PA-SN 2022 megathread: Shrek vs. The Wizard of Oz

[KaiserDave]

Joe Szymanski is not a reliable source

[brucejoel99]

This would potentially make 3 SEPA candidates vs Fetterman.

Would this actually be good for Fetterman in the end? As in, is a modern-day Democratic primary really likely to end up dividing geographically/regionally rather than ideologically?

[Zaybay]

This would potentially make 3 SEPA candidates vs Fetterman.

Would this actually be good for Fetterman in the end? As in, is a modern-day Democratic primary really likely to end up dividing geographically/regionally rather than ideologically?

Check out the 2018 lt governor election that launched Fetterman in the first place. Or the primary for PA-10 in 2020, where a literal rando put up a huge fight against DePasquale because he happened to get his county's vote (who himself was saved in that primary by York county, which is DePasquale's home county).

PA is still a highly geographically-split state, mostly because on the ballot they list the county that the candidate is from. If they stopped listing the county on the ballot, then this facet would probably die off, but until then, its very much alive and kicking.

[GM Team Member and Deputy PPT WB]

This would potentially make 3 SEPA candidates vs Fetterman.

Would this actually be good for Fetterman in the end? As in, is a modern-day Democratic primary really likely to end up dividing geographically/regionally rather than ideologically?

In PA, it is definitely east v west. This isn't even limited to dems. Look at the 2018 R Senate primary.

[Not Me, Us]

This would potentially make 3 SEPA candidates vs Fetterman.

Would this actually be good for Fetterman in the end? As in, is a modern-day Democratic primary really likely to end up dividing geographically/regionally rather than ideologically?

In PA, it is definitely east v west. This isn't even limited to dems. Look at the 2018 R Senate primary.

I think this factor can be specifically pronounced depending on the candidate. A huge part of Fetterman's political identity is rooted in Western PA as a Mayor of a working-class former steel town. That can resonate a lot more with WEPA voters than SEPA.

[Blair]

FWIW it's no surprise that there's a huge rush of state-wide people wanting this seat; with the Governorship likely to be tied up for at least 4 years & Casey Jnr going no-where this is one of the best chances they'll have.

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

Anyone else miss the days when Olawakandi stanned Sestak?  No?  Just me?

We all miss the Admiral rn, but don't despair. While the Fetterman and Kenyatta keyboard warriors fight on the bloody fields of Twitter, they are completely unprepared for an attack by sea, and Toomey's decision to abandon the defence of his seat makes Sestak's path clearer than ever before.

He just needs to secure the endorsements of Bennet and Messam before setting sail for DC. This time, the campaign will be unsinkable regardless of which red waves it has to ride.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Fetterman saying he is for the liftage of the filibuster satisfies me, on a neutral night we will have 52 seats and on the best night we will have 54 seats, that is enough to get past the R Filibuster and get DC Statehood and Mfume elected as 1 of the Senators elected from DC, Mfume wants to be Senator, he ran for it in 2006 but lost to Cardin.  Regardless, we will have more AA representation of Congress

AA will have eventually more representation in Senate, and we need Fetterman to help raise money for other D's, like Jeff Jackson, just like Joe Kennedy would have been more of an asset for raising money than Markey with his blue collar roots and would have helped Bullock out more in MT and Bollier in KS, the Rs wouldn't have focused so much Markey and his Green New Deal, Markey supporters didn't realize that

[wbrocks67]

I would love Dean to run (she's my currrent congresswoman) but I still find it unlikely to happen

[Pheurton Skeurto]

Apparently this was missed, but both developments could prove rather crucial:

https://twitter.com/Politics1com/status/1364319730589257728?s=19


This one's more of a rumor if anything, but still
https://twitter.com/JosephSzymanski/status/1364425979192631296
(I know that this is a sketchy source, but I'm more illustrating that the chance of her getting in is rather significant. Her own son was hyping her up as a senate candidate just a day or two ago, afterall.)

This would potentially make 3 SEPA candidates vs Fetterman.

Woah, that's huge news for Street. I wonder if he'll dull Kenyatta's success seeing that he's also from Philly but has quite a bit of experience on Kenyatta.

I'm not sold on Dean running, I know a lot of folks think she will, but I still maintain the argument that she's much more likely to retain her house seat (easily) and move up through House leadership. It'll build her bonafides for a later run.

So now this leaves outstanding questions on Arkoosh (who I read is preparing to imminently announce a run for Senate, though I can't remember where I read that--I'll try to find a source if I can), Boyle, Houlahan, Wild, Lamb (who has expressed interest in running), Kenney, maybe Sestak, maybe Innamorato, maybe Fiedler, maybe Gym, maybe Lee, I mean that's a crazy amount of candidates to have for just one seat. You'd think that at least a couple of the smaller fish among those names would either run for LG or just sit this one out altogether, but it does seem like a lot of folks are looking at this like their only shot to elevate for quite some time.

[Comrade Funk]

I see Kenyatta is going with the "Fetterman is racist" strategy 🙄

[Pheurton Skeurto]

I see Kenyatta is going with the "Fetterman is racist" strategy 🙄

He's not though. In his article in the Inquirer when he jumped in, he literally said:

"I don’t think this is about whether John is racist. I’ve not known him to be,” Kenyatta said. “But I don’t think we can have a system in Pennsylvania where somebody thinks they hear something and then have carte blanche to go chase down the next person they see with a shotgun. I’m from North Philadelphia. I hear gun shots all the time, unfortunately, but we can’t have people think they hear something and run and confront the next person they see. ... As a young Black man I know how traumatizing that can be.”

https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/malcolm-kenyatta-2022-pennsylvania-senate-campaign-20210219.html

Which is an entirely fair point.

[Meatball Ron]

So now this leaves outstanding questions on Arkoosh (who I read is preparing to imminently announce a run for Senate, though I can't remember where I read that--I'll try to find a source if I can), Boyle, Houlahan, Wild, Lamb (who has expressed interest in running), Kenney, maybe Sestak, maybe Innamorato, maybe Fiedler, maybe Gym, maybe Lee, I mean that's a crazy amount of candidates to have for just one seat. You'd think that at least a couple of the smaller fish among those names would either run for LG or just sit this one out altogether, but it does seem like a lot of folks are looking at this like their only shot to elevate for quite some time.

Pardon my ignorance, but who is Gym? I've tried googling around but can't find anything. Thought this might be a nickname for Jim Kenney (in the way that people call Jim Jordan "Gym" - though that's more due to the wrestling issues) but you listed Kenney separately so feels like that's not it.

[beesley]

So now this leaves outstanding questions on Arkoosh (who I read is preparing to imminently announce a run for Senate, though I can't remember where I read that--I'll try to find a source if I can), Boyle, Houlahan, Wild, Lamb (who has expressed interest in running), Kenney, maybe Sestak, maybe Innamorato, maybe Fiedler, maybe Gym, maybe Lee, I mean that's a crazy amount of candidates to have for just one seat. You'd think that at least a couple of the smaller fish among those names would either run for LG or just sit this one out altogether, but it does seem like a lot of folks are looking at this like their only shot to elevate for quite some time.

Pardon my ignorance, but who is Gym? I've tried googling around but can't find anything. Thought this might be a nickname for Jim Kenney (in the way that people call Jim Jordan "Gym" - though that's more due to the wrestling issues) but you listed Kenney separately so feels like that's not it.

There is a Philly Councilmember called Helen Gym. It's a Korean name.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Gym

[Meatball Ron]

So now this leaves outstanding questions on Arkoosh (who I read is preparing to imminently announce a run for Senate, though I can't remember where I read that--I'll try to find a source if I can), Boyle, Houlahan, Wild, Lamb (who has expressed interest in running), Kenney, maybe Sestak, maybe Innamorato, maybe Fiedler, maybe Gym, maybe Lee, I mean that's a crazy amount of candidates to have for just one seat. You'd think that at least a couple of the smaller fish among those names would either run for LG or just sit this one out altogether, but it does seem like a lot of folks are looking at this like their only shot to elevate for quite some time.

Pardon my ignorance, but who is Gym? I've tried googling around but can't find anything. Thought this might be a nickname for Jim Kenney (in the way that people call Jim Jordan "Gym" - though that's more due to the wrestling issues) but you listed Kenney separately so feels like that's not it.

There is a Philly Councilmember called Helen Gym. It's a Korean name.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Gym

Ah, thanks. Hadn't seen her name on any of the lists or other speculation

[Not Me, Us]

So now this leaves outstanding questions on Arkoosh (who I read is preparing to imminently announce a run for Senate, though I can't remember where I read that--I'll try to find a source if I can), Boyle, Houlahan, Wild, Lamb (who has expressed interest in running), Kenney, maybe Sestak, maybe Innamorato, maybe Fiedler, maybe Gym, maybe Lee, I mean that's a crazy amount of candidates to have for just one seat. You'd think that at least a couple of the smaller fish among those names would either run for LG or just sit this one out altogether, but it does seem like a lot of folks are looking at this like their only shot to elevate for quite some time.

Pardon my ignorance, but who is Gym? I've tried googling around but can't find anything. Thought this might be a nickname for Jim Kenney (in the way that people call Jim Jordan "Gym" - though that's more due to the wrestling issues) but you listed Kenney separately so feels like that's not it.

There is a Philly Councilmember called Helen Gym. It's a Korean name.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Gym

Ah, thanks. Hadn't seen her name on any of the lists or other speculation

I wouldn't expect her to run. Besides, isn't she a member of the Working Families Party and not a Dem?

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

I see Kenyatta is going with the "Fetterman is racist" strategy 🙄

He's not though. In his article in the Inquirer when he jumped in, he literally said:

"I don’t think this is about whether John is racist. I’ve not known him to be,” Kenyatta said. “But I don’t think we can have a system in Pennsylvania where somebody thinks they hear something and then have carte blanche to go chase down the next person they see with a shotgun. I’m from North Philadelphia. I hear gun shots all the time, unfortunately, but we can’t have people think they hear something and run and confront the next person they see. ... As a young Black man I know how traumatizing that can be.”

https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/malcolm-kenyatta-2022-pennsylvania-senate-campaign-20210219.html

Which is an entirely fair point.

It’s a fair point (and that incident is obviously fair game), but it doesn’t take much reading between the lines to see that he’s basically calling Fetterman a racist.  “I don’t think my opponent is a racist, I just think his white privilege made him feel like he had carte blanche to grab a shotgun and hunt down the nearest black man” is basically just another way of saying “my opponent is a racist who chases around young black men with his shotgun.” 

Regardless of whether he’s right or wrong, Kenyatta is pretty strongly implying that Fetterman is a racist (and a violent one at that).  Honestly, the subtext of the statement you quoted is practically text   This is a pretty clear shot across the bow.

It’s like in People vs. OJ, when F. Lee Bailey goes on TV and says some version of “I realize that some people say my colleague Bob Shapiro is in over his head.  And I know that many people say he has no idea what he’s doing because he’s a hopelessly incompetent lawyer who couldn’t argue his way out of a wet paper bag.  I want to dispel these rumors and assure everyone watching at home that there is absolutely no reason to think that Bob Shapiro is the wrong man for the job.”  Cut to Shapiro screaming at the TV “[T]hen why the f*** are you saying that?”

[Pheurton Skeurto]

So now this leaves outstanding questions on Arkoosh (who I read is preparing to imminently announce a run for Senate, though I can't remember where I read that--I'll try to find a source if I can), Boyle, Houlahan, Wild, Lamb (who has expressed interest in running), Kenney, maybe Sestak, maybe Innamorato, maybe Fiedler, maybe Gym, maybe Lee, I mean that's a crazy amount of candidates to have for just one seat. You'd think that at least a couple of the smaller fish among those names would either run for LG or just sit this one out altogether, but it does seem like a lot of folks are looking at this like their only shot to elevate for quite some time.

Pardon my ignorance, but who is Gym? I've tried googling around but can't find anything. Thought this might be a nickname for Jim Kenney (in the way that people call Jim Jordan "Gym" - though that's more due to the wrestling issues) but you listed Kenney separately so feels like that's not it.

There is a Philly Councilmember called Helen Gym. It's a Korean name.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Gym

Ah, thanks. Hadn't seen her name on any of the lists or other speculation

I wouldn't expect her to run. Besides, isn't she a member of the Working Families Party and not a Dem?

She may run for Lt. Gov, which is what I've seen floated for Innamorato, Fiedler, and Lee. As for her being a member of the WFP--I'm not sure if they're exactly an independent party in PA so much as an organizing operation hoping to gain party status like in other states. She was endorsed by the Philadelphia Democratic Committee according to her website. In her "about" section, she also signs herself as a Democrat. There is a member on the council who is listed as a member of the WFP, Kendra Brooks.

I see Kenyatta is going with the "Fetterman is racist" strategy 🙄

He's not though. In his article in the Inquirer when he jumped in, he literally said:

"I don’t think this is about whether John is racist. I’ve not known him to be,” Kenyatta said. “But I don’t think we can have a system in Pennsylvania where somebody thinks they hear something and then have carte blanche to go chase down the next person they see with a shotgun. I’m from North Philadelphia. I hear gun shots all the time, unfortunately, but we can’t have people think they hear something and run and confront the next person they see. ... As a young Black man I know how traumatizing that can be.”

https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/malcolm-kenyatta-2022-pennsylvania-senate-campaign-20210219.html

Which is an entirely fair point.

It’s a fair point (and that incident is obviously fair game), but it doesn’t take much reading between the lines to see that he’s basically calling Fetterman a racist.  “I don’t think my opponent is a racist, I just think his white privilege made him feel like he had carte blanche to grab a shotgun and hunt down the nearest black man” is basically just another way of saying “my opponent is a racist who chases around young black men with his shotgun.” 

Regardless of whether he’s right or wrong, Kenyatta is pretty strongly implying that Fetterman is a racist (and a violent one at that).  Honestly, the subtext of the statement you quoted is practically text   This is a pretty clear shot across the bow.

It’s like in People vs. OJ, when F. Lee Bailey goes on TV and says some version of “I realize that some people say my colleague Bob Shapiro is in over his head.  And I know that many people say he has no idea what he’s doing because he’s a hopelessly incompetent lawyer who couldn’t argue his way out of a wet paper bag.  I want to dispel these rumors and assure everyone watching at home that there is absolutely no reason to think that Bob Shapiro is the wrong man for the job.”  Cut to Shapiro screaming at the TV “[T]hen why the f*** are you saying that?”

I think there's a bit more nuance to it than that. I think it is reasonable to say that someone can engage in behavior that is harmful or "privileged" without it being an explicit act of racism. I think Kenyatta is criticizing the behavior as being indicative of poor decision making and also pointing out that someone with more malicious intent could act similarly while still saying "but I'm not a racist." It makes it easier for racists to get away with doing something that is not in and of itself explicitly racist all of the time, if that makes sense. I do agree that it's a shot across the bow, though. It's basically saying "how can we trust this person to tackle racism when they can't even acknowledge the inherently privileged act of pulling a shotgun on a person of color was dangerous." I think you're reading a little too far in to the subtext given the context of them being primary opponents, which I'm perfectly willing to grant that you may be right and I'm just under-reading this, but knowing the friendship that John and Malcolm have had, I'm willing to take Malcolm at his word when he says he does not believe John is a racist, but he acted inappropriately and shouldn't be trusted in tough situations if he has a history of demonstrating shoddy decision making abilities.

This post was way too long, I'm so sorry everyone!

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

The race card isn't gonna play well in AA community, FETTERMAN IS A CARBON COPY OF BOB CASEY JR, and Casey endorsed Obama over Hillary Clinton, in 2008.  Fetterman and Casey are friends

[ctherainbow]

Eugh.  Sharif is another one like Shapiro who everyone has known for years is running for higher office, and... I know a lot of people like him, but Sharif has pulled some serious procedural bullsh**t quashing progressives within the PA Dems.  It’s an incredibly easy line of attack to fracture his support in the primary; there’s even video evidence that was streamed on PennLive.   

[Rookie Yinzer]

I see Kenyatta is going with the "Fetterman is racist" strategy 🙄

He was talking about Ahmaud Arbery. Y'all are so pressed to find a reason to disqualify Kenyatta. LOL. All the excuses in the world for Fetterman but won't give Kenyatta the benefit of the doubt.

[Left Wing]

Honestly the discourse from this primary is already giving me a sinking feeling about the general election result. Any nominee is going to come out of the primary with a lot more vitriol and that's not exactly the recipe for victory in a state that's 3.5 points to the right of the nation in an R leaning year. None of the current candidates in the race have shown any kind of unique electoral strength, and any that may exist could be washed away by a bitter primary. I want Cartwright as the nominee, but just think how much better it would have been if Tom Wolf had run (Then it would be the true FL-2018 redux).

[Nutmeg]

Mfume elected as 1 of the Senators elected from DC, Mfume wants to be Senator, he ran for it in 2006 but lost to Cardin.  Regardless, we will have more AA representation of Congress

I hate to take your bait, particularly in this Pennsylvania thread, but you know that Mfume represents Baltimore, right? D.C. has plenty of African American (and other) candidates of its own accord.

[Morning in Atlas]

I see Kenyatta is going with the "Fetterman is racist" strategy

He was talking about Ahmaud Arbery. Y'all are so pressed to find a reason to disqualify Kenyatta. LOL. All the excuses in the world for Fetterman but won't give Kenyatta the benefit of the doubt.

We aren't stupid, and neither is Rep. Kenyatta. It's pretty clear what he was also trying to imply, especially when he left the context of Arbery's murder into a second tweet.

Which, as the record shows, I have no problem with. That's politics and campaigning.

[brucejoel99]

I see Kenyatta is going with the "Fetterman is racist" strategy 🙄

He was talking about Ahmaud Arbery. Y'all are so pressed to find a reason to disqualify Kenyatta. LOL. All the excuses in the world for Fetterman but won't give Kenyatta the benefit of the doubt.

I'll just go ahead & bump this, as if it wasn't already posted in this very thread for everybody to see:

If you thought Markey vs. Kennedy was ugly, Kenyatta vs. Fetterman is just getting started (have fun with that, PA Dems):

https://twitter.com/malcolmkenyatta/status/1364290274852294656

Apparently the context is that it's been a year since Ahmaud Arbery's murder, but Kenyetta isn't stupid.

On any other day it would clearly be an attack on Fetterman, but today it can be read two ways. Shrewd move by Kenyatta.

Glad I’m not the only person who picked up on this. It’s obvious that this is about Ahmaud Arbery but could be read as a double entendre.

Yeah, the fact that he still led with "jog" & left the explicit Arbery reference for a separate tweet makes it not at all hard to see what he's nodding at here, which I frankly don't fault him for in any event: that's the name of the game, after all. But still, it's very obvious.

Moreover, who here (with the seeming exception of Comrade Funk, whose point that you were replying to was - crucially - not agreed with by anybody else on this thread) is trying to "disqualify" Kenyatta for this, whatever that even means? In what world does people pointing out what we're evidently gonna be in for over the course of this campaign & - if anything - even commending the shrewdness of his political capabilities (& the potential effectiveness thereof, too, if it works out for him) equate to trying "to find a reason to disqualify" him? Don't get me wrong here, I love you as a poster & agree with your analyses & what you have to say the vast majority of the time, but unlike the rest of us aforementionedly reading what Kenyatta was clearly getting at with his statement, you're simply reading something into what people on here are saying in response to him that's not at all present.