Our guests include Colby Itkowitz of The Morning Call in Allentown who has covered the Sestak-Toomey race, Anne Shannon, a reporter and weekend anchor at our Election 2010 partner, WGAL News 8, Scott Detrow, Capitol Bureau Chief for Pennsylvania Public Radio who covers the gubernatorial and legislative races and has broken numerous stories this election cycle, and Dr. G. Terry Madonna, Pennsylvania’s pre-eminent pollster and director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at Franklin and Marshall College. All four of the major statewide candidates are Roman Catholics. We'll also talk to the new Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg, the Most Rev. Joseph McFadden, about the role of faith in public life and politics. And, we're hoping to bring you Gabe Morgan, president of the Pennsylvania State Council of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to discuss the union's $2 million campaign to get supporters to the polls.
Speaking of polls, they are coming fast in these closing days of the campaign. F&M’s latest poll out today puts the Republicans in the driver's seat. Among likely voters, the F&M survey shows GOP Senate nominee Pat Toomey beating Democrat Joe Sestak, 43-36%, with 19% undecided. Republican gubernatorial nominee Tom Corbett's lead stands at 15 points in that same survey. He bests Democratic nominee Dan Onorato among likely voters by 47-32%, again with 19% of voters undecided. Earlier in the week, the Rasmussen Reports' survey showed Corbett leading Onorato 50% to 40% and Toomey beating Sestak 48% to 44%. The Morning Call/Muhlenberg College Tracking Poll released Tuesday had Toomey edging Sestak 48% to 40%. Most national pollsters rate the PA Senate race a toss up.
Heavy hitters stomp across the Commonwealth in a massive effort get-out-the-vote effort. Former U.S. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich came to the headquarters of the Pennsylvania Republican State Committee in Harrisburg on Tuesday to deliver a push for GOP State Senator Dave Argall in his quest to dethrone Democratic Congressman Tim Holden from the 17th district seat. Gingrich predicts a GOP pickup of 55 seats in the House which would represent the largest one-party swing of control in congressional history. Gingrich also opined on his own 2012 presidential ambitions. Former President Bill Clinton is set to rev up younger voters and hit campuses around Philadelphia on Thursday with Joe Sestak. President Obama will campaign in Philadelphia on Saturday for the entire Democratic slate, while First Lady Michelle Obama touches down in Philadelphia on Monday to rally the Democratic Party faithful and those undecided cliffhangers.
Many political observers are astounded at the amount of third-party money pouring into Pennsylvania this election cycle, thanks in large part to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. the FEC ruling last January. That decision opened the door to unlimited corporate campaign giving. Those groups do not need to disclose their donors but cannot coordinate their efforts with an individual candidate's campaign. So, questions abound as to who exactly is funding third-party advocacy ads and the effect they will have on Tuesday’s outcome.
Control of the General Assembly is at stake, too. The GOP needs a net gain of three seats to recapture the state House which they lost in 2006. Sixteen districts are in major play. Democratic Leader Todd Eachus is in a real fight in his Northeastern, PA district. And, 32-year incumbent John Perzel, a former speaker, could see his legislative career come to an end. He is under indictment in the Bonusgate scandal and faces trial next spring. Republicans look certain to retain the majority in the state Senate. However, a rift could be forming in the caucus over their failure to fulfill a promise to enact a severance tax on natural gas drilled from the Marcellus Shale. Now Gov. Rendell has upped the ante by putting a moratorium on new gas leases in state forest land in the Marcellus Shale region.
And, finally, each week throughout the month of October as part of WITF's Real Life | Real Issues series, Tim Lambert, Scott Detrow and Melanie Herschorn sat down with a group of undecided voters to get their take on the upcoming elections. From polls to campaign ads, from candidate endorsements to conversations with the candidates' wives, you can follow along as midstate residents form their opinions and votes. We'll share a glimpse of what our team discovered in their research.
Political junkies are riding high for the next five days. Hop aboard Thursday night at 8 and let us know what you think of Election 2010. And don't forget to vote on Tuesday, November 2!
