Tea Bird

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll Dies

Our Lt. Governor, Catherine Baker Knoll, has died following her battle with cancer.
Key facts:
· 1930-2008, of McKees Rocks
· Sworn in Jan. 21, 2003
· 30th lieutenant governor
· First elected female Lt. Governor
· St. Mary’s High School alumnus
· Served eight years as state treasurer, winning huge % of statewide vote
· Formerly schoolteacher, businesswoman
· Had four children with [...]

McCain, Palin To Flood PA With Appearances Next Week

From Ambinder:

Pennsylvania will see a lot of Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin next week.
The scheduling reflects McCain’s tough electoral math. With some — though by no means all — advisers all but conceding Colorado, McCain would be forced to win a blue state in order to recoup the electoral votes. New Hampshire [...]

McCain Cuts Ad Spending in PA by 15%

According to an analysis by Evan Tracey of Campaign Media Analysis Group sponsored by Talking Points Memo, McCain ran 336 spots in Pennsylvania last Monday but only 284 this Monday. That is a week over week 15% drop in Pennsylvania ad spending by the McCain campaign.

Big10: US, IL, IN, IA, MI, MN, OH, PA, WI (10/19-22)

From Pollster:

by Eric Dienstfrey
Big Ten Battleground Poll
10/19-22/08; 4.2%
Mode: Live Telephone Interviews
(source)
National 1,014 LV, 3.1%
Obama 52, McCain 43
Illinois 572 LV
Obama 61%, McCain 32%
Indiana 586 LV
Obama 51%, McCain 42%
Iowa 586 LV
Obama 52%, McCain 39%
Michigan 562 LV
Obama 58%, McCain 36%
Minnesota 583 LV
Obama 57%, McCain 38%
Sen: Franken (D) 40, Coleman (R-i) 34, Barkley (I) 15
Ohio 564 LV
Obama 53%, [...]

Murtha in trouble after calling constituents racist

From The Hill:

A new independent poll shows Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) leading his opponent by only five points, just a week after he suggested residents of western Pennsylvania are racist. 
Forty-six percent of voters in Pennsylvania’s 12th congressional district said they supported Murtha, while 41 percent voiced support for his Republican challenger, retired Army Lt. [...]

Quinnipiac: Obama Leads in Big Three

From Taegan Goddard:

With 12 days to go, a new Quinnipiac poll finds Sen. John McCain is narrowing the gap in Florida, but fading in Ohio and barely denting Sen. Barack Obama’s double-digit lead in Pennsylvania.
Florida: Obama 49%, McCain 44%
Ohio: Obama 52%, McCain 38%
Pennsylvania: Obama 53%, McCain 40%
Said pollster Peter Brown: “As we [...]

McCain needs to win Pennsylvania, Wisconsin or Minnesota

Politico spoke with McCain staffers to see where they see their chance to get to 270 electoral votes with Michigan now off the map.

McCain now must win Pennsylvania, Wisconsin or Minnesota in order to get enough electoral votes to win the presidency, his campaign says. 
Those were considered swing states in 2000 and 2004, but George [...]

Latest Swing State Polls

This is the bounce following the close of the Democratic Primary that everyone has been waiting for.
I’ve never thought that McCain has much of a shot at Pennsylvania, and these new Quinnipiac University poll numbers bear this out with Obama up by 12 in the Keystone state.  He’s also ahead in Florida and Ohio.
FLORIDA: Obama [...]

Electricity Rates in PA Will Skyrocket in 2010

Rate caps that have been regulating the cost of electricity in Pennsylvania will start coming off in 2010 and experts say your electric rates could skyrocket by as much as 75 percent.
Governor Ed Rendell’s energy independence plan, which he thinks would avoid these rate hikes, has been stalled in the PA Senate for the past [...]

Pennsylvania Will Ban Smoking in Most Public Places

One step away from joining 30 other states with public smoking bans, the Pennsylvania state Senate today passed anti-smoking legislation in a whopping 41-9 vote.  Governor Ed Rendell said that he will sign the bill.  The ban on smoking in most bars, restaurants, schools, arenas, theaters, office buildings and bus and train stations will go [...]