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| Open calls, today's special, McCormick launch, record pay, county concerns, Vivitrol data, and minks on the loose. Thanks for checking in. |
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A bipartisan group of five former governors has joined the call for open primaries in Pennsylvania, saying "it's the right thing to do."
In a letter published Monday, Govs. Tom Corbett, Ed Rendell, Tom Ridge, Mark Schweiker, and Tom Wolf argued that primary elections are now decided by fewer, more extreme voters and that open primaries would help tamp down extremism and political polarization.
Read Spotlight PA's full report: Five former Pa. governors want to allow independents to vote in partisan primaries.
THE CONTEXT: Pennsylvania is one of nine states with a closed primary system, meaning only voters affiliated with a party can vote in its primary.
An open primary would allow independents in to provide a moderating force on the kinds of candidates who make it through, experts say.
With nearly 80% of statehouse elections across the country determined by the primary, supporters of open primaries say that unaffiliated voters have a right to weigh in, calling it the most democratic option.
Critics of open primaries have long warned about muddying the proverbial waters, but the five former governors disagree, writing in their letter:
"Both political parties have seen dramatic declines over the past 20 years, while independent voters are the fastest growing segment of the voting population. Why wouldn’t we want to invite them in?” |
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NOTABLE / QUOTABLE
"They were done, they were tired, they were cold."
—David Beohm, of the Pennsylvania State Police, on Monday's arrests of nine juveniles who escaped a Berks County detention center Sunday
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We urgently need your help to make sure Spotlight PA's vital investigative and public-service reporting can continue.
The first 500 gifts of any amount made during our Fall Member Drive will be DOUBLED by the Lenfest Institute for Journalism. This is a huge opportunity to leverage your gift and unlock HUGE matching support for Spotlight PA.
A big thanks to the 136 people who have given so far, including Jose C., who said, "We need more independent reporters doing the tough work of digging into what politicians don't want us to know about."
Join Jose & contribute now »
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» STORY FEST: Spotlight PA is participating in Philly Story Fest, a first-of-its-kind festival that brings together storytellers from across the city on one stage. Join us Thursday, Oct. 5 from 7-10 p.m. at the Bok building in South Philadelphia (1901 South 9th St.). Tickets are $25 and available here.
» PATH TO EQUITY: Join Spotlight PA for its first in-person summit on Wednesday, Oct. 11, from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Whitaker Center in Harrisburg. Spotlight PA is co-presenting this event with Color & Culture, a Pennsylvania marketing firm. Tickets are on sale at this link until sold out.
» ELECTION 101: Join Spotlight PA’s government reporters Kate Huangpu and Stephen Caruso on Thursday, Oct. 12 from 6-7 p.m. ET on Zoom for a free panel on Pa.’s 2023 judicial candidates. Register for the event here and submit your questions to events@spotlightpa.org.
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 ELECTION DAY: With state House control on the line, voters in one Allegheny County district will elect a replacement for former Democratic state Rep. Sara Innamorato in a special election today. Find out if you're one of them. PublicSource's Charlie Wolfson reports 80% of the mail ballots requested in the race were requested by Democrats. The party also had the financial edge headed into the homestretch, per WESA.
 RUNNING MAN: David McCormick was in Harrisburg to meet with GOP lawmakers Monday ahead of the expected launch of his latest bid for U.S. Senate, WGAL's Tom Lehman reports. The former hedge fund executive will challenge Democratic incumbent Bob Casey. Early coverage has focused on the stakes of the contest, the GOP's backing, and McCormick's main residence in Connecticut’s Gold Coast.
   HIDDEN OVERDOSES: Vivitrol — a long-acting injection of the drug naltrexone — is the opioid addiction treatment of choice in the U.S. criminal justice system, and its being used in prisons across Pennsylvania, sometimes as the only option. But author Maia Szalavitz, in a Scientific American opinion piece, flags new research that found hidden overdoses amid concerns about its efficacy and safety. |
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MIXED BAG: Philly saw its median income rise (modestly) in 2022, bucking a national trend, but it remains the poorest big city in the U.S., per Axios. Pennsylvania did not buck the trend and saw its median income drop to $71,798 in 2022. That's up from 2020 but down from 2021.
DRESS CODE: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., NY) has decided the chamber will no longer enforce its informal dress code for members starting this week, per NBC. That's welcome news for Pennsylvania's junior U.S. senator and his hoodie collection.
OPEN RECORDS: Learn the basics of navigating Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law in a webinar hosted by Pennsylvania's Office of Open Records at 10 a.m. Wednesday. If you can't make it (or want a primer), here's Spotlight PA's basic guide to requesting public records.
RUNNING OF THE MINKS: Police are investigating after someone reportedly cut holes in a fence at a fur farm in Northumberland County, freeing thousands of minks. Experts say don't approach them.
KORSHAK'S CLOSING: Philadelphia's beloved Korshak Bagels is closing. Philly Voice reports poet-owner Philip Korshak said the business simply isn't sustainable. Sunday is the last day of service. |
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Unscramble and send your answer to scrambler@spotlightpa.org. We'll shout out winners here, and one each week will get some Spotlight PA swag. Answers submitted by 5:30 p.m. on issue date will be counted. E L U S H O E H E W
Yesterday's answer: Deferential
Congrats to our daily winners: Vicki U., Don H., Jon W., Barbara F., Hallie W., Judith D., Bob C., Kimberly D., Jane R., Elaine C., Susan D., Susan N.-Z., James B. and Anne B., Dan A., Kim C., Dennis M., Craig E., Stacy S., Robin S., Tom M., Wendy A., and Richard A. |
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