Two Democratic Senate candidates are riding high this morning, thanks to support from less-than-entirely-surprising sources shortly before a Sept. 30 campaign-finance deadline.
The Pittsburgh chapter of NORML -- the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws -- is hosting a fundraiser for fledgling candidate, Braddock Mayor John Fetterman this Wednesday, at Luke Wholey's Wild Alaskan Grille. The group's backing follows on the heels of one of Mr. Fetterman's first public-policy announcements: Last week, Mr. Fetterman issued a strident statement in support of legalization.
Citing a shooting that took place in Braddock, Mr. Fetterman argued that "We must legalize marijuana" and "be honest about what this war on drugs is doing to communities like Braddock all over Pennsylvania."
In a statement announcing this week's fundraiser, Pittsburgh NORML called Mr. Fetterman "the best candidate on issues of drug reform and criminal justice."
Another Democrat in the race, Katie McGinty, made official her backing by Gov. Tom Wolf, whom she served as chief of staff until resigning to focus on her campaign. In a statement tied to an online pitch for campaign contributions, Mr. Wolf said Ms. McGinty would be "an incredible advocate for Pennsylvanians all across our commonwealth." He called her "a 'can do' person who ... works to get things done. I know she’s the Senator we need in Washington, D.C. because she shares the values of hard working Pennsylvanians and will be able to deliver for them.”
The bid for support comes just before the books will close on the current campaign-finance reporting period. (Candidates must report their activity since mid-July by Oct. 15.) But in the short term, the endorsement prompted atart response from state Republicans, who accused Ms. McGinty of having "ditched" the state amid a protracted budget crisis. McGinty spokesman Mike Mikus, for his part, faulted Republicans for the crisis. The Wolf administration "put together a budget that created a severance tax to fund public education while providing tax relief," he said. "Republicans had other priorities, like protecting the big oil and gas companies."
Mr. Wolf's endorsement drew a more muted response from Democratic candidate, retired Adm. Joe Sestak. In a brief statement that didn't mention Mr. Wolf or his endorsement specifically, Mr. Sestak cited a Pottstown Mercury editorial from August that hailed him for taking on "the Machine."
"I continue to believe that serving the people is what public service should be all about, not about being part of a political machine," the statement said.
The three candidates are vying for the chance to unseat Sen. Pat Toomey, the Republican incumbent.
First Published: September 28, 2015, 3:32 p.m.
