🥱 Monday, Monday.
📖 In today’s PoliticsPA Guide. Shapiro will start in 2026. What about 2028? The Supreme Court could radically change the US electoral landscape. The collapse of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette affects us all. A Mites on Ice event turns into a brawl at a Hershey Bears game.
🎶 Your morning pick-me-up. A song about immigrants. Led Zeppelin
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Sports PA
🏈 Eagles (11-7) | San Francisco 19-23
🏈 Steelers (10-7) | Pon vs. Houston
🏀 Sixes (21-16) | Orlando 103-91 | Toronto 115-116 (OT) | Monday in Toronto
🏒 Flyers (22-13-8) | Tampa Bay 2-7 | Mon vs. Tampa Bay
🏒 Penguins (21/14/9) | Calgary 1-2 | Boston 0-1 | Tuesday vs. Tampa Bay
🔈 What we hear. “We know Governor Shapiro has high aspirations, and we support those aspirations as he prioritizes his responsibilities and needs… here in Pennsylvania. We cannot ignore these enormous problems here in Pennsylvania and then run a policy platform nationally.” Mia Haney
📕 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 crucial story
1. Shapiro will start in 2026. What about 2028?
“For Josh ShapiroThe pomp of his re-election reveal was a tale of two speeches, a glimpse of his balancing act as the incumbent governor of the key swing state of Pennsylvania and an emerging Democratic leader flirting with a 2028 presidential bid.
Four years ago, Shapiro won and is once again favored heading into the midterm elections, although Pennsylvania’s treasurer Stacy Garrity offers tougher competition from the Republican Party than his previous GOP opponent. The governor’s 2026 goals are lofty: Win re-election with half the mantle long enough for Democrats to gain full control of state government in Harrisburg and claim victory in Pennsylvania’s contested congressional seats, boosting his party’s chances of winning a majority in the House of Representatives. But for Shapiro personally, the stakes are even higher. | Shipment
Elsewhere
Pennsylvania progressives hug Shapiro as he looks to 2028. “Democrats and activists in Pennsylvania are trying to exploit Gov. Josh Shapiro’s long-rumored presidential ambitions to push him to the left on a key health care issue.” | Axles
How much will Shapiro’s potential White House hopes impact the governor’s race? “When state Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced her candidacy for governor in August, she pitched Gov. Josh Shapiro as the White House pick to raise money out of state and spend a lot of time on national television, with stops on “The View,” “The Daily Show” and “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”” | Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper
Josh Shapiro’s Harrisburg Problem. “If you want to know the limits of Shapiroism, visit its seat of power, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.” | Turn off the stove
Country
2. The Supreme Court could radically change the US electoral landscape
“The Supreme Court could reshape U.S. elections for years to come as it considers a range of cases with implications for the country’s political landscape.
In perhaps the riskiest example, the country is waiting for judges to decide to weaken parts of the Voting Rights Act.
Other rulings expected this year could change the amount of spending by political parties in coordination with candidates or affect the deadline for timely casting of votes.” | Hill
Elsewhere
Voices of reason: Medium-term trends for 2026. “The Cook Political Report’s Erin Covey joins host Steve Ulrich to take a close look ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Drawing on early indicators and electoral data, Covey discusses what could define the next election cycle – and which races could ultimately decide control of Washington. We also examine what lessons from recent cycles still hold true, what assumptions may be overstated, and where both sides may be misreading the terrain.” | PoliticsPA
Record numbers of Americans identify as independent. “According to a Gallup poll released on Monday, despite the intensification of political polarization in the US, the percentage of American adults identifying as politically independent reached a record high of 45% last year. | Traffic lights
The Democratic field for Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District has seven candidates. “A week after local Democratic leaders rejected his bid for a special election for state representative, Lewis Shupe hopes to find more support by campaigning for Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District.” | LehighValley News
Around the Republic of Poland
3. The collapse of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette affects us all
“In southwestern Pennsylvania, most people have a love-hate relationship with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, a 240-year-old newspaper that has abruptly announced the end of its longtime love affair with the people of the region, effective May 3.
In the days since the rather impersonal, videotaped announcement to employees, dozens of writers and commentators have both condemned and sympathized with the demise of the newspaper whose headline reads: “One of America’s Greatest Newspapers.” | PoliticsPA
Elsewhere
Democrats choose recent AP House candidate in Lehigh County race as Julian Guridy drops out ‘for personal reasons’. “In a surprise move, Pennsylvania Democrats have selected a new candidate in next month’s special election for the 22nd House District, Josh Siegel’s former seat.” | Morning talk in Allentown
Generation Z has entered City Hall. Meet 4 teenage PA mayors who want to bring recent ideas to local government. “Last fall, communities across Pennsylvania elected officials under the age of 30 to one of their most visible local roles: mayor. This month, these mayors begin their first terms and political careers, bringing new perspectives and concerns to local government. ” | PA reflector
Fewer people are taking advantage of Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program. “Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program has lost users over the past year even as sales have increased.” | Axios Philadelphia
Editorial
4. What do you think about it?
1 item
5. The Mites on Ice event turns into a brawl at a Hershey Bears game
“A Mites on Ice event involving players from a Lancaster-area youth hockey club escalated into a fight between players between segments of a Hershey Bears game on Saturday.
The Hershey Bears, like many hockey teams, host Mites on Ice events where teenage hockey players compete against each other between periods of play. But on Saturday, during an AHL contest between the Bears and the Cleveland Monsters at the Giant Center, halftime entertainment turned into a brawl between Central Penn Panthers Youth Ice Hockey Club players.
Videos posted on social media show players on the club’s 8U team pushing each other onto the ice and throwing wild punches at both teammates and opponents. At halftime, both teams featured Central Penn Panthers players. | LNP
Thank you for starting your week with us.
Don’t be like those hockey kids. Let’s all be together. See you tomorrow.
