💐 Good morning! Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers
📰 PA Policy Playbook Headlines. Fetterman says he is not changing parties. How Brooks consolidated support in his primary race for Congress. Allentown plays a key role in the PA Primary School. Restaurants and bars in New York are banning “Philly” steaks from their menus
🎶 Your morning, pick me up. Night after a challenging day. Ramsey Lewis Trio
Weather in Pennsylvania
🌥️ Springdale | Partly sunlit, 64
🌤️ Shippensburg | Mostly sunlit, 66
🌥️ South Philadelphia | Rising Clouds, 69
Sports PA
⚾ Pirates (21-17) | Arizona 4-2 | Friday-Sunday in San Francisco
⚾ Phillies (17-21) | Athletics 1-12 | Friday-Sunday vs. Colorado
🏀 Sixes (0-2) | Friday vs. New York
🏒 Flyers (0-3) | Karolina 1-4 | Saturday vs. Karolina
⚽ Union (1-2-8) | Saturday vs. New England
🔈What do we hear?. Is all the GOP money going to marquee races? Or maybe something else is coming? In PA-09, Rachel Wallace frightened Representative Dan Meuserand for the third time in a row, he has more cash at his disposal than the incumbent Republican, this time by a 2-to-1 ratio.
💬 Tips. PoliticsPA is Pennsylvania’s leading source of unbiased political news and analysis. Tips and press releases can be submitted [email protected].
📕 PoliticsPA Guide was developed by Steve Ulrich. To read in your browser click here.
The most crucial story
1. Fetterman says he doesn’t switch sides. This is why everyone is talking about it
“Just as Senator John Fetterman Tensions with his own party have increased since his term began in 2023, as have the Pennsylvania Democrat’s unlikely friendships with Republican senators.
And as Democrats’ chances of flipping the Senate in November grow, Fetterman’s friends on the other side are opening their arms even wider.” | Questioner from Philadelphia
Elsewhere
At the races: Keystone State has mid-term keys. “Pennsylvanians go to the polls in less than two weeks, and Democrats see the state as a chance to win back voters they lost in 2024, when Donald Trump carried the state, Dave McCormick unseated a Democratic senator, and Republicans flipped two House seats. Democrats say with Gov. Josh Shapiro at the top of the ticket, this could be a chance for the party to bounce back in the Keystone State.” | Roll call
Fitzpatrick’s Iran War bill stalled after he rejected 2 others. “The war powers resolution that U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick introduced three weeks ago died in committee. The Bucks County Republican introduced a joint resolution to require Congress to authorize continued war with Iran on April 16, the same day he voted to reject another resolution on Iran war powers. That resolution came to the floor and was then rejected by a single vote. ” | Bucks County Courier Times
McCormick receives an update on the Homer City data center project and plans for permitting reform. “Sen. Dave McCormick hopes to encourage similar projects by speeding up permit reviews at the federal level. He is sponsoring legislation that would require federal permits intended to prevent harm to waterways to be issued or denied within one year of their filing. It would also limit permitting lawsuits and extend licenses for nuclear power plants from 40 to 60 years. ” | WESA
Country
2. How Democrat Bob Brooks solidified support in his congressional primary — and why some in his party are furious about it
“In a crowded Democratic primary in the Lehigh Valley, where four candidates largely agree on key issues, one candidate is emerging as the clear favorite among the most prominent national and local Democrats to face Republicans in the U.S. Representative Ryan Mackenzie in November.
Support for Bob Brooksformer Bethlehem firefighter and current president of the statewide firefighters union, is unrivaled among his opponents, each of whom has enjoyed varying levels of local support, but nowhere near what Brooks received from prominent political figures, interest groups and fundraising mechanisms to support his campaign.” | Morning talk in Allentown
Elsewhere
Connected GOP TV ad alleged to attack Brooks, Crosswell and support McClure. “A modern TV ad attacking 7th District Democratic congressional candidates Bob Brooks and Ryan Crosswell while supporting Lamont McClure is likely being backed by a Republican-linked super PAC, according to a report by online political site Punchbowl News. | Lehigh Valley Chair
Bob Harvie attacks Trump and ICE in first campaign ad of the year ahead of likely race against Brian Fitzpatrick. “Harvie will face grassroots candidate and climate policy expert Lucia Simonelli in the primary, but the commissioner’s announcement focuses solely on a fall matchup with U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick.” | Questioner from Philadelphia
PA Senate votes to end car emissions controls. “The state Senate passed legislation Wednesday that would end Pennsylvania’s emissions-testing program for non-commercial vehicles by dividing the legislative body along regional lines.” | PennLive
Around the Republic of Poland
3. Allentown plays a key role in Pennsylvania’s 2026 primary elections
“Allentown and the Lehigh Valley will play key roles in Pennsylvania’s May 19 primary elections. Competitive congressional races and economic pressures will likely shape voters’ decisions.
In a country that often determines the national political balance, primary elections matter. In Allentown, the focus is immediate and local: affordability, growth and representation in a rapidly changing city.
In the spotlight is Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District, which includes Allentown and has become one of the most competitive districts in the country.’ | Hit
Elsewhere
Mail-in ballot dating rules in Pennsylvania have been changing for years. Here’s what you need to know. “As some Pennsylvania voters prepare to vote by mail in this month’s primary election, they could be forgiven for not knowing what they should do with the date on their ballot envelope.” | Vote for Pennsylvania
AP Democratic Senate candidates Flynn and Lake face off in gripping debate at the University of Scranton. “Data centers dominated the debate between incumbent state senator Marty Flynn and Jeffrey Lake, his Democratic challenger for the 22nd Senate District.” | WVIA
Could a change to the 1960s PA planning code make it easier to build? “A state commission will examine the Pennsylvania Municipal Planning Code to reform the 56-year-old law, which serves as a toolkit for local governments seeking guidance on how to develop their communities.” | USA Today Network
Editorial
4. What do you think about it?
- I haven’t changed. Here’s what it has | Senator John Fetterman
- Senator John Fetterman just said what Democrats don’t want to hear about themselves | Ben Smith
- Democrats have a problem with Fetterman. Do they? | Chris Brennan
- Ala Stanford and the Barbie Double Standard | Erin Santamoor
- The nation faces renewed threats to the Black vote | Hermene Hartman
- Did Amazon just deal a blow to Josh Shapiro’s White House dreams? | Will Bunch
- Film industry jobs in Pennsylvania depend on merger that Washington could block | Rep. Jason Altmire
1 item
5. New York restaurants and bars ban ‘Philly’ steaks from menus as Knicks-Sixers fight becomes fat
“These New York joints are the 76ers’ hometown sandwich.
Restaurants and bars from Manhattan to Long Island banned Philly cheese steaks from menus as the Knicks faced the 76ers in the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals.
Empire State ads said they were renaming Philly cheesesteaks “Philly SUCKS cheesesteak,” “Big Apple cheesesteak” and other cheeky names in response to The Post’s calls asking whether the establishments were willing to dip their toes in the B-town. | New York Post Office
Thank you for starting your weekend with us.
They’re arguing over words, Philly. See you on Monday.
