🏈 Good morning. Tell me, are you ready for the football match?
Pennsylvania Weather
☀️ Karns City | Sunny, 79
☀️ Smethport | Sunny, 75
☀️ Royersford | Sunny, 78
Sports PA
⚾ Phillies (83-56) | Toronto 4-2 | Thu-Sun vs. Miami
⚾ Pirates (65-74) | Cubs 0-12 | Thu-Sun vs. Washington
🏈 Eagles (0-0) | Friday vs. Green Bay
👂 What do we hear“When you look at Pennsylvania and what determines our 19 electoral votes, it’s going to be the middle of the state; it’s going to be the margins that decide that,” James HeckmanTreasurer Demstock, said. “And it’s the connections made around this fire that help make that happen.”
👂 What we hear II. Governor Josh Shapiro will conduct a survey among candidates from the PA-10 district Janelle Stelson on Thursday.
🎯 Forecast. Allan Lichtman made a prediction about who would be his key to the White House indicate that the White House will win. We’ll let you watch the video.
🗞️ You asked for PA News. We deliver. Where can you find the latest news on what’s happening in Keystone State politics? Sign up for the PoliticsPA Playbook. We’ll deliver all the latest headlines in an easy-to-read format every weekday at 8 a.m. And it’s freeAdd your name to the list and sign up now.
The most significant story
1. Harris, Trump Agree on Rules for Philadelphia Presidential Debate
“The rules for next week’s presidential debate in Philadelphia have been officially set after Vice President Kamala Harrisand former president Donald Trump As debate host ABC News reported Wednesday, the campaigns agreed to a list of guidelines that include muting the candidates’ microphones when they are not speaking.
“The dispute between the campaigns over muted microphones during the debate at the National Constitutional Center grew increasingly heated.” (“Philadelphia Inquirer”)
Elsewhere
Harrisburg’s Fox News Town Hall Is a Nationally Televised Love Party for Trump“For former President Donald J. Trump, Wednesday’s town hall in Harrisburg was more like batting practice. Fox News host Sean Hannity — with the help of preselected audience members — lined up all of Trump’s favorite whipping boys, from Democrats to illegal immigrants to the “fake news media,” then leaned back as the former president tried to break them down.” (PennLive)
- Donald Trump addresses his supporters at Sean Hannity’s “Town Hall” in Harrisburg. (WITF)
Harris will call Pittsburgh home as she prepares for Tuesday’s debate. “Vice President Kamala Harris will spend the next few days in Pittsburgh to prepare for Tuesday’s debate with former President Donald Trump.” (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)
- Walz returns to Pittsburgh on a two-day trek through key battleground Pennsylvania. (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)
- Vice presidential candidate Tim Walz talks little about politics and takes no questions during a visit to Lancaster County to “thank volunteers.” (LNP | Lancaster Online)
Pennsylvania emerges as key Harris-Trump battleground“Pennsylvania is emerging as a challenge for Vice President Harris in the presidential race, as a new CNN poll shows her tied with former President Trump in the state and significantly behind him among male voters.” (Hill)
Country
2. Casey, McCormick agree to debate in October
“Senator Bob Casey Jr. AND Dave McCormick agreed to debate October 3 in Harrisburg.
The candidates will face off in the studios of WHTM-TV (abc27), with political editor Dennis Owens serving as moderator.
A release from Casey’s campaign said the three-term Democratic incumbent also agreed to debate his Republican rival on October 9 and 15 in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, respectively.
A McCormick campaign representative said she has not yet agreed to additional debates, though she added that the Republican has agreed to a debate with NBC station WPXI in Pittsburgh, to which Casey has not responded. (PoliticsPA)
Elsewhere
GOP appeals absentee ballot ruling to Pennsylvania Supreme Court“The Republican National Committee and the Republican Party of Pennsylvania appeal a Commonwealth Court ruling that mail-in ballots with incorrect or missing dates on the outer envelopes should be counted.” (Greensburg Tribune-Review)
Erie County (NY) Political Volunteers Go to Pennsylvania“Political volunteers in Western New York are taking nothing for granted, but they acknowledge that it’s been 40 years since a Republican presidential candidate last won the state. But just two hours away in Erie, Pennsylvania, the situation is different.” (Spectrum News)
Podcast: Why Candidates Are Investing So Much Time and Energy in Pennsylvania. “NPR tracked where the candidates are investing the most time and money on travel. Not surprisingly, the most competitive states are drawing the most attention — especially Pennsylvania, which is essential for both candidates on the road to the White House.” (NPR)
Commonwealth Foundation names former GOP legislator Andrew Lewis as fresh CEO“Lewis will take over on September 19 from outgoing chief executive Charles Mitchell, who announced earlier this year that he would step down to pursue another job in Conservative politics.” (PennLive)
Around the Commonwealth of Nations
3. Fireworks, Moonshine, and Strategy: Camping with Rural Democrats Who Can Influence Pennsylvania
“Vice President Kamala Harris will not come close to winning Jefferson County, a rural region in central Pennsylvania that has voted for a Democratic presidential candidate only once in its history.
Still, the hundreds of Democrats who recently descended on the county fairgrounds couldn’t have felt more at home.
They gathered for Demstock, an annual session that is part therapy, part camping, part strategy, held over two days in late August. County and regional leaders networked and exchanged suggestions on how to encourage voting in places where they say being a Democrat is not only isolating but dangerous.” (known)
Elsewhere
Biden reportedly preparing to block U.S. steel sales to Japan“President Joe Biden is preparing to block the sale of U.S. Steel to Japan’s Nippon Steel, the Washington Post reported Wednesday, and the company expressed doubts about its future in Pittsburgh if the deal falls through.” (PoliticsPA)
- U.S. Steel says it could leave Pittsburgh if Nippon deal falls through as Biden plans to block takeover. (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)
- Fetterman and Casey warn US Steel that blocking the sale could result in plant closures and company relocations. (PennLive)
On prices, production and employment, the campaigns offer very different takes. Here are the facts about the Pittsburgh area“The Pittsburgh region is a swing state in which there is a lot of money. Perception of the regional economy could decide the White House. The numbers say the region is doing well, but it has weaknesses.” (Public source)
Gaughan: County can’t get out of structural deficitLackawanna County will act quickly on the recommendations of the county’s operations management audit, but it won’t be able to simply cut spending to get out of a structural deficit that could grow to about $25 million next year, Commissioner Bill Gaughan said.Scranton Times-Tribune)
Editorial
4. What do you mean
1 thing
5. Party of One
“You know what’s better than sharing a delicious dessert with a loved one? Not sharing it. And American restaurant diners seem to agree — solo dining reservations are up 29% over the past two years, according to data from the restaurant reservation site OpenTable via AP News.
Solo dining is particularly popular among travelers, with 69% of U.S. baby boomers admitting that they primarily choose to dine alone when traveling alone.
But how often do people travel by plane alone?” (AP)
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