General Election

Jordan Harris a former teacher who most recently ran the city's Youth Commission, will take the 186th District state House seat of his political ally, Kenyatta Johnson, who resigned in January to take a seat on City Council. Harris handily defeated attorney Damon Roberts, who has twice run for City Council, and high-school teacher Timothy Hannah, who previously ran for the district seat and for Congress. There is no Republican running in the district, so Harris will be unopposed in the November general election.

The last day to register to vote for the Nov. 3 general election is Monday. To register, residents must be 18 years old on or before Nov. 4 - the day after the election- and a U.S. citizen for at least 30 days before the election. They must have lived in the election district for at least 30 days before the election. Registered voters who have not voted in two years or who have moved to another county must reregister to be eligible to vote. Residents can register by appearing at their county courthouse or by mailing in a completed registration form.

EXETER, N.H. - Eyeing the November election, Vice President Biden on Thursday called presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney "out of touch" and "out of step" with history and basic American values. Biden also opened a new line of attack, introducing the "Romney rule" and contrasting it with President Obama's push for the "Buffet rule" to force rich people to pay more of their income in taxes. The measure, named after billionaire investor Warren Buffett, says the wealthy should not pay taxes at a lower rate than middle-class wage-earners.

Popular educator Arnold M. Webster last night easily defeated his two challengers for mayor of this once-bustling, now struggling city. With nearly all votes tallied, the school superintendent was leading Republican candidate Keith A. Walker by a ratio of more than 4-to-1. The vote for the third candidate in the race, write-in independent Troy Oglesby, will not be tallied until today. After he won more votes in the primary than all of his Democratic rivals combined, including outgoing mayor Aaron Thompson, the race never was expected to be close.

Democrat incumbents in the register of wills' and sheriff's offices are facing challenges in next Tuesday's primary, and a vacant city commissioner's seat has three Republicans scrambling to fill it. Otherwise, action in Philadelphia's inconspicuous row offices is dormant - at least until November. In one contested race, longtime Register of Wills Ronald R. Donatucci, running for a fifth term, is facing a challenge from a former employee, whom he fired, for the Democratic nomination.

HARRISBURG - Former Lackawanna County prosecutor Kathleen Kane declared victory Tuesday night in her hard-fought battle for the Democratic nomination for attorney general over former Congressman Patrick Murphy of Bucks County. Kane, 45, of Clarks Summit, who spent 13 years as an assistant district attorney, edged out Murphy to become the first woman of either party nominated to run for Pennsylvania attorney general. She will face Republican District Attorney David Freed of Cumberland County, who ran unopposed, in November.

New Jersey's political combatants have filed their papers for the June 5 primary, and the hottest congressional contests will happen up north. Facing off in the Ninth District will be two 14-year Democratic incumbents, including one whose former district was eliminated by remapping. And a half-dozen Democrats are vying to replace U.S. Rep. Donald Payne, who represented the 10th District for 23 years before he died of colon cancer last month. In South Jersey's Third District, Democrat Shelley Adler - the widow of former Rep. John Adler - is running unopposed in the primary.

IT'S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE to oust an incumbent Philly state lawmaker. About the only time one leaves is to collect a fat, taxpayer-paid pension, go to prison or, as in the case of Rep. Tony Payton, (unbelievably) fail to get the minimum 300 signatures needed to run. So a good political rule of thumb in the City of Brotherly Love is once you're in, you're likely in for about as long as your want. That rule's being ignored by 31-year old community activist Numa St. Louis (pronounced Sawn Louee)

Wilson Goode vs. Frank Rizzo in the general election in November? No complaint from the mayor. And no complaint from the former mayor. Part of that has to do with their competitive desire for a rematch. And part of that, say political strategists and advisers for both camps, has to do with an unusual phenomenon that has emerged in the mayoral primary. Politically, Goode is much more fearful of a challenge from Republican underdog John J. Egan Jr. As for Rizzo, some close supporters say he wants to stay away from Democratic underdog Edward G. Rendell if he can help it. Because of that ironic twist, political strategists acknowledge that Egan and Rendell would potentially be in very strong shape in a general election - assuming, of course, that they can win their respective primaries on Tuesday.

Write-in votes cast in four Burlington County communities during Tuesday's primary could qualify some unexpected candidates for positions on general election ballots and bring competition to other candidates who thought they would be running unopposed in November. Candidates who miss the primary filing deadlines must receive a minimum number of write-in votes to be eligible to represent their parties in the general election. The minimum varies in each municipality depending on the number of registered voters.

MADISON, Wis. - Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has raised more than $13 million in three months for a recall election, easily shattering the fund-raising record he set last year. Walker became the target of a recall election after he pushed through legislation last year eliminating most public union workers' bargaining rights. His showdown with labor leaders and their Democratic allies made him a celebrity in Republican circles and enabled him to rake in cash at a pace never before seen in Wisconsin.

State Rep. Babette Josephs, who has represented Center City's 182d District since 1985, conceded Tuesday's Democratic primary election to challenger Brian Sims in a statement issued Friday. "Throughout many difficult but successful races in my long service, I have consistently said that the voters are always right. I cannot change my tune now," Josephs said. "I am truly grateful to the voters for allowing me to serve them for so long and for the opportunity to work with so many dedicated, talented, patient, and professional colleagues, staff members, and volunteers.

THE "LEGACY" campaign for North Philly's 197th District of the state House came up short in Tuesday's primary election for candidate Jewel Williams and her father, Sheriff Jewell Williams, who held the seat for a decade. Jewel Williams, 27, had rejected claims by her Democratic foes that she and her father were trying to confuse voters by making them think he was seeking re-election to the seat he left in January to take his city post. J.P. Miranda, a 26-year-old community organizer who has worked for City Council, the state Senate and Mayor Nutter, held a 458-vote lead over Williams on Wednesday with 98 percent of the vote tallied.

Longtime state legislator Babette Josephs was locked in a tight battle Tuesday with her former campaign treasurer, Brian Sims, who wants to become the first openly gay member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. With 87 percent of precincts counted at midnight, Sims led by 233 votes in the Center City and South Philadelphia 182d district. The Associated Press called the race for Sims, who also claimed victory, though Josephs did not concede publicly. Josephs, who has held the seat since 1985 and is the senior female member of the House, could not be reached for comment.

Jordan Harris a former teacher who most recently ran the city's Youth Commission, will take the 186th District state House seat of his political ally, Kenyatta Johnson, who resigned in January to take a seat on City Council. Harris handily defeated attorney Damon Roberts, who has twice run for City Council, and high-school teacher Timothy Hannah, who previously ran for the district seat and for Congress. There is no Republican running in the district, so Harris will be unopposed in the November general election.

HARRISBURG - Former Lackawanna County prosecutor Kathleen Kane declared victory Tuesday night in her hard-fought battle for the Democratic nomination for attorney general over former Congressman Patrick Murphy of Bucks County. Kane, 45, of Clarks Summit, who spent 13 years as an assistant district attorney, edged out Murphy to become the first woman of either party nominated to run for Pennsylvania attorney general. She will face Republican District Attorney David Freed of Cumberland County, who ran unopposed, in November.

Barely a trickle of voters dripped into polls today in Pennsylvania, despite the chance to finally weigh-in on the presidential primary, with Republicans facing a choice of Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul or Mitt Romney. But the real contest is possibly the outcome when potential voters are asked to produce a picture ID for the first time before pulling the lever. The ID could be an issue for thousands of residents without drivers licenses, particularly in the city where public transportation is a norm.

JUST IN case you've forgotten, today is primary Election Day. But even if you've been snoozing, we have you covered. Here's everything you need to know: There are competitive primary races for the state House of Representatives in many parts of the city, a Democratic battle for the state Attorney General nomination and a Republican face off to oppose Democratic Sen. Bob Casey in November. There's also a competitive GOP primary for auditor general. And, of course, the Republican presidential primary, which went from exciting to dull when Rick Santorum, closest rival to front-runner Mitt Romney, dropped out. For more details on all the candidates, check out our roundups at www.phillyclout.com . The state's new law requiring photo identification for all voters at the polls doesn't go into effect until the Nov. 6 general election.

IS LOCAL 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers running a squeeze play to help the union's former political director win a state House seat in Tuesday's election? A campaign palm card for Democrat Ed Neilson circulating in Northeast Philly's 169th District over the weekend noted that Republican Dave Kralle had "accepted two generous campaign contributions from Democratic ex-Mayor John Street, whose administration was one of the most corrupt in recent history.

HARRISBURG - Pennsylvania voters should expect to be asked for photo identification at polling places in Tuesday's primary election, but those without it won't be barred from voting. The statewide balloting is being used for a test run of the new law that - starting in the Nov. 6 general election - will require Pennsylvanians to show a photo ID that meets state guidelines every time they vote. The goal is to educate voters and identify problems so officials can better prepare for the much larger turnout anticipated in November.