Editor’s corner: Challengers need to spice up insipid races
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As the month of July melts into the sunset, August begins to turn up the heat when it comes to this campaign season. In both Pennsylvania and New York, it appears incumbents are in complete control with the election 95 days away.
Across the nation, Gov. Josh Shapiro is seen as a rising star in the Democratic party. In the fairly bipartisan Pennsylvania, the incumbent holds a 13-point lead in a recent Quinnipiac poll over Stacy Garrity, the Republican candidate.
Garrity within the last week has become a critic of the $50.8 billion state budget Shapiro signed into law earlier this month "Too much money," she said in a response to a question from The Center Square on Monday.
Elected to a second term as the state's Treasurer in 2024, Garrity said there's still a structural deficit of $4.8 to $5 billion a year. "We expect families to spend within their means, and our state should be doing the same thing," Garrity told The Center Square.
On a local level, federal and state races are leaning toward the Republicans. U.S. Rep. Glenn "G.T." Thompson is seeking his 10th Congressional term for the 15th District. He is facing former intelligence and Foreign Service officer Ray Bilger who resides in State College.
"Serving you in the House of Representatives has been the honor of a lifetime and every challenge along the way has been met with great optimism,” Thompson said earlier this year. “I am encouraged by my faith, family, friends, and the supporters who have helped make such a difference.”
State Rep. Kathy Rapp, who has served since Dec. 1, 2004, is facing a competition for re-election. A recent poll done by Times Observer correspondent Jeff Haight found plenty of disappointment with the incumbent, while others sang her praises. Her opponent is Destiny Howard who grew up in Ellington, but has lived in Warren for the past seven years.
Over the border, Republican gubernatorial challenger Bruce Blakeman is hoping a recent poll builds some momentum for his campaign. Earlier this week, 47% of those surveyed said they'd back Gov. Kathy Hochul, compared to 43% who supported the current Nassau County executive, with 10% of registered voters undecided. That poll, conducted by a pro-Blakeman super PAC found, brought some life to an otherwise dismal and stumbling effort.
A Blakeman victory would salvage some optimism for turning the politics of Albany in a different direction. But before the anti-Hochul crowd gets too optimistic, they need to understand that their candidate is hollow on solutions.
Sound bites focus on tax cuts and a pledge to lower skyrocketing energy costs. Both are appealing ideas that lack any real specifics for getting it done.
On the federal level, U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy in District 23 is being challenged by Democrat Aaron Gies who considers health care and more funding for education as his priorities. Gies said this week he will be doing a town hall event at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Prendergast Library in Jamestown.
For his part, Langworthy is a strong President Donald Trump supporter and has been seen -- by those who oppose his politics -- as someone who avoids his constituents by refusing to hold town hall meetings. In his two previous elections, Langworthy has handily defeated previous candidates by more than 29% each time.
In the area state races, incumbent Sen. George Borrello is facing opposition from Democratic candidate Victoria Guite-Williams in District 57. Since taking the seat in 2019, Borrello has been as popular as fireworks on the Fourth of July with his constituents. He did not face a challenge two years ago.
Assemblyman Andrew Molitor, who represents District 150 as a Republican, is facing off against Tom Carle, former Chautauqua County legislator. Carle is undaunted by previous failed campaigns against powerhouses Langworthy in the 2024 race for Congress and PJ Wendel in the 2025 race for county executive.
Mid-term elections have been in the national spotlight in recent months. On a local level, there does not seem to be a vocal dissatisfaction with the incumbents at the moment.
Over the next three months, however, that sentiment can always change for the voters.
John D'Agostino is the editor of the Times Observer, The Post-Journal and OBSERVER in Dunkirk, N.Y. Send comments to jdagostino@observertoday.com or call 716-487-1111, ext. 253.