☕ A day later… Monday.
📖 In today’s PoliticsPA Guide. Garrity: “Shapiro made Pennsylvania mediocre.” PA residency regulations forced Guridy to leave. Will an ancient Pennsylvania coal town be rebooted by artificial intelligence? “I’m looking for an experienced witch”
🎶 Your morning pick-me-up. Lit | Nirvana
Weather in Pennsylvania
☀️ Tunkhannock | Mostly shining, 44
🌤️ Bellwood | Partly shining, 46
☀️ Waynesburg | Mostly shining, 50
Sports PA
🏈 Steelers (10-8) | Houston, 6-30
🏀 Sixes (22-16) | Toronto 115-102 | Wednesday vs. Cleveland
🏒 Leaflets (22-14-8) | Tampa Bay 1-5 | Wednesday in Buffalo
🏒 Penguins (21/14/9) | Tuesday vs. Tampa Bay
🔈 What are we listening to?. “Erin Covey from The Cook Political Report joins the host Steve Ulrich Down a cautious look at the 2026 midterm elections. Drawing on early election indicators and data, Covey examines what may define the next election cycle and which races may ultimately determine control in Washington. We are also examining what lessons from recent cycles are still relevant, what assumptions may be overblown, and where both sides may be misinterpreting the situation.”
👂 What we hear. Country Senator Tracy Pennycuick (R-24) i Representative John Schlegel (R-101) announced re-election bids.
📕 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. Garrity: “Josh Shapiro Made Pennsylvania Average”
“Pennsylvania is not living up to its potential and that’s where it ends Josh Shapiro desk.”
With these words, Pennsylvania State Treasurer Stacy Garrity on Monday, she delivered a salute across the Commonwealth, delivering her first campaign speech of the season during a luncheon at the Pennsylvania Press Club in Harrisburg.
“I know I felt upset when I recently said Josh Shapiro made Pennsylvania mediocre… and that’s because the truth hurts.” | PoliticsPA
Elsewhere
Garrity promises to work with Trump on SNAP voter rolls in Pennsylvania. “Stacy Garrity is the likely GOP nominee for governor, and there is no question who she will choose with less than 11 months to go until Election Day.” | abc27
Shapiro raised 400,000. dollars at the beginning of the re-election campaign. “Governor Josh Shapiro raised more than $400,000 in the first two days after officially filing his long-awaited re-election bid in Pittsburgh, adding to his impressive $30 million in cash available to kick off a crucial election year.” | Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper
Meta elects Dina Powell McCormick as president. “Dina Powell McCormick, former Republican Party official and wife of Pennsylvania Senator Dave McCormick, has been elected president and vice president of Meta, reporting directly to CEO Mark Zuckerberg.” | PoliticsPA
Bresnahan has been trading AI stocks, pushing data centers. “GOP Rep. Rob Bresnahan bought shares of a major data center provider last year, which then skyrocketed in value while encouraging data center construction in his Pennsylvania district.” | POLICY
Country
2. AP residency laws forced Guridy to withdraw from the Lehigh Valley special election
“A year and a half in Florida ended the local Democrat’s hopes of serving the Lehigh Valley in the state legislature – at least for a few years.
Julian Guridy was nominated this month by local party leaders to run in the Feb. 24 special election that will determine who finishes the term of the former state representative and now Lehigh County executive Josh Siegel.
The former candidate was forced to withdraw because he did not meet all constitutional requirements to serve in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.’ | LehighValley News
Elsewhere
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear key cases involving bans on transgender athletes. “The cases involve disputes over laws in West Virginia and Idaho that prohibit transgender students from competing on school sports teams consistent with their gender identity.” | Traffic lights
At a town hall meeting, Harvie rules out accepting donations to AIPAC and vows to strengthen the EPA. “More than 100 people gathered Thursday at the Middletown Township Municipal Building in front of City Hall for Bob Harvie Jr., a Democrat running for Congress. His strategy seemed obvious during the nearly two-hour campaign event: Tie Fitzpatrick to President Donald Trump. ” | Bucks Independence
Q&A with Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa. “With the new year upon us, we have a renewed focus on Harrisburg and party leaders as we map out the legislative session. State Sen. Jay Costa, the Democratic leader in the upper chamber, spoke with City & State to discuss an eventful year on Capitol Hill and the plan for the future. ” | City and state
AP Lawmaker’s New Job Raises Ethics Questions. “State Rep. Seth Grove is raising alarm about working for a trade organization while setting regulations for the industry.” | Key
Around the Republic of Poland
3. Will an ancient coal town in Pennsylvania be rebooted by artificial intelligence?
“While it is one of many energy facilities being built to fuel the artificial intelligence boom across Pennsylvania, the Homer City facility is unique for its size, its touted economic potential – owners have promised the project will generate more than 10,000 construction-related jobs – and its likely environmental impact.
“I don’t really trust the people who come here to build and run this place.” Jan Dudasz he said. “I don’t agree with the part about artificial intelligence.” | Capital and principal
Elsewhere
Two Democrats are trying to unseat Republican Kuzma from the narrowly divided AP House. “Democrats Kellianne Frketic and Dylan Altemara, both of Elizabeth Township, say they hope to take back the district and increase their party’s majority in the statehouse.” | WESA
How Philadelphia’s sheriff put the city in Trump’s immigration crosshairs. “Philadelphia’s extraordinary elected official has drawn the city into a national conversation over the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis by an ICE agent.” | Axios Philadelphia
ICE concerns are urging Lycoming County residents to create support networks for their immigrant neighbors. “One group provides rides and accompanies families to errands and appointments, while the other operates a 24-hour hotline for local reports on ICE activity. Both organizations aim to observe and document local interactions with ICE and take further action as needed. ” | PA State College Spotlight
Editorial
4. What do you think about it?
1 item
5. “I’m looking for an experienced witch”: a woman asked for support in cursing her ex
“While driving to visit a friend, a Philadelphia woman had time to reflect on her recent breakup. She thought of all the things her ex-partner hated: spiders, moth-bitten sweaters, avocados that were too cushioned. She typed them into her phone as swear words.
It became a leaflet: “I am looking for: an experienced witch to curse my ex.” She created an email – only for sedate inquiries.
And while it may seem a bit unusual, it’s part of a great tradition of swearing at your ex that dates back to antique times. Moreover, it is a way to regain a sense of power, experts say. | Questioner from Philadelphia
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