🧑🏭 Good morning! It’s almost the weekend.
📰 PA Policy Playbook Headlines. Shapiro’s mantle is about to be put to the test. Bresnahan was a prolific stock investor. Now he’s leaving Cold Turkey. Businesses receive millions in gaming grants in Dauphin County. Walking Tacos are not Tacos.
🎶 Your morning, pick me up. Rehabilitation. Amy Winehouse
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Sports PA
⚾ Pirates (20-17) | Arizona 1-0 | Thu in Arizona
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🔈What do we hear?. “I think at a very basic level people think we’re making policy decisions, we’re saying this is what we think it should be, not what the law says it should be,” he said. “I think they see us as purely political actors, which I don’t think reflects an accurate understanding of what we’re doing.” – Chief Justice John Roberts
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The most critical story
1. Shapiro’s coattails will soon be put to the test in Pennsylvania
“Bob Brooks he has amassed one of the broadest lists of support of any Democratic challenger on the House map. But there’s one supporter the Pennsylvania firefighter stands out above the rest: his buddy Josh Shapiro.
Shapiro is also betting on Brooks. The May 19 primary election won’t just define the GOP Rep. Ryan Mackenzie opponent in a district that is the most critical battleground, it will also be a key test for Shapiro, as the potential candidate for the White House will want to prove his authority in the most swing state in the country. POLICY
Elsewhere
Will Democratic leadership’s “working class” candidate in the high-stakes race in the Lehigh Valley be the answer they’re looking for? “Entrenched Democrats have rallied behind Bob Brooks, a union leader and retired firefighter, in a race in which they do not shy away from trying to focus almost exclusively on Brooks’ personality.” | Questioner from Philadelphia
Basic preview for 2026: Four fights for PA-03 Democratic bow. “In the 3rd Congressional District, four candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination to replace Republican Dwight Evans. The winner of the primary is most likely to win in November because PA-03 is one of the bluest districts in the country, with more than three out of four voters registered as Democrats.” | PoliticsPA
Chief Justice John Roberts says the Supreme Court is not political. “Supreme Court justices are not ‘political actors,'” Chief Justice John Roberts said Wednesday, insisting that unpopular court rulings are based solely on the law. His remarks, delivered at a conference of judges and lawyers from Pennsylvania’s 3rd U.S. District, came at a time of low public confidence in the court and about a week after the court issued a decision that struck down the Voting Rights Act. | AP
The RNC’s first huge spending for the middle semesters is for the ground game. “The Republican National Committee sent 34 staffers to 17 states last week to conduct canvassing activities targeting voters who rarely turn out to vote, a voting bloc that helped President Donald Trump win in 2024. The RNC did not provide a full list of target states, but it will be in battleground states including Pennsylvania.” | known
Country
2. Bresnahan was a prolific stock investor. Now he’s leaving Cold Turkey
– Not that long ago, Republicans Representative Rob Bresnahana multimillionaire who represents one of Pennsylvania’s poorest congressional districts and is among the most prolific stock investors in Congress.
But Bresnahan appears to have stopped trading individual stocks, buying just four municipal and state bonds and federal government securities this year, a NOTUS analysis of federal financial disclosures shows.’ | known
Elsewhere
Shapiro says Fetterman should “honor” the will of AP voters and not defect to the GOP. “Gov. Josh Shapiro, responding to reports that President Donald Trump wants John Fetterman to switch parties, said Tuesday that the U.S. senator should ‘honor’ the will of Pennsylvanians who voted for him as a Democrat.” | Questioner from Philadelphia
Pennsylvania Democrats are asking Republicans for their best deal. “House Democrats issued a direct challenge to Senate Republicans on Wednesday: Send them a budget.” | abc27
Deepfakes regulations are not moving at the speed of artificial intelligence. “When news broke that Lancaster Country Day School students had used artificial intelligence to create more than 300 nude photos of their classmates, state senator Tracy Pennycuick said she realized new laws were needed. The problem, Pennycuick learned, was that the laws regarding child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and revenge pornography were written before artificial intelligence gained popularity.” | Public source
The Judiciary Committee supports constitutional transfer. “Sen. Lisa Baker, chairwoman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Senate Bill 357 would allow law-abiding adults who can legally possess firearms to carry concealed weapons without requiring a government-issued permit.” | Wilkes-Barre Times leader
Around the Republic of Poland
3. Businesses receive millions in gaming grants in Dauphin County
“Dauphin County received $266 million in gambling revenues from Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course between 2008 and 2025 through Pennsylvania law. That’s more than anywhere else in the commonwealth, which has 17 casinos.
While the lion’s share of that money was awarded to city governments and nonprofits or used for county expenses, officials also provided nearly 100 grants totaling $4.2 million to businesses ranging from training facilities and landscaping companies to breweries and luxury apartment developers. | PennLive
Elsewhere
Campaign workers tell NPR they are placing “thousands” of bets on their own candidates. “It was a close race, so the campaign staffer doubted the results of the unpublished poll that showed their candidate – very much. The outside poll information didn’t match the campaign’s internal numbers. But accuracy aside, the staffer knew the poll would shake up forecasting markets.” | NPR
Energy and artificial intelligence must work together, says Senator McCormick during a visit to western Pennsylvania. “Energy and artificial intelligence are inseparable for U.S. Senator Dave McCormick, who on Wednesday highlighted their deep connections as he toured power plants undergoing revitalization projects to meet expected grid needs.” | Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper
Rep. Fitzpatrick says a pro-EU contracts bill will be passed by the US House of Representatives. “The Faster Labor Agreements Act is a bipartisan proposal that would speed up the first contracts for new unions. Supporters of the bill say the legislation is important because it will ensure that once workers vote to form a union, employers cannot drag out negotiations on the first collective bargaining agreement. ” | Central Square
Allegheny County is expecting a “long overdue” property tax reassessment after years of delays. “Failure to update property values has resulted in rising rents and stalling new housing projects, experts say.” | Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper
Editorial
4. What do you think about it?
- Skill gaming legislation is good for PA despite what the huge casino says | Rep. Joe Hamm
- A bet is not a survey | CJ RobinsoN
- GOP Bill Aims to Disenfranchise New American Immigrants on the Basis of Politics and Faith | Nicholas Toloudis
- Memo to Democrats: No more purity tests. (I’m looking at you, Chris Rabb) | Jonathan Zimmerman
- Pennsylvania Voter Registration: Democrats Increase Lead for First Time in Years | Nick Field
- Voter’s Voice: Gerrymandering and the State of Democracy | David Winston
- PASSHE still faces systemic challenges | Colin McNickle
- Shapiro resigns as parents demand fairness in girls’ sports | Beth Ann Rosica
- New York’s loss should be Philadelphia’s gain | Wide + Freedom
1 item
5. Walking tacos are not tacos. Wawa confirms this
“Tacos are tacos – unless they aren’t.
Why it matters: Born in the 18th century in Mexico’s silver mines, tacos have evolved from a working-class staple to a cultural icon, inspiring everything from taco Tuesdays to late-night drive-throughs.
Current situation: Not everything people call tacos deserves that name. I’m looking at you, “walking taco.”
Flavorful fillings and portability aside, there is one vital test for a taco: it must be wrapped in a tortilla, corn or flour. | Axios Philadelphia
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Make it a great day. See you tomorrow at the end of the week.
