Category Archives: John Fetterman

11/6 Midterm Election Night & Open Thread

The Progressive Wing Posted on by

Birdies–

Tonight we find out how much of a check the American people want to have on our Executive Branch. Or put it another way, how many of the 1000 legislative seats will the Dems gain from the last 10 years of losses? Will voters feel comfortable with the economy and overlook Trump? Will Trump’s divisiveness prevail and turn out his base?

Will we see our first women Native American Congressional Reps? First AA governor of FL and first female gov of GA? How well will the OR candidates perform in this cycle?

Of course, we hope there are no machine irregularities, but it’s anticipated that some will occur. And election lawyers will be on hand just in case.

In the Senate, Democrats are defending 26 seats while Republicans are only defending nine.

(those are predictions if they are filled in with red or blue, gold signifies toss-up)

In the gubernatorial races, there are 33 races, in which Dems could possibly pick up 9 of them.



(those are predictions if they are filled in with red or blue, gold signifies toss-up)

First polls close at 6ET in Indiana, VT and KY. Most in the MSM are saying to watch the 6th district in KY, but the bellwethers will be in VA 4 GOP races and FL 4 GOP races when the polls close at 7 ET.

Larry Sabato of Crystal Ball expects Dem pick-ups in the gubernatorial races, including Kansas.

Big races:

TX Sen – Beto vs Cruz
NV Sen – Rosen vs Heller
FL Sen – Sick Rott vs Nelson
AZ Sen – McSally vs Sinema
CA Sen – DeLeon vs Feinstein
MO Sen – Hawley vs McCaskill
TN Sen – Breesan vs Blackburn
VT Sen – Sanders vs a pack of Indies (well, not a big race, but it is Bernie’s re-up)

FL Gov – DeSantis vs Gillum
GA Gov – Kemp vs Abrams
MD Gov – Jealous vs Hogan
WI Gov – Evers vs Walker
IL Gov – Pritzker vs Rauner
AZ Gov – Garcia vs Ducey
ID Gov – Jordan vs Little
MI Gov – Whitmer vs Schulette
IA Gov – Hubbell vs Reynolds

MN AG – Ellison vs Wardlow

Add the races you are keen about in the comments!

John Fetterman Wins Democratic Nomination For Lieutenant Governor

The Progressive Wing Posted on by

With nearly 40% of the vote when the race was called, John Fetterman solidly beat four other Democratic candidates in the primary for Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor, including incumbent Mike Stack. Democrat Nina Ahmad had roughly 22 percent of the vote.

Fetterman will be Gov. Tom Wolf’s running mate in the November general election. The two will face off against the Republican ticket of gubernatorial candidate Scott Wagner and lieutenant governor candidate Jeff Bartos, who also secured their victories Tuesday night.

“It’s overwhelming,” Fetterman told supporters after his victory.”I’m just coming at this from a low-key, overwhelmed, humble place.”

5/3 News Roundup – Sanders To Promote Progressives In Pennsylvania; Establishment Dems Fret Over Kucinich & More

The Progressive Wing Posted on by

Bernie Sanders Making Two-Day Swing Through Pennsylvania to Promote Democratic Candidates

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont will make a two-day swing through Pennsylvania to rally with candidates in Democratic primary races.

The former presidential candidate’s stump pitches will start with a Friday evening event for lieutenant governor candidate John Fetterman in front of Philadelphia’s City Hall.

Fetterman endorsed Sanders for president in 2016’s Democratic primary against Hillary Clinton. Sanders, however, didn’t endorse Fetterman in that year’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary.

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On Saturday, Sanders will campaign with Democratic congressional candidates Jess King in Lancaster and Greg Edwards in Allentown.

King is uncontested for the nomination to challenge Republican U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker. Edwards is running in a six-way primary to succeed retiring Republican U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent.

More news/video/tweets/etc. in the comments.

12/5 News Roundup – Carina Driscoll Announces Run for Burlington Mayor, Net Neutrality Protests Planned Nationwide & More

The Progressive Wing Posted on by

Bernie Sanders’ Stepdaughter Runs For His Old Mayor’s Job

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ stepdaughter announced Monday that she is running for mayor of Burlington, Vermont, following in the footsteps of the independent senator and former presidential candidate who launched his political career from the office.

Carina Driscoll, 43, said she will run as an independent in the March election against incumbent Mayor Miro Weinberger, a Democrat, saying she will work to bring Burlington “to again be that vibrant, forward-thinking city where we are all so proud to live.”

“I feel like we need to bring some new leadership into city hall and we need to change the trajectory we’re on,” Driscoll said from her office at the Vermont Woodworking School in Fairfax, which she founded. “And I really feel we need to bring people together again and have mutually respectful challenging conversations and consult with people throughout the city about the right direction for Burlington in a way that I think we’ve been failing to do.”

She cited the handling of the sale of the city’s Burlington Telecom utility, saying that there wasn’t enough opportunity for public input.

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Sanders said he and his wife, Jane, are very proud of Carina and all her accomplishments and want to be respectful of her desire to do this on her own.

“So, today is Carina’s day and her words and her ideas should be the focus, not anyone else’s,” he said in a statement.

“I certainly am walking in his footsteps but I definitely am on my own path,” Driscoll said.

More News/Videos/Etc. in the comments, including:

*Top Legal Minds, Elected Officials, Democracy Reform Leaders, And Citizen Leaders Join In An 18-Month-Long Deliberative Project To Write And Vet The 28th Amendment
*Sanders seeks students input on post-high school goals
*Trump White House Weighing Plans for Private Spies to Counter “Deep State” Enemies
*Oceans under greatest threat in history, warns Sir David Attenborough
*10 Reasons to Revive the 1968 Poor People’s Campaign
*Pipeline News, Water Protector Updates & More

12/4 News Roundup – Sanders Rallies In Reading, Protesters Balk At Pipeline Company’s Payments To Police & More

The Progressive Wing Posted on by

Bernie Sanders rallies against GOP tax plan in Reading

Following an early Saturday morning vote on a new tax plan, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders continues taking his message across the country.

He arrived at the Santander Performing Arts Center in Reading on Sunday to speak to more than 1,000 supporters.

Sanders touched on various topics including health care and President Donald Trump, but the most often talked about topic was that of the new tax plan approved by the Senate this weekend. Sanders is one of the plan’s most vocal opponents.

“Trickle down economics is a trick,” Sanders bellowed from the stage.

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Despite the seated, intimate atmosphere of the Santander Performing Arts Center, there were times when the gathering took on the look, feel and sound of a rowdy rally. But the overall message among the thousand plus in attendance was clear.

“I think his message is to stay relentless,” said Eileen Kerrigan of Philadelphia. “And continue to resist what’s being forced on us.”

The full Reading Rally as well as other news/videos/tweets/etc. will be in the comments, including:

*Bernie Sanders: “I have a challenge for you Mr. President”
*Jones trying to boost black turnout in Alabama Senate race
*Orrin Hatch comments on Chip health program at heart of social media storm
*The Working Families Party is Transforming Southern Politics
*Big Ag + Big Pharma = Big Problems
*Pipeline news, Water Protector updates & more.

11/30 News Roundup – The Undocumented Story of Gisele Barreto Fetterman, Bernie’s Digital Media Roundtable & More

The Progressive Wing Posted on by

The Undocumented Story of Gisele Barreto Fetterman

It’s prominent today in the national political spectrum: right-wing ideologues increasingly portray American immigrants, especially those who are undocumented, as the people responsible for U.S. society’s problems. From violence to narcotics to unemployment, immigrant communities should be held accountable for all of these things, according to contemporary conservative rhetoric.

Less often does American media spotlight the contributions of immigrants like Gisele Barreto Fetterman, who grew up in the U.S. undocumented after fleeing Brazil with her family as a child. Her life’s work, which is based on kindness and giving, stands as a challenge to the vile stereotypes spewed by right-wing commentators.

Now, there is a chance she will be able to further this challenge as the next second lady of Pennsylvania.

Gisele’s husband, John Fetterman, with whom she has three young children, announced earlier this month that he is running to become lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania in 2018. As the mayor of Braddock, an economically depleted community just east of Pittsburgh, John’s efforts to revitalize the once-thriving steel town over the past 12 years have garnered national attention.

While her husband has worked to make Braddock a safer, more prosperous place to live, Gisele has established herself as a strong community leader and respected activist in Western Pennsylvania. In 2012, she founded the Free Store, an entirely volunteer-driven organization that receives surplus and donated goods then redistributes them at no cost to neighbors in need. Since opening the first Free Store in Braddock, the concept has expanded to nine other locations in Pennsylvania.

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Like her husband, she is hoping to use her potential role as second lady to broaden her own platform, expanding the philanthropic initiatives that she has spearheaded. For Gisele, being a formerly undocumented immigrant in such a public position would also be accompanied with a certain meaning.

“It’s sending a message to every immigrant in this country that we belong here too and we’re a part of this, and we love our country just as much as anyone else does,” Gisele said during an interview with AL DÍA. “It would be amazing to be able to represent that.”

More news/videos/tweets/etc. in the comments, including:

*Bernie Sanders’s wife to MSNBC anchor: ‘Don’t ever use me to demean my husband’
*Disgraced Coal Baron Don Blankenship Is Running for Senate in West Virginia
*10 Democratic Senators Demand That Netanyahu Halt Israel Demolition of Palestinian Village
*Bernie Sanders: What I learned in high school … last week
*Can Our Revolution Build a Blue Texas?
*Pipeline news, Water Protector updates & More

11/22 News Roundup – John Fetterman On The Issues, Sen. Sanders/Cantwell To Debate Cruz/Scott On Taxes & More

The Progressive Wing Posted on by

Starting off today with John Fetterman (Candidate for Pennsylvania’s Lt. Gov) discussing immigration, dreamers, job creation & more:

More news/video/tweets/etc. in the comments, including:

*Internet Defenders Vow to Fight FCC’s “Scorched-Earth” Attack on Net Neutrality
*Trump’s “Frightening” Pick for Top Census Job Thinks “Competitive Elections Are Bad for America”
*Corbyn Demands End to US-UK Complicity in Yemen’s Suffering
*Keystone Pipeline Permit Could Be Revoked After Last Week’s 210,000-Gallon Spill
*Costa Rica Runs Entirely on Renewable Energy for 300 Days
*Pipeline Updates, Water Protector News & More

(If the comments do not load, try either clicking the comment box or the ‘sort by newest/oldest’ option, and then they should pop up… apologies for the inconvenience!)

11/15 News Roundup: John Fetterman Announces Campaign For PA Lieutenant Governor, GOP Plan To Scrap ACA Mandate & More

The Progressive Wing Posted on by

John Fetterman runs again, this time for lieut. governor

John Fetterman, the charismatic and tattooed mayor of this Pittsburgh suburb who ran a fiery but unsuccessful campaign for U.S. Senate last year, announced his campaign for lieutenant governor Tuesday morning.

“I’m going to be going out all across Pennsylvania, campaigning town to town [in] many of these forgotten places — second-chance cities, whatever you want to call them — that have become my professional passion,” he told about 100 supporters in a Braddock theater space.

He pledged to fight for progressive issues including a higher minimum wage, better police-community relations, and marijuana legalization.

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His campaign was endorsed by Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto. Peduto said that although much of contemporary politics foments division between communities, “There’s no one talking about the similarities” between the challenges faced by inner-city communities and more rural areas. “What is needed … is somebody who can not only speak for all, but who has proven through their leadership in a community that has been knocked down to its knees,” he said.

Fetterman grew up in York, and earned a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University. He moved to Braddock after participating in an Americorps program that helped people earn high-school equivalency degrees, and ran for mayor in 2005, winning by a single vote.

More news/video/tweets/etc. in the comments, including:

*GOP Tax Bill Would Trigger $25 Billion in Cuts to Medicare, Warns CBO
*62 Natural Wonders of the World at Risk From Climate Change
*Study: Black People Are 75 Percent More Likely to Live Near Toxic Oil and Gas Facilities
*Congress, Trump Exploit Fire Tragedy to Promote Logging Agenda
*Dem wins Albuquerque mayoral race after eight years of GOP control
*Water Protector news, Pipeline updates & more