Pennsylvania Perspective for Thursday, November 10, 2022

Pennsylvania

Josh Shapiro Has Been Elected Governor; What Comes Next?

With perhaps the most high-profile and expensive gubernatorial race in Pennsylvania history in the rearview mirror, Governor-elect Josh Shapiro now faces the challenge of finding the most effective way to collaborate with a Republican-controlled Senate, as well as members of his own party with a range of moderate to progressive views, in both chambers of the General Assembly. Spotlight PA has more.

Pennsylvania Democrats Believe They Have Won the State House for the First Time in a Decade

While Election Day has come and gone and many victories at various levels have been declared, ballots are still being counted across the Commonwealth, and three races have yet to be called. However, based on current projections, Democrats are confident that they have managed to take control of the state House for the first time in more than a decade, potentially changing the party power dynamic at the state level. The Philadelphia Inquirer has more.

The three seats that still have yet to be called are all in suburban Philadelphia (and can be tracked here):

• PA-142 (Bucks County) — (open seat formerly held by Republican Frank Farry) between Democrat Mark Moffa and Republican Joe Hogan.
• PA-144 (Bucks County) — Democratic challenger Brian Munroe is narrowly leading incumbent Republican Todd Polinchock.
• PA-151 (Montgomery County) — Locked in a dead heat between Democratic challenger Melissa Cerrato and incumbent Republican Todd Stephens.

A Look Into Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana Card Approval Process

Pennsylvania’s Department of Health, which oversees the state’s still fairly new medical marijuana program, rarely takes disciplinary action against any of its roughly 1,800 approved medical marijuana physicians. But a recent disciplinary case against a doctor employed by a company called Veriheal — prompted by a patient complaint to the Department — is shedding light on the complexities of the still nascent business of approving and providing medical marijuana cards to patients. The Philadelphia Inquirer has more.

LVHN Dropping Aetna as Accepted Insurance Provider

Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) announced Thursday that it will no longer be accepting Aetna health insurance effective March 13, 2023, due to the provider’s number of unpaid bills and routine denial of claims. WFMZ has more.

Outgoing Republican Senator Toomey Blames Trumpism for Election Losses

In an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer, Senator Pat Toomey laid much of the blame for Republicans’ Tuesday election losses across the country — including the Pennsylvania governorship won by Josh Shapiro and the flipping of Toomey’s own U.S. Senate seat to John Fetterman — at the feet of President Donald Trump, noting anecdotally that the more supportive of the former president a candidate appeared, the worse they fared in their own election.

Philadelphia

International Travel Company Offered U.S. Midterm Elections Tour; Tourists Disrupt GOTV Efforts in Philadelphia

This week, groups of international tourists visited the U.S. as part of a midterm elections tour offered by a travel company called Political Tours. According to a Democratic committee person, members of the tour group were disruptive of crucial Get Out the Vote (GOTV) canvass efforts during their stay in Philadelphia over the weekend. Billy Penn has more.

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Officials Aim to Address 10th Street Bypass Encampment

Pittsburgh officials are working with a number of local outreach organizations and workers to help relocate people who are experiencing homelessness who have been staying in an encampment under the 10th Street Bypass. A spokesperson for Mayor Ed Gainey maintains that the process is entirely voluntary and is not a law enforcement sweep, and that the administration is working to find solutions to the issue of homelessness in the city. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has more.

Federal

Three Competitive U.S. House Seats Remain in Democratic Control 

Three of Pennsylvania’s most highly competitive U.S. House races were won by Democrats on Tuesday. Incumbents Susan Wild of the 7th District and Matt Cartwright of the 17th District won against the same Republican candidates they had defeated in 2020, while Chris Deluzio won the 17th District, which is currently represented by Democrat Conor Lamb. The Associated Press has more.

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