🎃 Friday. Whistle! This is the 123rd day of the state budget impasse and the 31st day of the federal government shutdown.
🗞️ In today’s Guide. Democrats and allied groups are pouring millions into the Supreme Court race to counter the GOP campaign. As SNAP benefits expire, faith leaders begin to panic. What breed of Bucks Co sheriff? can tell us about US politics The crowning achievement of a pun master.
🎶 Your morning pick-me-up. Monster pulp. Bobby “Boris” Pickett
Weather in Pennsylvania
☂️ Erie | AM Showers, 51
☀️ Gettysburg | Mostly sunlit, 56
🌬️City of Spring | Mostly overcast, windy, 57
Sports PA
🏀 Sixers (4-0) | Friday vs. Boston | Sun in Brooklyn
🏒 Penguins (8-2-2) | Minnesota 4-1 | I was based in Winnipeg
🏒 Flyers (6-3-1) | Nashville 4-1 | Saturday vs. Toronto
🏈 Steelers (4-3) | Sun vs. Indianapolis
🏈 Eagles (6-2) | November 10 in Green Bay
🏈 Pitt (6-2) | I was at Stanford
🏈 Temple (5-3) | Saturday vs. East Carolina
🏈 Penn State (3-4) | I was based at Ohio State
⚽ Unia (MLS Quarterfinal) | Saturday vs. Chicago
📺 What we see. “The general election brought in $14.9 million, making it the seventh state Supreme Court election in which advertising spending exceeded $10 million. Democratic advertisers have a spending advantage of $9.5 million, led by Pennsylvanians for Judicial Integrity ($4.4 million) and Vote Yes for Fair Courts ($3.0 million). Overall candidate spending in the general election is just $1.5 million.”
🔊 What we hear. “I am very discouraged by the lack of empathy.” Rev. Matthew Best he said. “It’s like saying, ‘I’ve got my own, forget about everyone else.’ Which is truly depressing… And the harsh reality is that the enormous majority of us are much closer to needing SNAP or Medicaid benefits or going to food pantries for ourselves and our families than many people realize.”
📰 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 vital story
1. Democrats and allied groups are pouring millions into the Pennsylvania Supreme Court race to counter the GOP campaign
“Democrats and allied groups are contributing more money, cutting it out for up-to-date TV advertising Governor Josh Shapiro and the sending of the national party chairman in the final week of campaigning for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which could indicate possible signs of unease in a race that could reshape the high court in the biggest presidential battleground.
Spending in the race is on track to top $15 million — far exceeding previous spending in so-called retention elections — as Democrats try to blunt Republicans’ late-emerging campaign to oust three Democratic judges.”(AP)
Elsewhere
Here are the key rulings from recent years in connection with the need to retain 3 judges of the AP Supreme Court. “Democrats have held a majority on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for 10 years, and this year’s extremely politicized and expensive retention election gives voters a chance to keep that majority intact or potentially flip the court in a matter of years.” (Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper)
DNC Chairman Ken Martin says the stakes are high in the PA Supreme Court election. “Billionaires are trying to buy court seats to ‘end’ the actions of state legislators and governors,” he said. (Penn Capital Star)
Trump tells Senate Republicans to exploit ‘nuclear option’ to end factory closures. “Ending the filibuster would allow the GOP to pass legislation – such as the government funding bill – with just 50 votes in the Senate. It currently needs 60 votes.” (Axles)
Country
2. As SNAP benefits expire for 2 million PA residents, faith leaders begin to panic
” Rev. Matthew Best I noticed a few weeks ago that the number of emails and drop-in visits started to escalate.
Most of Best’s congregation at Christ Lutheran Church in Harrisburg’s Allison Hill neighborhood struggles to make ends meet.
Now there is panic among parishioners in Best over funding for the federal Supplemental Food Program SNAP, which expires on Saturday.'(PennLive)
Elsewhere
2025 election preview: Commonwealth Court. “In the seventh episode of our series previewing the 2025 general election, we focus on the vacancy on the nine-member Commonwealth Court – one of two intermediate appellate courts in the state – and focus on cases where state or local governments are involved.” (PolitykaPA)
Houlahan circulates a petition calling for Hegseth’s resignation. “Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-06) has previously said that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is a “threat to our troops, our national security and our country” and will “continue to say so until he resigns.” Now the representative of Chester County is trying a different approach: she is collecting the names and signatures of people who agree with her. (PolitykaPA)
McCormick urges nitazenes to become Schedule 1 drug amid concerns over up-to-date opioid threat. “A form of dangerous synthetic opioids that has alarmed Pennsylvania officials and contributed to at least dozens of deaths in the state would be permanently designated a Schedule 1 substance under legislation introduced Thursday by U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick.” (Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper)
Around the Republic of Poland
3. What breed of Bucks Co sheriff? can tell us about US policy
“BucksCo, known as a very purple county, was even more volatile during the era… Donald Trump. From Hillary Clinton They won the county by less than a point in 2016, Republicans have dramatically increased their voter turnout and now slightly outnumber Democrats. Donald Trump will take power in the region in 2024, becoming the first Republican Party presidential candidate in almost 40 years to do so.
At the same time, Democrats have had recent successes in county offices and municipal elections, which suggests that perhaps Bucks County is not changing politically as much as it is ambivalent to both parties.”(Citizen of Philadelphia)
Elsewhere
The Bucks County Sheriff says he has reduced his warrant backlog by 40%. Is there another reason? “It appears that Harran, a Republican seeking re-election, may have included transfer orders in his campaign complaint that were not approved by his department. These orders were transferred out of the sheriff’s office as a result of a court-ordered change implemented last year.” (Bucks County Courier Times)
A hotly contested judicial race in Dauphin County is drawing plenty of cash from campaign donations. “Hundreds of thousands of dollars are being pumped into a highly controversial judicial race for two seats on the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas.” (PennLive)
Candidates for management positions in Northampton Co. and their position on 5 key issues. “Northampton County executive candidates – Republican Tom Giovanni and Democrat Tara Zrinski – are vying to replace the current county executive.” (Lehigh Valley Chair)
Are York County officials breaking the law by not paying the state? “Two York County officers withholding state money amid Pennsylvania budget impasse could cost the county money if the state imposes fines, interest on them or files a lien against them for failure to pay.” (Shipment from York)
Editorial
4. What do you think about it?
- Are we losing democracy? | New York Times
- Hegseth’s up-to-date generation of media is just aged school propaganda | Gene Collier
- Democrats should vote no on judicial detention | Oliver Bateman
- Sorry, Republicans, there is no silver bullet for Mamdani | Joseph C. Sternberg
- How white-collar workers can fuel a up-to-date populist movement — on the left | Noreena Hertz
- The real hit behind Mike Tyson’s marijuana in Pennsylvania | Dan Bartkowiak
- I was on SNAP. The real issue is how we judge those who need it Lori Falce
- How the explosion of sports betting threatens the integrity of professional sports | John Affleck
- Race down Pennsylvania and New Jersey | Frank Ryan
1 item
5. No kidding. Philly will become a pun master this weekend
“Performing dads, joyful dads, killer dads, just show up… because the ultimate dad joke competition is coming to Philadelphia this weekend.
Why it matters: Neither does anything hoagie fly with this crowd.
Enlarge: What is the art of this word play? Here are some tips from the experts on what makes a pun, well, keen or enjoyable for the audience. (Axios Philadelphia)
Thank you for starting your weekend with us.
Don’t eat too many sweets this weekend. See you on Monday.
