Comey’s bombshells, redistricting gutted and the GOP’s internal fighting
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Gosh, another boring two weeks where nothing happened in politics.
Well, except for former FBI Director James Comey apparently referring to President Donald Trump as a “Mob Boss,” Speaker of the U.S. House Paul Ryan announcing that he won’t be running for reelection to the House, the head of the Republican Congressional Campaign ripping into a local Republican...
Costello’s withdrawal leaves GOP in a tough spot
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Well, okay, then.
By now those of you following local politics know that U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello announced he would not seek reelection and then withdrew from the May 15 primary. He’s been on TV and offered print interviews blaming President Donald Trump, liberals, redistricting and so on as being to blame.
Whatever.
Regardless of the why, Costello’s departure...
Costello to end reelection bid in 6th district
U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello (R-6)
U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello (R-6) told MSNBC Sunday night that he would end his reelection campaign and not seek a third term in Congress.
Costello, a former Chester County Commissioner, has served two term in the house, In the interview, with MSNBC’s Kasie Hunt, he cited the partisan atmosphere and the unfavorable new 6th District map — the Pennsylvania Supreme...
Federal courts decline to overturn new Congressional map
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Two Federal courts refused Monday to set aside new Congressional districts — meaning that all of Chester County will now be in the new 6th District, starting with this fall’s election.
Costello isn’t going anywhere — at least until November
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Welcome to a very special, bonus St. Patrick’s Day edition of Politics as Unusual — marking a week where an awful lot was, well, unusual.
Democrat Conor Lamb appears to have beaten Republican Rick Saccone — the current tally separates the two by less than 700 votes — in a strongly Republican performing district (Donald Trump won there by about 20 points...
New Congressional maps are a karma bomb for GOP
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Republicans across the state of Pennsylvania are howling mad and running to the courts seeking assistance.
Karma is a bitch, right?
It seems like they may have to compete on a fair Congressional map — not the 2011 map that was among the most Gerrymandered maps in the entire country — and they don’t like it one bit.
New Congressional map puts all of Chesco in 6th; GOP to file suit
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
The new Sixth Congressional District.
It seems like almost everyone has an opinion about the new Congressional map issued Monday by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court — predictably, Democrats generally lauded it as fair, while Republicans, including President Donald Trump blasted the new plan and pledged to fight it in Federal Court.
The state court issued the new...
The new map is here! And it’s probably doomed
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Those of you old enough to remember Steve Martin’s film tour de force (yes, tongue in cheek), The Jerk, may remember the scene when his character runs about shouting “The new phonebook is here! The new phonebook is here!” might find the Pennsylvania GOP’s dump of a new Congressional map Friday night a bit of deja vu.
Those of you too young to remember The...
PA Supreme Court throws out Congressional district maps
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court
If you felt a certain fondness for Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has bad news for you: after a 4-3 ruling by the court Monday, it’s gone — and will be replaced by a newly shaped district by mid-February.
A majority of the justices ruled that the 2011 redistricting “clearly, plainly...
GOP Congressman laud tax bill, Democrats decry ‘gift’ for wealthy, donors
The U.S. Senate last night passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act — a sweeping revision of U.S. Tax code, that depending on who is talking is either a spark for job and wage growth or a massive, deficit busting giveaway to the rich, political donors and corporate America.
The House voted Tuesday to approve the package, but will have to revote Wednesday because of three provisions in the original bill...
