🎉 Holiday Monday. A guide for those who check e-mail. We’ll be back on Friday to start the New Year. May 2026 be a great year!
🗞️ In today’s PoliticsPA Guide. The race in 2028 has begun. Here’s who’s winning. Pennsylvania and 18 other states are suing to block Kennedy’s plan to restrict transgender care. Our most popular stories in 2025 Do you remember what happened in 2025?
🎶 Your morning pick-me-up. New year. U2
Weather in Pennsylvania
🌨️New Castle | Scattered snowfall, windy, ⬇️ 27
☁️Huntingdon | Mostly murky, ⬇️ 31
🌥️Lancaster | Gradual cleansing, ⬇️ 36
Sports PA
🏈 Eagles (11-5) | Buffalo 13-12 | Sun vs. Washington
🏈 Steelers (9-7) | Cleveland 6-13 | Sun vs. Baltimore
🏈 Pitt (8-5) | East Carolina 17-23
🏈 Penn State (7-6) | Clemson 22-10
🏒 Flyers (19-11-7) | Chicago 3-1 | Seattle 1-4 | Tuesday in Vancouver | Wednesday in Calgary
🏒 Penguins (16-12-9) | Toronto 3-6 | Chicago 7-3 | Tue vs. Karolina | Thu vs. Detroit
🏀 Sixes (16-14) | Brooklyn 106-114 | Chicago 102-109 | OKC 104-129 | Tuesday in Memphis | Thu in Dallas
📕 PoliticsPA Guide was developed by Steve Ulrich. To read in your browser click here. Has this email been forwarded to you? Subscribe for free.
The most vital story
1. The race of 2028 has begun. Here’s who’s winning
“It’s clear to everyone that the fight for the primary presidential post in the post-Trump era – in both major parties – has already begun. Ambitious candidates are using book deals, magazine profiles, podcast appearances, policy statements and more than a few low-key interviews to get into the spotlight and try to elbow their way into a crowded race.
So which potential inhabitants of 2028 did best in 2025?
In the spirit of this year’s “FIFA Peace Prize – Football Unites the World” award presented to Trump, POLITICO Magazine is ready to present trophies to some of the most likely presidential candidates. Here are Democrats and Republicans looking at the White House, who have spent the past year maneuvering – some better than others. | POLICY
Elsewhere
Battleground 2026: Congress’s most vulnerable seats in the House and Senate. “With congressional control expected to be limited to a narrow margin in 2026, a small group of incumbents in the House and Senate are already emerging as the most vulnerable lawmakers in the coming cycle.” | Washington Examiner
Racist AI fakes are now a business and a political tool. “One video shows multiple black women screaming and banging on doors with the caption ‘store under attack.’ Another shows distraught Walmart workers of color being loaded into an ICE van. Why it matters: These AI-generated viral videos don’t just perpetuate racism – they influence political discourse.’ | Axles
Country
2. Pennsylvania and 18 other states sue to block Kennedy’s plan to restrict transgender care
“Nineteen states and D.C. sued Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his health department to block a Trump administration plan to restrict gender-affirming care for adolescent people.
Last week, Kennedy announced he would end Medicare and Medicaid payments to any provider offering gender-affirming care to minors, which the Oregon-led lawsuit says “exceeds the Secretary’s authority and violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the Medicare and Medicaid statutes.”
Attorney General of Oregon Dan Rayfield said in a statement Wednesday: “The Declaration falsely claims that certain forms of gender-affirming care are ‘unsafe and ineffective’.” | Axles
Elsewhere
Shapiro leaves seat on Board of Pardons empty after concerns over ‘inappropriate’ hearing of member. “Governor Josh Shapiro has not reappointed a longtime member of the Board of Pardons, a psychiatrist who advocates opposed because of his votes against clemency applicants, his lack of criminal justice experience and a method of interviewing that they consider inappropriate.” | PA reflector
Lawmakers want to restore 24-hour announcement of the agenda after the AP Supreme Court ruling. “State lawmakers have reached a rare bipartisan consensus to restore the 24-hour minimum period for local governments to notify the public of planned votes and debates.” | WITF
Temporary ballot rejections in Pennsylvania dropped after the state redesigned envelopes. “The Pennsylvania Department of State introduced a redesigned envelope for provisional ballots earlier this year, and it appears to have helped reduce the number of ballots rejected due to errors.” | PoliticsPA
AP’s list of crazy political party names signals sturdy third-party push. “Pennsylvania officially recognizes four political parties: Democratic, Republican, Green and Libertarian, and in the case of Question 8 of the state’s voter registration application, new voters can check a box to identify as a member of any of these four parties. Voters who want to go their own way can check the box labeled “No affiliation,” or they can check the box marked “Other” and write in whatever they like – and write in, they do. | LNP
Around the Republic of Poland
3. Our top stories in 2025
“As the curtain draws on 2025, PoliticsPA takes a look at our most popular stories of the year according to you, our readers.
Thank you for your support last year and we look forward to even better things in 2026.” | PolitykaPA
Elsewhere
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey is defending his legacy after four years in office. “Gainey is philosophical about the changes in his political fortunes and believes his administration has had more success in four years than other mayors have in eight years.” | Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper
Healthcare in Pennsylvania in 2025. “Perhaps more than any other area of concern, Pennsylvania’s health care story in 2025 has been shaped by responses to massive policy changes undertaken by the federal government.” | PoliticsPA
Lehigh County Democrats will choose a candidate for the 22nd House of Representatives on January 3. “Democratic precinct captains in the 22nd House District will meet on Jan. 3 to select a candidate for the special election being held to fill the seat vacated by Democrat Josh Siegel, who was elected last month as Lehigh County executive.” | Lehigh Valley Chair
Erie County Executive Brenton Davis Leaves Office ‘Without Regret’. “Davis reflects on his term, election defeat and what comes next, saying he is ‘blessed for every opportunity’ to serve.” | Erie Times-News
Editorial
4. What do you think about it?
1 item
5. Do you remember what happened in 2025?
“How well do you remember what happened in 2025? Test your knowledge with 25 questions about the most important stories of the year.” | AP
Thank you for your support in 2025.
From all of us to all of you, Happy New Year!
