Brews & Views

Newly elected Allegheny County GOP Chair Sam DeMarco has a focused vision for the county. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Sam shares why he became a Republican, what needs to happen to strengthen and grow the county party, and his predictions for Trump’s 2020 victory prospects both nationally and in Pennsylvania.

Logos Academy has been serving children in York, Pa. for more than 20 years. Unique among many private schools, Logos reserves 2/3 of its seats for students living in poverty. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Logos CEO and Head of School Aaron Anderson discuss Logos' philosophy of education, the demand for the type of learning environment Logos provides, and how private schools like Logos are not competitors but rather complements to traditional public schools.

Pennsylvania’s natural gas industry is not only one of the most important industries in our state and even our country—it’s also one of the most misunderstood. Marcellus Shale Coalition President Dave Spigelmyer joins Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette to share some under-recognized benefits of natural gas, debunk several persistent myths, and identify major changes in the energy landscape over the past 10 years.

With Pennsylvania at the epicenter of presidential politics, the state’s Republican Party Chairman, Val DiGiorgio, joins Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette to lay out the political landscape heading into the 2019 and 2020 elections. Val shares how the GOP is ahead of the game in several ways and also identifies one area where the party is lagging—and how he would change this.

More than 20 years ago, Kirk Hallett had a successful career in construction equipment sales, but he was looking for something different. So he founded the Joshua Group, which gives kids in Harrisburg’s Allison Hill neighborhood a chance at the solid educational foundation that will help carry them through life. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Kirk shares how the Joshua Group is making a difference in the lives of hundreds of children and describes the changes he'd like to see in Pennsylvania's education policy.

Rep. Matt Bradford has been serving the people of Montgomery County, Pa. since 2009. Last fall, he was elected to a key leadership position as House Democratic Appropriations Committee Chairman. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president & CEO Matt Brouillette, Rep. Bradford talks about his upbringing, his reason for entering public service, and how Republicans and Democrats can come together to address issues such as education funding and human services reform.

Pa. State Representative Donna Bullock grew up in New Jersey, but love brought her to Philly. From a very young age, she learned the principles of responsibility and service to others. Today, these values remain central to her work as a state lawmaker. In this chat with Commonwealth Partners president & CEO Matt Brouillette, Rep. Bullock shares her passion for issues including education, environmental justice, and criminal justice reform.

Rep. Sheryl Delozier never intended to run for office. That changed when a state House seat became vacant and she was challenged to “put up or shut up”. Now, Rep. Delozier is joining with lawmakers from both parties to fight for much-needed criminal justice reform in Pennsylvania. She joins Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette to talk about her path to the Legislature and her determination to improve Pennsylvania's criminal justice system.

Rep. Kate Klunk’s family roots in Pennsylvania predate the Declaration of Independence. And for generations, her family has sought to give back to the community. This desire to serve inspires Kate’s work as a lawmaker today. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Rep. Klunk talks about her background, her priorities in the Legislature, and why advancing simple, commonsense reforms can sometimes be an uphill battle.

Longtime Pennsylvania capitol reporter Jan Murphy has broken countless major stories in her years covering state politics. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Jan takes on the role of interviewee, sharing some pivotal events that shaped her life and telling the clues that led to her uncovering one of the state’s biggest political scandals in recent memory.