Pennsylvania House Speaker Mike Turzai isn’t the only one in Republican leadership who may be swept out to sea by the blue wave coming this November. An internal poll from the Pennsylvania 16th Senate District shows Mark Pinsley opening a double-digit lead over Senate Appropriations Chairman Pat Browne. Rumors in Harrisburg are also swirling that Senate President Jake Corman’s may be within reach.
Pinsley is running for Senate in Allentown and has picked up endorsements from Our Revolution, Flippable, PCCC Change Committee, SEIU, IBEW and other labor organizations. According to a press release from the campaign, the 16th Senate District sits in Lehigh County and consists the entire city of Allentown, which contains a third of the district’s registered voters. The internal poll shows Pinsley leading 50-39 as of September 20th.
Hillary Clinton won the 16th district in 2016 by 4.9%. Tom Wolf took it in 2014 by 5.8% and Bob Casey won it in 2012 by 10.4%. When the poll was completed, Wolf is holding a 57-35 lead over Scott Wagner and Susan Wild is holding a 52-39 lead over Marty Nothstein. It should be noted that this internal poll is reflecting what other polls are showing. A recent New York Times poll shows Wild leading Nothstein 8%, and the latest Franklin and Marshall poll shows Governor Wolf holding a commanding 39% and 16% lead in Southeast and the Northeast. Another major factor for this race is that Charlie Dent is not on the ticket anymore. Dent was wildly popular in the district and known for his constituent services and attending community functions.
Earlier today, Braddock Mayor and Lieutenant Governor candidate John Fetterman recorded a video stumping for Pinsley, while visiting Wayne County. Fetterman echoed the message that Pinsley was leading in the polls and stated that he wants to work with people like Mark while in the State Senate. Fetterman was asking his supporters and Pinsley’s supporters to donate to Pinsley’s campaign and get involved by volunteering and door knocking for this senate race.
We are in the final push toward election day with 35 days to go, and we need your help to push us to victory. 🙏 @JohnFetterman Contribute what you can ➡️https://t.co/9NuWdyqa1p pic.twitter.com/YW13qyhm1f
— Mark Pinsley for PA State Senate (@mpinsley) October 2, 2018
Back in Harrisburg, rumors are amidst that Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman is having a tough time with his challenger Ezra Nanes. Word has it that after the information has been given on Senator Corman, Senator Corman and Ezra Nanes are polling at an even 45%.
If Emily Skopov, Ezra Nanes or Mark Pisnley are able to pull off their upsets, it would be the first time that such an upset has been seen in Harrisburg since 2010. During that cycle, Republican Tarah Toohill defeated then-Democratic House Majority Leader Todd Eachus. Other notable upsets came in 2006 after the infamous pay raise scandal. During that cycle, Mike Fulmer defeated Senate Majority Leader David Brightbill in a primary.
