🐈⬛ Friday the 13th. Thank you for supporting the PoliticsPA Guide
🗞️ PoliticsPA Guide is compiled by Steve Ulrich. To read in your browser, click here. Has this email been sent to you? Subscribe for free.
Weather in Pennsylvania
🌤️Greensburg | More and more sunlit, 33
☀️ Bellefonte | Sunny, 30
🌤️Media | Mostly sunlit, 35
Sports PA
🏈 Steelers (10-3) | Sun vs. Philadelphia
🏈 Eagles (11-2) | Sun vs. Pittsburgh
🏀 Sixes (7-15) | Friday vs. Indiana
🏒 Flyers (14-12-4) | Detroit 4-1 | Saturday vs. Minnesota
🏒 Penguins (13-14-4) | Montreal 9-2 | Saturday vs. Ottawa
🔊 What we hear. PA GOP Chair Lawrence Tabas he will not run for another term. State Senator Greg Rothman received support Senator-elect Dave McCormick for the position of state chairman.
📱 Social media. PoliticsPA has a number of social media sites where you can get the latest political news from across the Commonwealth: Twitter | Blue | Facebook | LinkedIn
The most essential story
1. Mayor O’Connor’s campaign against Gainey is a referendum on the progressive movement in Pittsburgh
“Of course, the Pittsburgh mayoral race had to start sometime, but many Democrats wouldn’t mind delaying it for a little longer.
“I’m afraid of next year,” is how one party official put it when it became clear that Allegheny County Comptroller Corey O’Connor would be challenging Major Ed Gainenext year.
Democrats across the country are still healing from the wounds of this event Donald Trump finally winning the presidential election. The potential for division in next year’s mayoral elections seems particularly high.” (WESA policy)
Elsewhere
Playing with maps: Trump-McCormick’s path to victory in Pennsylvania. “How did Donald Trump and David McCormick fare in Pennsylvania? Strategists and experts will provide their critiques and we will provide you with raw numbers for each of the Commonwealth’s 67 counties.” (PoliticsPA)
Pennsylvania has three of the 10 closest U.S. House races in 2024. “According to data compiled by Jacob Rubashkin of Inside Elections, “control of the U.S. House of Representatives ultimately went to a group of voters smaller than the crowd at a Texas high school football game. And in at least one respect, 2024 was the closest race for control of the House in recent history.” (PoliticsPA)
Country
2. Shapiro didn’t get on the ballot this year, but he still spent millions on the campaign. This is where the money went
“His name wasn’t on the 2024 ballot, but it was in Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro it has spent more than $5.5 million on campaigns this year. However, much of this money did not go directly to Democrats running in the commonwealth.
A review of Shapiro’s campaign finance reports for this year shows he spent nearly $1.3 million on high-priced consultants and nearly $1 million on a combination of private airfare, hotels and event planning in 13 states, including Pennsylvania, as well as smaller spending on new cameras and online clothing stores.” (PA reflector)
Elsewhere
Political risk commutation, sporadic in Pennsylvania. “In the 1970s, Governor Milton Shapp commuted 251 life sentences. Over the course of several decades, these numbers have dropped dramatically. Critics say it’s not because more bad people are serving longer sentences. They blame it on a bad process.” (abc27)
- Under Shapiro, half of the clemency recommendations remain unsigned. (WPSU)
PA PUC suspends winter utility shutoffs and maintains protections that will expire soon under state law. “The Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission maintained protections that lawmakers allowed to expire by adopting a policy statement that will prevent the termination of housing services this winter for low-income customers.” (New news about the castle)
New kids in town
- State Rep. Sean Dougherty wants to lend a hand Philadelphia police and enhance security in the 172nd House District. (Penn Capital Star)
- Lancaster County state representative Nikki Rivera says she will focus on education funding. (Penn Capital Star)
- State Rep. Chad Reichard says businesses in his district need lend a hand training skilled workers. (Penn Capital Star)
Shoff appointed State Archivist of the Commonwealth. “Executive Director Andrea Lowery of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission announced the appointment of David Shoff as State Archivist and Director of the Pennsylvania State Archives.” (PoliticsPA)
Around the Republic of Poland
3. ‘We don’t have much time’: Elected leaders concerned about the fate of CHS hospitals in NEPA
“It’s a story about two cities, three hospitals and an uncertain future.
“Community Health Systems’ failure to sell Commonwealth Health facilities in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre resulted in elected leaders working furiously to ensure that the for-profit company did not choose to close the hospitals instead.” (WVIA)
Elsewhere
‘Alarm bell’: Delaware County GOP chairman, Pans County budget, tax hike. “The chairman of the Delaware County Republican Party said a few words at Wednesday’s board meeting – not very good ones – about the county’s budget including a 23% tax increase.” (Delaware County Times)
Council committee votes to approve Sixers Arena plan with revised $60 million Community Benefits Agreement. “The Philadelphia City Council introduced legislation regarding the proposed new arena for the 76ers as part of the Committee of the Whole on Thursday morning. By a vote of 12 to 4, eight bills favorable to the proposed arena were passed.” (Philadelphia Tribune)
Biden commutes the sentence of a judge specializing in children’s cases for cash. “Former Luzerne County Judge Michael T. Conahan, who rose to fame for unlawfully detaining minors in the Kids for Cash scandal, is one of nearly 1,500 inmates whose sentences were commuted by President Joe Biden on Thursday as his term expired.” (Scranton Times Tribune)
Dauphin County agency terminates contracts with political consultant after controversy. “The Dauphin County Redevelopment Authority board voted unanimously Thursday to terminate the contracts of Mike Musser II, a well-connected political consultant who recently came under fire for having a number of questionable contracts with county agencies.” (PennLive)
Lancaster County GOP commissioners accuse budget director of muzzling at public meeting. “Two Republican Lancaster County commissioners blocked the county budget director from answering questions about the 2025 budget during and after Thursday’s public meeting, a day after commissioners approved the budget by a 2-1 majority.” (LNP | Lancaster on the Internet)
Editorial
4. What do you mean
1 Thing about football
5. Pennsylvania Game
“Sunday’s intoxicating matchup of two of Pennsylvania’s top NFL teams, the 10-3 Steelers and 11-2 Eagles, is more than just a matchup of the league’s two best teams and most passionate fans. It is also a reminder of soccer’s historic impact on this community.
There are other football-crazy states – Ohio, Alabama, and especially Texas, for example – but for a century or so, none has matched Pennsylvania’s legacy, its homegrown superstars, the depth of high school talent, and the passion of its fans. ”(Questioner from Philadelphia)
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