As I’m still fighting off this respiratory thing, I spent the weekend largely down, trying to rest and medicate this thing away. The weather cooperated with me by being largely garbage all weekend, so I wasn’t particularly tempted to push myself with outdoor exercise. I watched a couple of movies, played some Pokemon, read some books, and made a decent slow cooker full of vegan chili.

Looking to the week ahead, I’m hoping the current uneventful nature continues in my personal journey. Work looks quiet, and more rainy weather is going to keep me inside on my ass at least one more day, which is, honestly, exactly what I need.

Being primary season though, I’m keeping an eye on the outlook for the mid-term elections their effects on the second half of the current administration. So far, tradition seems to be holding, that the party in power will lose a few seats – I’m hoping the conventional wisdom is wrong, but we’ll see – we’ve got a little over six months for things to play out.

As neither of my senators is up for re-election this time around, and my congressional district is pretty solidly blue (this year, it’s the same lineup as 2020, when my congressman beat the challenger 62-38, which isn’t surprising, since the challenger’s website doesn’t even include an issues/positions section), there’s not much to follow around here.

Given the 50-50 balance in the Senate, however, I’m watching some of those other races pretty closely, particularly the senate race in the state of my birth. With Patt Toomey retiring, the race for that Pennsylvania seat has been the subject of lots of national attention. On the Republican side, you’ve got TV’s Memhet “Doctor” Oz holding the lead over a host of others on name recognition and TFG’s endorsement, but flailing on substance and credentials. For the Democrats, there are three candidates, but Lt. Governor John Fetterman has a solid lead, backed by statewide experience, solid progressive positions, and an informal, unconventional style that feels pretty solidly Pennsylvanian in presentation, only without the regressive social opinions and with a couple of advanced degrees. He’s like your rough-n-tumble Berks County uncle who knocks back a few lagers and starts debating the merits of Keynesian economics.

I like him enough that I’ve tossed him a few bucks this cycle, and was saddened to hear about his medical issues this weekend ahead of the primary, but it looks like he’s going to make a full recovery, and hopefully be ready to compete in the general after tomorrow’s primary election.

So, if you’re voting in that particular election tomorrow and looking for my recommendation, I say vote for Fetterman; he’ll be a solid asset to the party and the nation, and be interesting and entertaining to watch while doing it.