😀 Yes, it’s Friday. Make it a great weekend.
Weather in Pennsylvania
☀️Pittsburgh | Sunny, 78
☁️Harriburg | Mostly shadowy, 73
🌤️Philadelphia | Partly sunlit, 77
Sports PA
⚾ Phillies | Saturday-Sunday vs. NY Mets (NLDS)
🏈 Pennsylvania State (4-0) | Saturday vs. UCLA
🏈 Pitt (4-0) | Saturday vs. North Carolina
🏈 Temple (1-4) | Saturday vs. Connecticut
🏈 Steelers (3-1) | Sun vs. Dallas
⚽ Union (9-10-13) | Sat versus Columbus
🗣️ What we hear. Eighty-one percent of respondents to our online survey indicated that yesterday’s debate in the U.S. Senate did not change their mind about how to vote.
🎂 Happy birthday. Early cake and candles for Rep. Dawn Keefer (Sunny.)
📊 PoliticsPA Poll Tracker (average of the last 5 PA polls)
President: Harris +0.8% | Senate: Casey +4.6%
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The most essential story
1. Casey, McCormick Trade Personal Barbs During Bitter AP Senate Debate
“Democratic Senator Bob Casey came face to face with the Republican challenger Dave McCormick in a bitter first debate on Thursday night that reflected the close nature and high stakes of a race that could help determine the balance of power in Washington.
The hour-long showdown touched on topics ranging from the economy to abortion to energy – and was often personal as each candidate repeatedly tried to paint the other as a liar. “Casey asked questions about McCormick’s residency and his work as a hedge fund manager, while McCormick attacked Casey, a three-term incumbent, as a career politician who is the rubber stamp of Democratic leadership.” (NBC News)
Elsewhere
Casey and McCormick Hammer storm the house during the Senate race debate in battleground Pennsylvania. “Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and Republican challenger David McCormick met on Thursday for the first debate in a key race for the swing state seat, with each candidate repeatedly accusing the other of lying and turning questions about energy, U.S. Steel sales and tariffs into attacks personal.” (AP)
Pilgrimage: Trump’s return to Butler predicted to be ‘wild’. “Butler may be the most important one. In any case, the crowd expected to come to Butler next Saturday for Trump’s return to the spot where his would-be assassin’s bullet struck him is likely to be large. It’s a pilgrimage.” (Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper)
- As Trump’s rally approaches, hotels are putting up signs saying “No Vacancies.” (Butler the Eagle)
Obama to campaign for Harris in Pittsburgh. “Former President Barack Obama is scheduled to campaign in the Pittsburgh area on October 10 for Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris.” (Greensburg Tribune Review)
Country
2. PA Attorney General Candidates Will Address Abortion, Marijuana and the Death Penalty in the First Debate
“The two major party candidates for attorney general, Democrat Eugene DePasquale and republican Dave’s Sundaydelivered their opening speech to voters during the first televised debate on Thursday evening. And although they struck very different tones on issues such as abortion and marijuana legalization, the sharpest expressed their opinions on qualifications for the office.
In Thursday’s pre-recorded debate, Sunday repeatedly raised the issue of DePasquale’s lack of courtroom experience. “DePasquale repeatedly cited his work as auditor general to shed light on the statewide backlog of untested rape kits and unanswered child abuse complaints filed on the state hotline.” (WESA)
Elsewhere
DePasquale and Sunday clash in Pennsylvania’s first attorney general debate. “Former Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, a Democrat, and York County District Attorney Dave Sunday, a Republican, discussed a wide range of issues for an hour on WGAL-TV.” (Penn Capital Star)
Voter registration by congressional district (October 2024). “Here are the latest voter registration numbers for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by congressional district.” (PoliticsPA)
PA-01: Bucks Co. Voters. will decide the rematch between Fitzpatrick and Ehasz. “Although Republicans currently outnumber Democrats in Bucks County, the political environment there remains competitive.” (DV Journal)
Shapiro is expressing support in four state Senate contests. “Gub. Josh Shapiro on Thursday endorsed four battleground candidates for state Senate seats in an attempt to flip the chamber to Democrats.” (PennLive)
Around the Republic of Poland
3. Pennsylvanians are most trusting in local election results, poll shows
“Pennsylvania voters are more likely to trust local election results than presidential ones, with overall confidence in the integrity of voting systems divided along partisan lines, a new Spotlight PA poll shows.
“Voting experts were encouraged by the poll results that voter confidence is highest at the county level, which is where elections actually take place in Pennsylvania.” (Vote)
Elsewhere
Several lawsuits could change how votes are counted in Pennsylvania in November. “As Election Day approaches, legal challenges affecting the way votes are cast and counted in Pennsylvania show no sign of letting up. Lawsuits over state voting laws have been ongoing virtually continuously since the 2020 election. Both sides are bracing for a potential onslaught of even more litigation after November. 5.” (Questioner from Philadelphia)
Companies used to welcome campaign visits from politicians, but now they fear backlash in the age of social media. “There was always a risk of a holy war when J.D. Vance arrived in Monroeville last Saturday. His visit caused a crisis in a spiritual matter: the sandwiches of the Primanti brothers. (WESA policy)
The attorney general says the electoral commission has authority over drop boxes and insists Crocamo resolve the dispute. “Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle A. Henry on Thursday advised Luzerne County Executive Romilda Crocamo to resolve a dispute with the county board of elections over whether the county will set up ballot drop boxes during the Nov. 5 election.” (The voice of the citizens of Wilkes-Barre)
What are we watching?
- John Fetterman: We must fight for every vote in Pennsylvania. (NewsNation)
- Kamala Harris says US will support Israel’s right to self-defense after Iran missile attack. (CBS Pittsburgh)
Editorial
4. What do you mean
1 item
5. In the wild world of competitive giant pumpkin farming
“In the Valley of the Giants, pumpkins heavier than pianos rest on padded pallets waiting to be weighed, while the mad scientist who grew them from tiny seeds appraised them from afar.
“No, not these,” the farmer Dave Stelts – he says on this behind schedule September afternoon. “They’re just kids.”
Like Captain Ahab obsessed with gourds, Stelts, 65, looked on, staring at four larger orange humps that rose amid a sea of leaves as massive as elephant ears and vines thicker than human arms. It couldn’t be a pumpkin patch the size of a basketball court. There’s no way these giants are real pumpkins. That’s how it was and they were.” (Questioner from Philadelphia)
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