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What we hear I. House Majority PAC, the largest super PAC supporting Democrats in the House, is canceling advertising reservations in 10 districts, including PA-17, where it is confident that Democrats running there do not need the money.
What we hear II. Senator Bob Casey Jr. announced the final leg of the On Our Side tour titled “On Our Side: Fight to the Finish.”
Happy birthday. Cake and candles for Representative Gina Curry.
Political news from the Swing State. Where can you find the latest information on political events in the Keystone State? Sign up for the PoliticsPA Guide. We’ll deliver all the latest headlines in an easy-to-read format every weekday at 8am. And it’s free. Add your name to the list and sign up now.
The most critical story
1. ACLU Challenges Lancaster Board of Elections, Claiming Its Actions Are ‘Illegal’
“The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) called out the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners, calling its statement regarding concerns about Franklin & Marshall College students registering to vote “fraudulent” and its actions “illegal.”
Commissioners on Monday Josh Parsons AND Ray D’Agostino were critical of media reports about this case, as well as Commonwealth Secretary Al Schmidt who wrote a letter to the Board demanding that the Board investigate claims that F&M students are not registered to vote.
Parsons, chairman of the board, stated in an article from LNP | Lancaster Online was “obviously false”. We can prove it in court.” (PolitykaPA)
Elsewhere
Lancaster County Commissioners stand by Bureau of Elections’ position, Secretary of State’s letter regarding registration delays. “Three Lancaster County commissioners on Tuesday denied that county election officials improperly delayed processing voter registration applications and required some potential voters to prove they were not registered in another state before registering in Pennsylvania.” (LNP | Lancaster on the Internet)
- Gulf War veteran: “What’s going on here?” at the York electoral office; Lancaster fined for ‘inappropriate’ voting barriers. (abc27)
Higher education, fresh optimism, more democratic: Takeaways from a key Pennsylvania county. “One of the most important indicators of how people will vote is their level of education. When The Associated Press looked for places to explore this topic, we focused on Center County, Pennsylvania. The area is home to Pennsylvania State University, making it a classic blue dot in a red area. (AP)
Critical PA Swing County remains in limbo as election approaches. “Known as one of the ‘most dynamic’ counties in the swing state of Pennsylvania, Erie County was on the radar of both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump in the final days of the election.” (Meadville Grandstand)
John Kelly says Trump praised ‘Hitler’s generals’ for loyalty. “In an interview with editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, Kelly confirmed reports in Peter Baker and Susan Glasser’s book “The Divider: Trump in the White House,” which quoted Trump as asking Kelly, his then-chief of staff, “Why can’t you be like the Germans?” generals?” (Hill)
Country
2. McCormick capitalizes on hedge fund wealth by bidding on Pennsylvania turmoil
“David McCormickonce the leader of the world’s largest hedge fund, he stood in a windswept parking lot in rural Schuylkill County, attacking Senator Bob CaseyA Democrat whose name is almost synonymous with Pennsylvania politics.
Before running for office, the West Point graduate, combat veteran and businessman made a nine-figure fortune as CEO of Connecticut-based Bridgewater Associates.
Now McCormick, 59, has used his biography, personal fortune and high financial connections to put himself on the verge of a massive disruption that could shape the balance of power in the Senate and the next presidency. But his time in Bridgewater may also be the biggest obstacle for the Republican.” (Bloomberg)
Elsewhere
Casey and McCormick break down the top issues in the Pennsylvania Senate race. “When Pennsylvanians go to the polls, there is much more on the ballot than just the presidency.” (CBS Pittsburgh)
Josh Shapiro solidified his role as the Democratic favorite this year. Now they’re taking it on tour. “While Harris and Trump focus on Pennsylvania, Shapiro has been tapped to fundraise and campaign for out-of-state Democrats, zigzagging to flip states across the country.” (Questioner from Philadelphia)
- Bypassed by Harris, Shapiro tries to free Pennsylvania for her. (New York Times)
Cartwright and Bresnahan compete to represent NEPA in Congress in the 8th District debate. “U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright and Republican challenger Rob Bresnahan seemed eager to convince voters that they would not be rubber stamps for their parties’ national leadership, seeking to distance themselves from their parties on hot-button issues like immigration and abortion.” (WVIA)
- Cartwright, Bresnahan debate closely with Northeast PA voters for nearly an hour. (Scranton Times Tribune)
- Watch the PA-08 debate between Matt Cartwright and Rob Bresnahan. (PoliticsPA)
Ehasz discusses the problems on the PA-01 forum when Fitzpatrick refuses to participate in the debate. “What was supposed to be a friendly debate Tuesday between two candidates seeking to represent Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District turned into a town hall-style meeting for Democrat Ashley Ehasz after incumbent Republican Brian Fitzpatrick declined to participate.” (Penn Capital Star)
An unusual alliance between HFC and NRCC. “The once-strained relationship between the House Freedom Caucus and the House GOP’s campaign arm has taken an unexpected turn this cycle. The two sides, which have long been hostile to each other, have formed an unusual alliance and are coordinating closely to help Republican Scott Perry, the former chairman of the Freedom Caucus, who hopes to fend off Democratic challenger Janelle Stelson.” (Punchbowl News)
Around the Republic of Poland
3. Map Fun: PA Voter Registration by County (October 2024)
“The Department of State has released the penultimate sheet of registrant data by county. The numbers are generated every Monday morning and this list is not final until Election Day.
The Democratic Party’s numerical advantage has continued to shrink in recent days as Republicans achieve strong registration gains. Democrats still have an overall lead of 3.97 million to 3.67 million, but the gap has narrowed to 300,000 compared to the 389,000 voter lead Democrats had in mid-May.
The fastest growing group in the Commonwealth are those who register without affiliation or as independent voters. ” (PolitykaPA)
Elsewhere
More than 1 million Pennsylvania voters have already cast ballots. Are they mostly blue or red? “Just two weeks before Election Day, more than 11.5% of Pennsylvania’s more than 9 million registered voters have so far cast an absentee ballot.” (Bucks County Courier Times)
Beginning in 2020, applications to vote by mail will not be allowed in Pennsylvania. Here’s what this means for election night. “Two weeks before the 2020 general election, 2.8 million Pennsylvanians requested absentee ballots.” (Questioner from Philadelphia)
300 Erie County voters received duplicate absentee ballots due to a vendor software failure. “The Erie County Voter Registration Office is contacting 296 voters to explain what happened and to ensure they do not vote twice. The office also has internal procedures to protect against double voting, which is illegal. (Erie Times-News)
Editorial
4. What do you mean
- Pennsylvanians make safe choices every day. (Mark Schweiker)
- Last-minute Democratic voting changes undermine confidence in the system. (Wally Nunn)
- How to win in Pennsylvania. (Jerzy Packer)
- Trump Tariffs and Economic Risk. (Wall Street Journal)
- Fares and taxes and gratuities; Oh my! (Verna Caruso)
- Scott Perry is at it again, questioning the voices of the military absentee. It’s time to send him packing. (Shipment from York)
- Pittsburgh’s plan to get America back on track. (Dave McCormick)
1 item
5. What the Tooth Fairy currently pays – $4.58
“The average price of the tooth fairy – or parents and grandparents for those of you who dispelled the myth – pays American children for a baby toothaccording to an Affordable Dentures & Implants survey conducted among 4,000 Americans. The price of a tooth has increased over time, with these same adults reporting paying an average of $2.83 per tooth as children. Another modern twist: while 86% of tooth fairies left cash, 1% paid in bitcoin.”
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