Pennsylvania Statewide Discussion

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Former Bucks County Solicitor Joe Khan has entered the Attorney General's race.

Former Bucks County Solicitor Joe Khan announced Wednesday that he will run in 2024 to be Pennsylvania’s attorney general.

Khan, a 47-year-old Democrat from Doylestown Borough, is a former prosecutor in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He says he wants to tackle corporate and political corruption as the state’s top prosecutor.

Khan joins former Auditor General Eugene DePasquale in the Democratic Primary. He enters the race with endorsements of one State Senator (Nikil Saval), and two State Representatives (Tarik Kahn (who happens to be his brother) and Joseph Hohenstein).

It's pretty funny for an AG candidate to get endorsements from both Saval [one of the farthest left electeds in PA] and Hohenstein [who is not a conservadem but who is quite moderate on political/crime issues].

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Kenyatta is under fire for calling Pinsley racist for some reason. I still think he’s favored in the primary, but I may well vote for DeFoor again if he’s the nominee. Will need to see both candidates’ proposals.

On the AG side, I’m voting Solomon but think Stollsteimer is the strongest candidate in the general. His record is rather incredible—dude put together the framework to reduce homicides by 70% in Chester, PA. DePasquale likely has a geographic advantage in the primary with multiple Philly area candidates in the race. Bradford-Grey and Khan both seem to garner more progressive backing.

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Kenyatta is under fire for calling Pinsley racist for some reason.

Oh, weird. Because there does seem to be a reason but you conspicuously didn’t include it:

Two years ago, Pinsley found himself in hot water for racially tinged remarks he made during a Legislative Redistricting Commission meeting.

“Nor should you allow a map that allows one district that packs Allentown and Bethlehem into one super district. I hope Senator Costa will hold the line on that. We don’t need a ghetto,” said Pinsley, according to WFMZ-TV.

Anyway, the state party is already behind Kenyatta and Pinsley is an also-ran who will easily be dispatched in the primary. But hey, you know, blue no matter who, right?

I may well vote for DeFoor again

Oh. Weird.

I don’t really care about “blue no matter who”, nor have I for a few years now. Also don’t think one random comment some years ago about redistricting justifies Kenyatta making this primary campaign about race, especially because he’s likely to win anyway.

I didn’t vote for Ahmad because she lacked experience and wanted to make the campaign about national progressive agenda items. Defoor had experience and is moderate. I want an auditor with a background in the field who will just do their job of watching over finances. Basically no chance I vote for any other statewide R.

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On the AG quiz, I got Stollsteimer. He was my second choice in the end—I voted Solomon by mail. Apparently (as of last week) he was the only candidate on TV statewide. I think DePasquale wins though.

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I think Stollsteimer is the strongest general election candidate, so I’m glad to hear he hit the airwaves too. I have gotten two Khan mailers, one of them pretty well-designed and creative. My ward endorsed Khan which is interesting because I expected them to go for Bradford-Grey. Then again, there’s always an interesting dynamic between the more moderate and Black SW Philly divisions and the Whiter People’s Republic of West Philly divisions.

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AG fundraising:
Solomon - $363k
Stollstemier - $352k
Khan - $276k
Bradford-Grey - $114k
Depasquale - $88k

https://www.spotlightpa.org/news/2024/04/pennsylvania-primary-election-2024-attorney-general-campaign-finance-cycle-2/

Those #s are truly ghastly for Depasquale. I think I might do Solomon at this point.

That’s a “concerned about his ability to fundraise in the general” territory yikes.