Local Government TV

Monday, September 24, 2018

The Pinsley-Brown Senate Race

John Micek, who is with the Patriot News of late, has listed the race between incumbent Pat Browne and challenger Mark Pinsley as one of eight state senate contests to which we need to pay attention. Browne has been either a State Representative or State Senator since 1994, and has been a State Senator since 2005. He chairs the Appropriations Committee, making him one of the most powerful persons in the state. Browne is both an attorney and a CPA. Pinsley, a South Whitehall Township Commissioner who was just elected last year, has an MBA from Indiana University and is involved in several businesses.

Though he concedes that Pinsley will have the hardest time of any of the Democratic challengers, Micek points out that Hillary Clinton won Brown's district in 2016 with 50.68% of the vote, and that the Democratic edge is 45-37 per cent.
You can expect Browne, who's had a hand in nearly every major economic development project in the Valley for the last decade, to run heavily on his record and his experience.

He's emerged as a forceful advocate for early childhood education funding; the co-sponsor of an LGBTQ anti-discrimination bill, and the chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee. The latter gives him a serious say in the annual debate over the state budget.

On his website, Pinsley describes himself as an advocate "for the people, not the powerful." He supports "healthcare for all;" a $15 minimum wage; "100 percent clean energy," and a proposal he calls "the Anti-Corruption Act."
I expect Browne to kick Pinsley's ass. First, nobody knows who the hell Pinsley is. Second, those who do are turned off by him. This is a guy who announced his challenge before he was even sworn into office. Pinsley also did himself no favors when he attempted to make political hay over the unfortunate shooting death of Joseph Santos by a South Whitehall police officer.

26 comments:

  1. Enough picking and choosing. It's straight Dem for me. The opposition is f'd the f up.

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  2. Character Assassination?

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  3. Pinsley is an intelligent guy. If his only fault is running too close elctions, that is good given what we have seen from some of the "modern" candidates.

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  4. Mark Pinsley is a political opportunist with a far left agenda who says he's for the people yet collects campaign money from advocacy groups across the Commonwealth and the Nation. He couldn't care less about South Whitehall Township. We are nothing more than a stepping stone.

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  5. Man Crush Monday for Bottoms Up Browne !

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  6. The shooting death of santos was anything but unfortunate

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  7. " It's straight Dem for me."

    It's probably always straight dem for you. I detest party labels, and a moderate who is extremely powerful matters can accomplish a lot more than Pinsley, who strikes me as a political opportunist who has hitched his wagon to the far left of his party.

    "Man Crush Monday for Bottoms Up Browne !

    Everyone in the LV has known of Browne's battles with alcohol. He has freely admitted it. Everyone still votes forhim. Ask Jenn Mann how things worked when she tried to make that an ussue.

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  8. "The shooting death of santos was anything but unfortunate"

    In almost all cases, the shooting death of another person is unfortunate.

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  9. The issue with Browne isn't the old DUI's, it's the crony capitalism that he has unleashed for the benefit of his old pals JB Rielly, Scott Fainor, and his wife's "consulting" business. This guy has made an art of manipulating the state Fiscal Code behind closed doors and when nobody is looking. He is a Susquehanna swamp creature.

    Unfortunately his opponent seems like a left wing opportunist resistance kook hoping to ride the blue wave into office. Look for Browne to outperform Wagner, Barletta, and Nothstein and win again. Ugh.

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  10. Brownie for re-election?
    I’ll drink to that!

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  11. once again no choice this is why trump won the politicians are scum

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  12. 9:44 you are right choice a drunk or a democrat-more taxes more crime maybe even sanctuary state

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  13. trump is not a politician which is a very good thing because the politicians are worst than scum

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  14. I've voted for Browne before and unfortunately will again. . . The alternative here is just not acceptable. I'm waiting for a strong viable primary challenge or for the Dems to put up a sensible moderate. Browne is walking talking proof of the need for term limits. His cronyism is of major concern. But Pinsley is way far to the left. Browne does occasionally show an independent streak. So, for now the Harrisburg swamp wins again.

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  15. too bad trump can not run for governor boy would he have fun with the Harrisburg swamp

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  16. Browne has done nothing for his district outside that small area in center city Allentown

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  17. Could not agree with you more Bernie. Pinsley had a go fund me account where he tried to raise 10K for a Commissioner race. Most of them are done for less than 1K (even that is extreme). He wasn't even sworn into South Whitehall and he announced he was running for another seat. He ran as Commissioner on a platform that had nothing to do with local politics. He also didn't need to come out against the cop who represented his township. No loyalty, except to the extreme left wing. He stepped all over South Whitehall, imagine what he will do to his entire district...and I'm a Dem!!!

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  18. how can anyone with a sound mind vote for pinsley?

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  19. 1:33 so true I rather have the drunk

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  20. 1:36 = easily manipulated with a drink and the promise of unlimited drinks, sort of like a unlimited American Express for the deeds making laws.

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  21. Browne, King of the NIZ!

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  22. If we could clone Mr. Trump for every office it would be the best. Especially Governor of the state.

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  23. 7:17 you are so right

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  24. Does anyone know if you can register a vote for someone other than Pinsley or Brown?

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  25. anon 9:21, do what many are doing write in Donald Trump.

    The 45 project

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  26. It's so funny to watch Bernie bash Pinsley for running for an office NO ONE ELSE would run for. This is a man who bashes the "Allentown Cabal", of which Browne is a founding member and chief beneficiary.

    How many PA taxpayer dollars have been shoved to Browne's own family? Hundreds of thousands when his wife was hired a lobbyist for the very people receiving taxpayer dollars. Pinsley is a small businessman, Army Reserve Vet and outspoken activist on many important issues.

    Browne takes more money in per diems and corporate PAC checks than almost nay other politician in Harrisburg. He's the definition of the swamp.

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