GOP defeat dooms constitution plans
In one stroke, all the Republican Party无毛视频檚 hopes to change the Pennsylvania constitution could be dashed.
In the aftermath of the Nov. 8 election, most attention was directed toward key U.S. Senate and House races, which left the GOP and Democrats each with narrow control of one congressional chamber. A surprise win in Harrisburg for the Democrats, however, could have at least as much impact on Pennsylvanians无毛视频� lives.
Votes were still being counted 无毛视频� and disputed 无毛视频� late this week. But it appeared all but certain that Democrats would hold a razor-thin majority in the state House, leaving the General Assembly divided alongside Democratic governor-elect Josh Shapiro.
Republicans have enjoyed nearly unbroken control of the state Legislature since the early 1990s, letting their party set much of the state无毛视频檚 political agenda. The only break since 2015 has been Gov. Tom Wolf无毛视频檚 veto.
In the past three years, however, GOP lawmakers have worked to avoid Wolf无毛视频檚 veto by instead passing constitutional amendments. Those can无毛视频檛 be vetoed; instead, they must pass both chambers in two consecutive sessions before being turned over to the voters for a ballot referendum.
Wolf无毛视频檚 opponents won an initial victory in 2021, when primary voters approved amendments to limit the governor无毛视频檚 disaster powers and allow lawmakers to terminate emergency declarations. The votes followed complaints by GOP officials that Wolf无毛视频檚 pandemic response was too strict.
With the floodgates opened, Republican lawmakers soon moved to enshrine many of their goals in the state无毛视频檚 highest document.
Just this summer, legislators advanced amendments to require voter ID, give themselves a veto over all regulations and declare there无毛视频檚 no right to abortion in Pennsylvania.
Those efforts would grind to a halt with Democrats in control of half the Legislature, leaving little opportunity for either party to advance amendments.
Even if GOP lawmakers managed to push through legislation, Shapiro appears set to use his veto pen on a range of issues. During the campaign, the then-candidate for governor vowed to veto any bill that threatens abortion rights, makes voting more difficult or establishes a 无毛视频渞ight to work无毛视频� policy that would weaken labor unions.
Dems hold rare Senate win
In Washington, too, Democrats have won a rare victory: Next year, for the first time since the 1940s, both Pennsylvania无毛视频檚 U.S. senators will have been elected from the party.
Lt. Gov. John Fetterman is set to join Sen. Bob Casey in the nation无毛视频檚 capital after beating physician Mehmet Oz for the seat vacated by Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa. The last time two Democrats were elected to those seats was 1944 无毛视频� and before that, before the Civil War.
The party briefly controlled both seats during Barack Obama无毛视频檚 administration, after Pennsylvania无毛视频檚 then-senator Arlen Specter switched parties to join the Democratic majority.
Casey celebrated after the election, tweeting: 无毛视频淚 told my team I wasn无毛视频檛 going to crack open a beer this year 无毛视频� but then you sent a Democrat to join me in Washington.无毛视频�
A final note
I无毛视频檝e saved the end of this column for an uncharacteristic first-person turn. This weekend无毛视频檚 edition marks the last of the Political Notebook 无毛视频� at least under my watch 无毛视频� and I无毛视频檇 like to thank everyone who无毛视频檚 read and supported it over the past several years.
I first wrote this column as a full-time reporter at the Altoona Mirror, where I spent five years. The column has lasted five more years since then, eventually spreading to other newspapers across the state.
My intention for the Notebook wasn无毛视频檛 to do deep investigations or break shocking news 无毛视频� that would be tough for a freelance column that无毛视频檚 run weekly or twice a month. Instead, I wanted to point readers to stories they might have missed, and to explain complex issues in an understandable way. I hope I无毛视频檝e succeeded.
This sort of column relies on the work of reporters across the state and country, and I无毛视频檇 like to thank those who keep writing those stories (often under difficult conditions). I无毛视频檇 also like to thank my editors and colleagues at the Altoona Mirror.
I ask all the Political Notebook无毛视频檚 readers to keep supporting local news and the reporters who cover it.
There无毛视频檚 mistrust even of local journalists 无毛视频� I remember being booed at a 2016 Donald Trump rally 无毛视频� but those reporters are dedicated to accurately covering big beats with limited resources. That无毛视频檚 true in my hometown of Pittsburgh, where even striking journalists now run their own outlet just to keep covering important stories.
Please remember that dedication when you open your local paper or click a link to a story. And be sure to send them news tips while you无毛视频檙e at it.
Thanks, and see you around.