denying 700,000 working Pennsylvanians federally funded Medicaid?

Corbett Campaign Shamelessly Politicizes the Pope - Keystone Politics

Pope Francis is a pretty popular guy. Governor Corbett—not so much.  So it’s no surprise that Corbett has been touting his visit to the Vatican for what was expected to be a private audience with the Pope to invite him to Philadelphia for the Eighth World Meeting of the Families next year...

Read more here: http://www.keystonepolitics.com/2014/03/corbett-campaign-shamelessly-politicizes-pope/

Beaver-Lawrence Central Labor Council unanimously recommends Erin McClelland for Pennsylvania AFL-CIO endorsement

Beaver-Lawrence Central Labor Council unanimously recommends Erin McClelland for Pennsylvania AFL-CIO endorsement

 

Hours after releasing the endorsements of four prominent Allegheny County State Representatives, presumptive Democratic nominee for the Pennsylvania 12^th Congressional District Erin McClelland, was unanimously recommended for statewide AFL-CIO endorsement by the Beaver-Lawrence Central Labor Council.  This is the second unanimous labor council vote in support of McClelland’s candidacy, and further evidence of McClelland’s strength as the consensus Democratic nominee for the PA 12^th. 

 

            “I’m honored to have the continued support of working men and women from across the district,” said McClelland.  “A unanimous recommendation from the Beaver-Lawrence CLC means something special to me because I feel at home in Beaver County.  It reminds me of the Allegheny Valley and the people I grew up with who struggle every day, but persevere due to the hard-won victories of organized labor to secure good wages that support great families.”

 

Erin McClelland also has the support of the following organizations, elected officials, and party leaders:

 

Allegheny County State Representatives Dom Costa, Joe Marksosek, Frank Demody, and Adam Ravenstahl, and Erin Molchany, Beaver County State Representatives Jaret Gibbons and Rob Matzie, Beaver County Commissioner Joe Spanik, Beaver County Commissioner Tony Amadio, Beaver Falls Mayor George Quay, Lawrence County Commissioner Steve Craig, Westmoreland County Commissioner Ted Kopas, Ellwood City Mayor Anthony Court, Beaver County Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans’ Courts Carol Fiorucci, Lawrence County Council members, Ralph Chippetta and John Todorich, Westmoreland County Democratic Chairman Dante Bertani, Westmoreland County Democratic Committee Executive Director Jesse Walker, the Women’s Campaign Fund, IBEW Local 5, IBEW Local 29, USW Local 1196, the Allegheny County Labor Council, and the Allegheny County Democratic Committee.

Don’t overanalyze a Special Election result by over-simplifying the issues

I can hardly handle the talking heads explaining why the Affordable Care Act is the reason that the Democrats lost the special election in 13th Congressional District of Florida. Why must we always point to one issue to explain political campaigns. Voters aren't that simple anywhere. Everyone did the same thing after the Senate Election in Massachusetts and explained how Obama was in trouble because of the results. Obviously, it didn't hurt Obama in 2012.

This special election wasn't a mandate the Affordable Care Act. The Democrat's candidate didn't even live in the district. That can be a tough thing to overcome, but not impossible. Congressman Keith Rothfus won his election in 2012 while not living within the 12th Congressional District border. If Rothfus was facing another person from Allegheny County, it might have been a tougher race in 2012. Geography matters in legislative races, and sometimes geography trumps other issues for legislative seats. Some people might have voted because of a commercial they saw or a mailer that they received. Some people might have voted for David Jolly because they thought he was a regular guy or of Congressional Stature. My point is that there are hundreds of reasons voters make their decisions on who to vote for and there is never one issue that truly is the only issue that gave someone the victory.

The only articles that I have found that has properly addressed the issues surrounding the special election in Florida is from Slate:

Florida-13: Three Things Everyone’s Getting Wrong About the Republican Win

Special elections are a completely type of monster and have to be treated differently than a regular election when running them and analyzing the results.