🛞 Round the corner and go home
🗞️ In today’s Guide. Dems plot to overthrow Fetterman. Garrity announces first round of loans. PA approves higher ACA health insurance premiums. The modern PIT terminal will not guarantee more flights.
🎶 Your morning pick-me-up. I can’t explain. WHO
Weather in Pennsylvania
☀️Clearfield | Sunny, 61
☀️Jonestown | Sunny, 61
☀️ New Town Square | Sunny, 59
Sports PA
🏈 Steelers (4-1) | Thu in Cincinnati
🏒 Flyers (1-1-1) | Thu vs. Winnipeg
🏒 Penguins (2-2) | Thu in Los Angeles
🔊 What we hear. Congressman Chris Deluzio announced that his PA-17 campaign has raised over $1 million from over 12,000 donors towards his 2026 re-election. He leads the Pennsylvania Democratic House delegation in grassroots fundraising, reporting more than $205,000 in compact dollar contributions this year.
🔊 We hear that too. “Congressman Rob Bresnahan announced that his PA-08 campaign raised nearly $600,000 in the third quarter of 2025, bringing his full-cycle total to more than $2.4 million ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.”
📰 PoliticsPA Guide was developed by Steve Ulrich. To read in your browser click here. Has this email been sent to you? Subscribe for free.
The most critical story
1. Democrats plot to take down Fetterman
“Pennsylvania’s top Democrats are maneuvering to oppose it Senator John Fetterman in the 2028 primary elections, threatening to tear the party apart in the nation’s largest battleground.
Why it matters: Democrats haven’t flipped a GOP Senate seat since Fetterman did so in 2022. He remains popular with Pennsylvania voters even as Democrats turn against him over his softened approach to President Trump.
The large picture: Democrats who could run against Fetterman include: Representatives Brendan Boyle AND Chris Deluzio and they were Representative Conor Lambaccording to many Pennsylvania political insiders. (Axles)
Elsewhere
Fetterman ridiculed by Bill O’Reilly: ‘Your party is against you’. “Bill O’Reilly bluntly asked Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) why he is still a Democrat, pointing out the senator’s Republican views on several issues.” (broker)
Dozens of Democratic candidates will not commit to supporting Jeffries. “Dozens of Democrats running for U.S. House seats across the country, including three in Pennsylvania, told Axios they either will not vote for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) as party leader or will not commit to doing so.” (Axles)
PA-03: Construction Trades Unions endorsed state senator Sharif Street in a crowded race. “Philadelphia’s politically powerful building unions on Wednesday endorsed state Sen. Sharif Street in next year’s race to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans, further solidifying Street’s support among the Democratic establishment.” (Questioner from Philadelphia)
PA-01: Fitzpatrick’s Democratic challenger touts poll showing competitive race. “Democratic candidate Bob Harvie’s campaign is touting new internal data that shows him tied with incumbent Republican Brian Fitzpatrick in a hypothetical two-way race for Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District.” (known)
PA-07: The Latino Victory Fund supports 4 Democratic candidates for the modern House of Representatives. “Wednesday’s listing marks the second round of endorsements from the Latino Victory Fund. Over the summer, the group announced its support for four Latino candidates, including Pennsylvania’s Carol Obando-Derstine.” (Roll call)
Country
2. Garrity announces first round of loans to facilitate organizations during AP budget impasse
“State Treasurer Stacy Garrity on Wednesday said her office had issued the first round of loans under a modern program to facilitate entities affected by the state’s budget impasse, sending about $3.9 million to organizations including one funding rape crisis centers in southwestern Pennsylvania and elsewhere.
The Treasury Department said the first to actually receive the money were Bradford-Tioga Head Start, Child Advocates of Blair County and the Pennsylvania Coalition to Advance Respect. The 47 coalition-funded rape crisis centers serve all 67 counties.” (Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper)
Elsewhere
Administrator Shapiro protects critical data used to assess system failures related to elder abuse“By keeping this information secret, aging state officials are concealing even the smallest details about the enormity of harm that befalls Pennsylvania’s elderly every year.” (PA reflector)
Government Employees Unions Affected in Both States, Federal Budget Impasse. “Union leaders representing county, state and federal workers gathered at the State Capitol on Wednesday to urge members of the General Assembly and the U.S. Congress to find compromise and ultimately pass state and federal budgets.” (WITF)
What you need to know about candidates for the Commonwealth Court. “Voters across Pennsylvania will cast ballots for a new judge on the Commonwealth Court, one of the state’s two intermediate appellate bodies, and will also decide whether one of the current judges should remain on the court for another 10 years.” (WHY)
The modern legislation would require all Pennsylvania high schools to have a supply of naloxone, an opioid-reversal drug. “If the bill becomes law, Pennsylvania will be one of the few states in the U.S. to require high schools to have naloxone on hand in case of overdose.” (Questioner from Philadelphia)
Around the Republic of Poland
3. PA approves higher ACA health insurance premiums for 2026
“Sticker shock is coming for hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvania insurance customers.
Small business owners, gig workers and other Pennsylvanians who purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act platform will see their premiums raise next year by an average of almost 22%.
Individual and compact group rates will vary by insurance company, specific plan, where you live and your income, but state insurance regulators say some of the market’s current 496,000 customers will still see “shocking” prices.WESA)
Elsewhere
Hundreds of IRS employees in western Pennsylvania are on furlough due to the federal government shutdown. “About half of the more than 500 members the local union represents were laid off last week due to the government shutdown. This includes employees at IRS offices who provide personal assistance in Cranberry, Monroeville, Erie, Johnstown and Altoona, as well as workers working in downtown Pittsburgh.” (WESA)
Harrisburg International Airport’s public address system attacked by political message. “Travellers at Harrisburg International Airport were surprised on Tuesday when an unauthorized political message was played over the airport loudspeaker: ‘Fuck Netanyahu and Trump. Turkish hacker, cyber-Islam is here… Free, free Palestine,’” it said. (PennLive)
Pennsylvania’s $70 billion race for US data centers. “Pennsylvania is positioning itself as a rising competitor in the competitive race for AI data centers. With abundant natural gas reserves and a strategic location, the state is pursuing an ambitious $70 billion initiative to attract major data center investments and transform its economic landscape.” (Data center knowledge)
Editorial
4. What do you think about it?
- Judicial restraint on the line – AP Supreme Court Retention and the Constitution | Emilia Kreps
- What do we have to do to rule here a little? | John Baer
- Environmental and energy considerations are key to data center development | Questioner from Philadelphia
- Republican support for ACA could end shutdown | Bill Król
- PA should join the growing list of states banning smartphone apply in schools | Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper
- Federal shutdown threatens health care for nearly one million Pennsylvanians | Marek Byk
- AP House of Representatives Democrats Pass Budget Spending Plan | Emily Greene
- Impact of Covid on Pennsylvania Students | Barbara C. Gelman
1 item
5. The modern PIT terminal will not guarantee more flights
“Allegheny County officials are excited about a modern $1.7 billion terminal at Pittsburgh International Airport, but are hesitant to promise it will soon lead to more flights.
Why it matters: PIT has steadily increased nonstop service since bottoming out more than a decade ago, and residents are eager to return to the connecting days when it served more than 100 destinations.
What they say: Sara Innamorato, Allegheny County Executive told Axios that airport modernization would facilitate add modern flights, but not on its own.” (Axios Pittsburgh)
Thank you for starting your Thursday with us.
Get it over with and the weekend is almost here.
