State Rep. Brendan Boyle, the Democratic candidate in the 13th Congressional District, has the backing of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, Everytown for Gun Safety and the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Meanwhile, Republican Dee Adcock has been endorsed by the Eagle Forum Political Action Committee.
Everytown for Gun Safety also endorsed Democratic challenger Tom Wolf for governor.
“This is the first time we’re mobilizing moms in this country to turn out and vote specifically on gun violence prevention,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.
In an endorsement letter, NCPSSM board chairman Max Richtman wrote that Boyle “understands and supports the critical role that Social Security and Medicare play in the retirement and health security of our nation’s older citizens and their families.”
“These are two of the most successful government programs in American history, and their effect has been to lower the poverty rate among seniors from 1 in 2 to 1 in 8 and raise our national life expectancy,” Boyle said. “As a country, we invest in these programs to provide for not only our seniors, but for those who receive Social Security disability and survivors benefits as well.”
The Inquirer wrote that, “Brendan Boyle has the experience, focus and positions to represent the district well.”
The Eagle Forum, which backs Adcock, is a venerable organization that supports candidates who closely mirror its views. The group opposes abortion and favors voter identification laws, gun rights, border security, an anti-ballistic missile system, English as the official language, a lower income tax and traditional marriage.
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The campaign of Gov. Tom Corbett and Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley made light of the possibility that state Sen. Mike Stack, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, might keep his Senate seat, even if elected as Wolf’s second-in-command.
The campaign suggested Stack wants the second job because Wolf wants to increase the state’s income tax by 188 percent.
“You can tell middle-class Pennsylvanians are extremely worried about multimillionaire Tom Wolf’s income tax hike when even his running mate Senator Mike Stack is keeping his options open for a second job,” said communications director Chris Pack. “While Mike Stack is likely far from middle class, given Tom Wolf’s pledge to increase spending by $6.5 billion with no way to pay for it besides tripling the income tax rate, we can’t really blame him for being concerned and looking for a second job. Rest assured, though, Mike — when Tom Corbett and Jim Cawley are re-elected on November 4, they are going to continue to keep their promise to make Harrisburg fiscally responsible and keep taxes low for all Pennsylvanians.”
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Stephanie Singer, a city elections commissioner, responded to a Philadelphia Inquirer editorial calling for the resignation of her fellow Democratic commissioner, Anthony Clark.
Clark, a ward leader who chairs the commission, has not voted since 2011, according to City Paper. Voter records show his address to be on the 1500 block of Howell St. in the 62nd Ward.
The editorial noted that Singer and Republican Al Schmidt were elected in 2011 as reformers, but had a falling out over what the newspaper labeled “petty squabbles.”
“I want my supporters to know that while Schmidt and I did go in together to work towards reform, we quickly were on opposite sides of Voter I.D., with Schmidt supporting the law and myself working against the I.D. requirements,” Singer said. “I believe true leadership is about focusing on goals for the office and will work with anyone in the Commissioner’s office willing to clean out corruption.” ••
