7 stories you might have missed this year

It’s safe to say 2022 wasn’t a dull year in the world of politics. With hotly contested midterm elections, including races for governor and U.S. Senate with national implications, the year started off fast and only got crazier. 

City & State’s political coverage over the past year has ranged from local disputes and candidate profiles to long-form investigations and on-the-ground reporting from some of the state’s biggest events. Take a look back at some of our top stories from 2022. Did you forget about any of these headlines, or have been on the pulse all year long?

1. Jan. 19, 2022

   Here are the candidates running for PA’s U.S. Senate seat in 2022

   

   The field in Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race was a who’s who of Pennsylvania politicians, business leaders, advocates – and then some. On the Democratic side, you had the hoodie-wearing, tattooed lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, John Fetterman, go up against the Trump-endorsed celebrity physician Dr. Mehmet Oz. And that doesn’t get into the brutal primary battles on both sides. 

2. April 29, 2022

   New poll shows Doug Mastriano with 14-point lead in Pennsylvania GOP primary for governor

   

   After polling strongly during the Republican primary race, state Sen. Doug Mastriano went on to win the GOP nomination for governor, setting him up to face Attorney General Josh Shapiro in the general election. Shapiro, who vastly out fundraised Mastriano, defeated Mastriano by nearly 15 points to become the state’s next governor. 

3. May 2, 2022

   Pennsylvania is feeling the pressure of neighboring states’ passage of adult-use marijuana

   

   With neighboring states including Maryland, New York and New Jersey establishing their own private, adult-use cannabis markets, Pennsylvania may be feeling peer pressure to act. The General Assembly’s willingness to discuss the issues surrounding cannabis legalization is a promising sign for supporters, but that doesn’t mean any proposals will see a vote during the legislative session.

4. May 13, 2022

   Your guide to the 2022 primary challengers

   

   This year’s primary races were even more convoluted as many local officials and party committees endorsed challengers over incumbents. Here’s City & State’s guide to all of the state Capitol's contested races in the spring. 

5. Aug. 11, 2022

   PA farmers slam Dr. Oz for cashing in on a major tax credit designed for farm and forestland

   

   When Oz purchased a farmhouse in Montgomery County last year, it raised several questions. While the Republican U.S. Senate candidate dealt with critics who questioned his residency, news came out the land acquisition came with a $50,000-a-year tax break that added fuel to the fire for Democrats looking to label him as a carpetbagger who doesn’t really care about Pennsylvania.

6. Aug. 24, 2022

   What is the Keystone Party? A City & State explainer.

   

   Voters and candidates fed up with the major, two-party system formed the Keystone Party this year – a new, third party focused on government reform and fiscal responsibility. The Keystone Party ran three statewide candidates this year, and while none of them were successful electorally, their presence on the ballot proved to be important to the party’s future prospects, as Keystone Party Chair Gus Tatlas told City & State earlier this year. 

7. Nov. 23, 2022

   Senate Republicans say they will begin Krasner impeachment process next week

   

   Citing his focus on reducing mass incarceration, Republicans have long blamed Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner for the city’s rising murder rate and began the impeachment effort in June with a special state House committee. Democrats, including Krasner, have called the GOP-led impeachment probe into his office “an effort to impeach someone for political purposes.”