💗 It’s Friday. I’m in love. Like you, we’re off on Monday to celebrate Labor Day, the celebration of the great American worker. See you Tuesday.
Pennsylvania Weather
☀️ Carnegie | Sunny, 92
☁️ Elliottsburg | Cloudy, lightweight drizzle, 71
🌂 Conshohocken | Mostly gloomy, showers, 75
Sports PA
⚾ Phillies (79-55) | Atlanta 5-4 | Friday-Sunday vs. Atlanta
⚾ Pirates (62-71) | Cubs 10-14 | Friday-Sunday vs. Cleveland | Monday vs. Cubs
⚽ Union (6-9-11) | Saturday vs. NY Red Bulls
🏈 Penn State (0-0) | Saturday vs. West Virginia
🏈 Pitt (0-0) | Saturday vs. Kent State
🏈 Temple (0-0) | Friday vs Oklahoma
👂 What do we hear. Dave McCormick agreed to debate Senator Bob Casey Jr. Oct. 3 in Harrisburg. No word from Casey’s camp on whether he signed as well.
🎂 Happy birthday. Cake and candles for Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon AND Morgan Cephas RepresentativeEarly returns for Representatives Christina Sappey AND Tara Probst (Saturday) and also Senator Kim Ward AND Torren Ecker’s representatives AND Stephanie Scialabba (Monday).
🗞️ You asked for PA News. We deliverWhere can I find the latest news about what’s happening in Keystone State politics? Sign up for the PoliticsPA Playbook. 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 subscribe now.
The most significant story
1. Emerson Poll: Harris, Trump Deadlocked at 48%
“We all knew the race for president in Pennsylvania would be tight. And the latest Emerson College poll shows just how tight it will be.
In a survey of 950 likely Keystone State voters, 459 indicated they would vote for Vice President Kamala Harris while 458 supported the former president Donald Trump.
That’s a 48-48% result, with just two per cent saying they were undecided about who to vote for in November.” (PoliticsPA)
Elsewhere
‘Center of the World’: Trump Rally Puts Political Spotlight on Johnstown. “Pennsylvania’s status as a key swing state in recent presidential elections, Johnstown’s Rust Belt history and the region’s rich political history have made the city a popular stop for candidates on the campaign trail.” (Tribune-Democrat)
Casey, McCormick Battle Fentanyl, Fact-Checking in Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate Race“The desire to summarize an issue with an easy-to-digest image rather than a wall of text is a powerful one. But the preference for easy-to-digest summaries over nuanced discussion may have gotten our politics into this mess in the first place. For evidence of that, one need look no further than the fentanyl debate in the Pennsylvania U.S. Senate primary race.” (WESA Policy)
What place do different ideas of masculinity occupy in presidential elections? “The irony is that this was supposed to be an election about women and their rights. And of course it still is.” Richard Reeves says, “But I’m struck by how much of the debate and so much of the performance, almost of the election so far, has really been about competing views of masculinity and manhood.” (NPR)
- How AI-Generated Memes Are Changing the 2024 Election (NPR)
Country
2. Harris vows not to ban fracking as president
“Vice President Kamala Harris told CNN during her first official interview as the Democratic presidential candidate that she does not intend to ban fracking.
Why it matters: Her comments that her “values” on climate remain intact despite withdrawing from key positions in her 2019 presidential campaign mark the first time she has directly addressed changes in her positions as a Democratic candidate in the 2024 election.
Between the lines: A ban on fracking has never really been considered because it would require a congressional act that is not expected in the near future.” (Axial)
Elsewhere
PA-17 Advertising Observation. “The first TV ads of the season are available for Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District. Newcomer Democratic incumbent Chris Deluzio faces Republican challenger Rep. Rob Mercuri in a race Republicans hope to flip and expand their majority in Washington.” (PoliticsPA)
PA-08: Bresnahan donated to Cartwright’s final 2022 campaign.“Two years before he ran for the current 8th District congressman from Moosic, Bresnahan, of Dallas Twp., the CEO of his family’s company, Kuharchik Construction, donated $2,000 to Cartwright’s campaign, according to Federal Election Commission filings.” (Scranton Times-Tribune)
Pennsylvania voters say inflation is their top concern, so why are they supporting Harris over Trump? “Even though Pennsylvanians consistently rank inflation as a top issue in the 2024 election, polls show Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr. either tied or ahead of Republicans Donald Trump and Dave McCormick, confounding pollsters and political strategists.” (DV Journal)
Abortion and climate change cases await Pennsylvania’s highest courts“The state Supreme Court often has the final say on major policy decisions that affect virtually every Pennsylvanian, from no-excuse absentee voting to the commonwealth’s congressional district map. But the seven justices have few hard deadlines and it could be years before they issue their opinions on key issues.” (PA reflector)
Podcast: Eugene DePasquale Runs. “Diet, exercise, politics and policy with attorney general candidate Eugene DePasquale. Listen as this marathon runner runs his toughest race yet.” (Politics at the Kitchen Table)
Around the Commonwealth of Nations
3. Behind the Camera: Can Wertz Help Turn the Pennsylvania Senate Blue?
“Jim Wertz He spent the early years of his professional career behind the camera, then became class president as a professor at Edinboro University (now PennWest).
Now he steps onto center stage as a political candidate who could facilitate flip the Pennsylvania Senate from red to blue.” (PoliticsPA)
Elsewhere
Harris campaign opens 50th Pennsylvania office, aims to narrow Trump’s advantage in rural counties“While presidential candidates expect a busy Labor Day weekend in Pennsylvania, the Harris campaign will open its 50th campaign office in the state, dwarfing the Trump campaign’s presence.” (PennLive)
Nippon Steel increases capital commitment in US steel mills. “Nippon Steel Corp. raised its capital commitment by more than $1 billion Thursday to fund U.S. Steel plants amid entrenched political and labor opposition to the Japanese company’s nearly $15 billion takeover of the iconic U.S. steelmaker.” (AP)
Local governments need 12,000 people to function. Experts say you could be one of them“Local governments of all sizes need committed leaders and staff to keep their communities running smoothly, but problems can arise when they don’t have the right people to do the job.” (PA reflector)
Editorial
4. What do you mean
- Less method, more madness as Trump’s statements become increasingly reckless. (“Philadelphia Inquirer”)
- The decision to “fix” voting in Washington County should be expanded statewide. (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)
- I’m a Republican, but I’m voting for Kamala Harris. (Mike Berney)
- Trump should be afraid — very afraid — of debating Kamala Harris. (Frank Bruni)
- If Trump loses, expect a Republican civil war. (Myra Adams)
- The historic failure of price controls. (Jonathan Williams)
- As Pennsylvania children return to school, the future of education hangs in the balance. (The Lecherous. Rob Mercury)
- Abbott Elementary School Blues. (But Mizgala)
1 thing
5. One level up
“A 6-year-old boy from Swoyersville now holds a national title as a hairstylist, and his fundraising skills are as impressive as his curls.
While gaining votes in the competition, Kamden Cunningham raised about $6,500 for Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors. The organization builds new homes for wounded veterans. Tens of thousands of people entered the contest, raising about $150,000.
Kamden, who nicknamed his mullet “Kammander,” took part in the photo shoot and organized an event called “Kammander’s Last Conquest” to raise funds and awareness. (WVIA)
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