Brews & Views

Rep. Steve Bloom is known in Pennsylvania as a strong conservative—but he wasn’t always one. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Steve talks about how he arrived at his beliefs, why he decided to run for office when he never thought he would, and what his next career step will be when he leaves the Pa. House at the end of this year.

“I hit reply all, and thus began my career as a freedom fighter.” That’s how Keith Williams, a 20-year veteran of public-school teaching, describes the genesis of his fight to secure the First Amendment rights of public-sector workers in Pennsylvania. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president & CEO Matthew Brouillette, Keith, now the Pennsylvania Director of Americans for Fair Treatment, discusses the pivotal Janus v. AFSCME Supreme Court ruling—which empowered public workers to join or not join a union without penalty—and details the many options teachers have in the wake of Janus.

Farmer, adjunct professor, lawmaker. Rep. Aaron Bernstine goes by all three. First elected to the Pa. state legislature in 2016, Aaron joins Commonwealth Partners president & CEO Matt Brouillette to share his biggest surprise on joining the legislature, his record of working across the aisle to reach common goals,, and why he believes you can learn everything you need to know in life from Google and YouTube.

From State Senator and Lieutenant Governor to Acting Governor, Mark Singel has worn many political hats. In this Brews & Views conversation, Mark joins Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette to talk about growing up in Johnstown Pa., the eyebrow-raising requests he received while serving as acting governor, and the state of civil discourse on both the national and state political stages.

Pa. Republican Lt. Gov. nominee Jeff Bartos has always been interested in politics—from running for class president in 7th grade to holding a leadership position in the Student Senate at Emory University. After working as an attorney for several years, Jeff re-entered the political fray. Now, as the Republican nominee for Lt. Gov., Jeff joins Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette to talk about why he’s running, what he believes, and how he plans to lead.

U.S. Senator Pat Toomey entered national politics almost accidentally. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Senator Toomey talks about his background as one of six children, his road to the Senate, and his views of President Trump’s policies.

Former Pa. House Speaker Bob O'Donnell says if you hold to your principles long enough, eventually they'll come back in fashion. While serving in the state legislature, Bob introduced the state's first charter school law. Now as a practicing attorney, he represents charter schools. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners President & CEO Matt Brouillette, Bob talks about his passion for solving local problems, his view of partisanship, and the three skills that are essential in politics.

In an age of bitter partisan divide, Jeff Coleman offers something different: a return to civility in the public square. In 2001, Jeff became the youngest state representative in Pennsylvania. Four years later, he left political office to save his marriage. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president & CEO Matt Brouillette, Jeff brings his trademark humor to discussing his background and political aspirations then tackles serious topics including the state of political discourse, the impact of public service on marriages and families, and where we go from here.

Pennsylvania State Senator Daylin Leach has received the limelight both for his policy work and for his personality. A committed liberal who is no stranger to controversy, Daylin talks with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette about his personal background and political career, the current state of civil discourse, recent allegations that have appeared in the media, the pivotal Janus v. AFSCME Supreme Court ruling, and more.

Over his decades-long career reporting on the Pennsylvania capitol, Brad Bumsted has covered it all: the rise and fall of politicians, corruption scandals, and even multiple good-government reforms. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Brad tells how he became a journalist, recounts some of the stories he's covered, and predicts how national politics will (or won't) affect the 2018 Pennsylvania gubernatorial race.