⏰ Thursday. This is the 129th day of the state budget impasse and the 37th day of the longest federal government shutdown in history.
🗞️ In today’s PoliticsPA Guide. How AP Democrats roared to life in an off-year election Budget negotiators continue to work amid frustration amid a 128-day stalemate. Voter turnout skyrocketed throughout Pittsburgh as the Democratic vote grew in Pennsylvania and across the country. New mayor or general manager of the Penguins?
🎶 Your morning pick-me-up. Angel from Harlem. U2
Weather in Pennsylvania
☀️Johnstown | Sunny, 60
☀️ Williamsport | Mostly clear, 53
☀️ King of Prussia | Sunny, 55
Sports PA
🏀 Sixes (5-3) | Cleveland 121-132 | Saturday vs. Toronto
🏒 Flyers (7-5-1) | Thu in Nashville
🏒 Penguins (8-4-2) | Thu vs. Washington
🔊 What we hear. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick and the Problem Solvers Club proposing a change to the constitution to preserve the Senate filibuster.
📰 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. How Pennsylvania Democrats roared to life in an off-year election
“Pennsylvania Democrats made 2025 a pretty good year for themselves on Election Day.
All in all, it was a welcome, sometimes surprising return for an event that saw equally determined Republican attacks in 2024 in a series of high-profile contests.
But how did it happen? As the dust settled, certain factors began to emerge.”(PennLive)
Elsewhere
Tuesday’s election results show a “rebirth” of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, says the party’s novel chairman. “Eugene DePasquale, who took the helm of the state party in September after a series of painful losses and financial problems, said Tuesday’s blue wave election results reflect a new beginning for Pennsylvania Democrats, who failed to attract enough voters in 2024 and lost their statewide voter registration advantage.”(Questioner from Philadelphia)
GOP says there’s a lot of work to do after losing PA Supreme Court fight. “Pennsylvania Republicans are taking stock of huge Democratic victories up and down in Tuesday’s votes, including a key state Supreme Court campaign focused on controversial state and national issues, as Gov. Josh Shapiro and other Democrats across the country celebrate their dominant position heading into the 2026 midterm elections.” (Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper)
A novel argument against increased ACA subsidies. “The subsidy structure of the Affordable Care Act, especially including pandemic-era improvements, discriminates against people with employer-based insurance and disincentivizes work, an influential conservative think tank argues in a new briefing.” (Axles)
Pennsylvanians are struggling with rising premiums and expiring subsidies on the Pennie Marketplace. “Central Pennsylvania counties like Fulton and Juniata will see some of the highest monthly increases at 411% and 485%.” (Penn Capital Star)
Country
2. AP budget negotiators continue to work amid frustration amid 128 days of stalemate
“Negotiators seeking a deal on the long-stalled state budget reportedly made progress as Election Day progressed, but the 128-day stalemate has convinced some lawmakers that it’s time to shake things up in Harrisburg.
Bills are in circulation to reduce the size of the legislature by amending the constitution, suspending salaries in the event of an impasse and halting pay raises if the budget is not implemented on time. Similar bills have been pushed through without success in the past. But Democrats say the bitter aftertaste of this year’s long-term failure could be a catalyst Senator Lisa Boscola Northampton County, sponsor of the job cuts bill.”(Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper)
Elsewhere
The lawmakers’ departure won’t shake the House’s control, but the budget impasse persists. “Four members of the state House of Representatives will have to resign from their positions after winning seats in Tuesday’s municipal and judicial elections. Their resignations should not disrupt the single-seat Democratic majority in the House of Representatives. Two of the departing members are Democrats and two are Republicans.” (LNP)
What happened to the survey printing problem in Chester County? “The error, which impacted the ability of tens of thousands of Chester County voters to regularly cast ballots on Election Day, occurred after county officials mistakenly failed to isolate third-party and unaffiliated voters from the state’s voter registration management database when creating the print poll file.” (Let him vote)
‘Bad time to be Latino’: pessimism rises in novel Axios-Ipsos poll. “Nearly two in three Latinos think it’s a bad time to be Latino or Latino in the U.S., according to a new Axios-Ipsos Latino Poll conducted in partnership with Noticias Telemundo, marking a sharp increase in pessimism since last year and a stark turnaround from three years ago. The survey shows Latinos’ overall sense of optimism, safety and belonging has declined in several ways since President Trump took office.” (Axles)
Around the Republic of Poland
3. Voter turnout skyrocketed throughout Pittsburgh as Democrats grew in Pennsylvania and across the country
“Across Pennsylvania and much of the country – from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, Richmond to New York – voters flocked to the polls to deliver dramatic victories for Democrats. Turnout in Pittsburgh was up by more than a third compared to the mayoral election four years ago.
Turnout in Pittsburgh is up by more than a third compared to the mayoral election four years ago. He rose by nearly two-thirds in statewide elections for three Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices.”(Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper)
Elsewhere
The Philadelphia suburbs saw their highest non-year voter turnout since 2011. “Voters in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties turned out in droves even though there were no at-large federal races.” (WHY)
Philadelphia-area suburban school board races had their own blue wave on Tuesday. “Tuesday night was a big night for Democrats across the country, and local school board races in suburban Philadelphia were no different.” (Questioner from Philadelphia)
Turnout and independent support propel Democrats to historic victories in Lehigh Valley. “Northampton County Executive-elect Tara Zrinski called it a blue wave, and Lehigh County Executive-elect Josh Siegel called it a landslide.” (LehighValley News)
Bucks County will see a transition of power when top seats turn blue on election night. “Although Bucks County – long considered ‘purple’ because it can swing either way in many elections – turned red in the 2024 election for President Donald Trump, that support may have been short-lived as voters in the county overwhelmingly voted for Democratic candidates on Tuesday.” (NBC Philadelphia)
Republican ousted from a Pennsylvania district who voted GOP for 113 years. “On November 4, Beaver County elected Democrat Lincoln Kretchmar as its new mayor. In doing so, Democrats broke the borough’s 113-year GOP streak.” (Newsweek)
Editorial
4. What do you think about it?
- Does a novel mayor mean a novel era for Pittsburgh? | Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper
- Tuesday’s vote shows the danger of kissing Trump’s ring | Tom Moran
- Will the 2025 election results predict the 2026 election results? | John Baer
- Trump really was on the ballot | Wall Street Journal
- The Night Democrats finally stopped losing | Jonathan Martin
- This election was the wake-up call Republicans needed for 2026 | David Winston
- High turnout shows Pennsylvania voters are engaged | Trib LIVE
- Competencies build trust. Incompetence destroys it | Wide + Freedom
- Democrats won in the AP Supreme Court (again) | Alex Burns
1 item
5. New mayor or general manager of the Penguins? We see each other twice
“The newly elected mayor of Pittsburgh Corey O’Connor he has a body double if needed – and they both work in the same city.
Intrigue: Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas looks a lot like O’Connor, and hockey fans on social media are having fun with the resemblance.
What They Say: “So THAT’s Why I Need Two Phones” – Hockey Writer Pete Blackburn posted on Tuesday evening X, sharing a viral photo of Dubas talking on two phones.” (Axios Pittsburgh)
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I’m going to jury duty! See you tomorrow.
