Thursday politicians

• Green Party candidates in Pennsylvania's statewide races had hoped to challenge the rule that set their number of necessary ballot petitions so eye-wateringly high. However, an Circuit Court appeals judge upheld the law, although calling on lawmakers to have mercy on third parties and lower the bar. Meantime, the candidates for the top two offices have withdrawn (having insufficient funds for a legal battle), leaving only Senate candidate Carl Romanelli to defend his signature heap.
  
  Update: Apparently 60% of the petitions examined so far have been ruled invalid. Not a promising start for Team Green.
  
  
• Bob Casey rolls out his first statewide ad buy, and Rick Santorum adds some attack ads to his normal-guy appearances (which have been running for two months already). More here on Casey's introducing himself to voters, and griping from John Baer (and rantier version from Albert) that he didn't get going sooner. Pennsyltucky Politics gives some more analysis of what recent polling numbers really mean. [Update: even more analytical depth here.]
  
  My half-penny? The folks paying close attention over the summer are folks who (deep down, at least) already know whom they're voting for. Those who honestly don't, still aren't paying attention, and probably won't be for another few weeks. But still, Camp Casey has got to get going if they want any chance to define their own candidate!
  
  
• Ben Waxman offers his next installment of a debate with Michael Nutter about the best way to foster job growth and to reform business taxes in Philadelphia, sparking more interesting discussion from a range of commenters.
  
  
• The City Paper reports on last weekend's GOP event of the year, where regional Big Dogs of the Republican party hob-knobbed with lesser pols and wannabees. Lots of reports of internal spats and secret alliances, and even speculations about future City Council and mayoral prospects...
  
  
• Last, not really a politician, but a Person of Importance locally, schools czar Paul Vallas will be getting his contract extension, by a 3-2 vote of the Commission. Many parents will breathe a sigh of relief, while planning starts for the heavy work still to be done.