Demand Builds for Open Primaries in Pennsylvania

PENNSYLVANIA OPEN PRIMARIES
CALLS MOUNT FOR OPEN PRIMARIES IN PENNSYLVANIA (by Damon Eris, CAIVN) Independent Pennsylvanians have their work cut out for them.

NEW YORK

• NY-26: Congratulations And Commiserations (BY CELESTE KATZ, Daily News/Daily Politics) Democrat Kathy Hochul bested GOP candidate Jane Corwin 48% to 42%, with nearly 85% of the precincts reporting. Independent candidate Jack Davis, running on a Tea Party line, pulled 8%.
• Shocking Dem win in NY House special election came down to just 1 word: Medicare (BETH FOUHY  Associated Press, The Republic) The rural-suburban district between Buffalo and Rochester is one of New York's most conservative and has been held by a Republican — including national names like Jack Kemp — for years. But Corwin saw her early lead dissolve after coming out in favor of a Republican budget plan that would cut billions from Medicare.

NY-26: Hochul Claims Independence

NEW YORK

• Hochul's final pitch: I'm independent (By: James Hohmann (Politico) The push to downplay her Democratic affiliation came the morning after a Public Policy Polling survey showed that, while she’s ahead by 6 points, a plurality of voters want their eventual representative to caucus with the Republicans. That is especially true among those expressing support for third-party candidate Jack Davis, whose support has waned in recent polls… Hochul will need support from independents and some Republicans to overcome a 6 percent GOP registration advantage. There are roughly 27,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats in the 26th District, with an additional 9,500 registered Conservative Party members.
• All Eyes on NY-26: Republicans are bracing themselves to lose a House seat carried by John McCain. (By JOHN FUND, Wall Street Journal) Politics is more volatile than ever in a fast-moving media environment, and Republicans have been slow to realize that either their message or their work product is not resonating with large chunks of independent voters who will determine if they maintain control of the House next year.