State Treasurer Facing Strong Headwinds. This is the PoliticsPA Playbook.
Hi, It’s Tuesday. Four weeks until the midterms.
Your Morning Pick Me Up. Devil With The Blue Dress On/Good Golly Miss Molly/Jenny Take A Ride. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
PA Weather
Hermitage | Sunny, 63 Huntingdon | Sunny, 65 Hershey | Sunny, 64
PA Sports 
Flyers (0-2-2) | Tampa Bay 1-4 | Thu at Ottawa Penguins (2-1) | Winnipeg 2-3 | Wed at Washington
What’s Happening Today. The PA House convenes at 11 AM while the gavel sounds for the Senate at 1 PM.
What We’re Hearing. Speaker Mike Johnson will join U.S. Congressman Ryan Mackenzie for an afternoon event thanking and recognizing law enforcement serving the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos. Mackenzie will be receiving the endorsement of several local Fraternal Order of Police chapters. Johnson is also expected to make stops across the commonwealth in districts held by Reps. Scott Perry, Brian Fitzpatrick and Rob Bresnahan.
Ad Watch. Democrat Bob Brooks unveiled another seven-figure campaign ad for broadcast and digital today highlighting his years as a foster dad. Republican Stacy Garrity released volume two of her series, “Twilight Justice.”
Tips. PoliticsPA is Pennsylvania’s premier source for nonpartisan political news and analysis. Tips or press releases can be sent to steve@politicspa.com.
The PoliticsPA Playbook is compiled by Steve Ulrich. For the web version, click here. Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe here.
Top Story
“Stacy Garrity really didn’t want to be running for governor right now.
If it were up to her, she’d still be in the U.S. Army Reserves, from which she was forced to end her tenure in 2016 as a colonel after serving a maximum 30 years and three tours in the Middle East.
After the Army, Garrity pivoted, working as a business executive and lobbyist before rising through the ranks in Pennsylvania’s Republican Party, twice winning statewide election to treasurer in record numbers, and being nominated in April as the party’s choice for governor. She’s now entrenched in a different kind of consequential battle, where her performance at the top of the ticket could help decide control of the U.S. House and the state legislature.” | Philadelphia Inquirer
Elsewhere
YouGov Poll: Young Voters Aren’t Disconnected From Politics, But They Are Disconnected From Local Political Information. “A new survey of young registered voters in eight battleground states, including Pennsylvania, offers a striking picture of the youngest members of the American electorate: They are unhappy with Donald Trump, worried about paying their bills, they heavily favor Democratic candidates, and they’re remarkably likely to say nobody has talked to them about voting.” | The Cascadia Advocate
In Harrisburg, U.S. Treasury Secretary Says ‘Trump Accounts’ Won’t Replace Social Security. “U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said “Trump Accounts” for children will result in “unequivocally no cuts to Social Security.” The remarks made during a Monday press conference in Harrisburg were the secretary’s latest backtrack from a suggestion he made in July that the accounts could be “a back door for privatizing Social Security.”” | PennLive
DCCC Jumps Into PA-01 Contest With Coordinated TV Ad For Harvie. “How important is the 1st Congressional District race between Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick and Bucks County commissioner Bob Harvie to Democrats? For the first time in six years, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is making an investment in PA-01 with a coordinated TV ad for the Harvie campaign.” | PoliticsPA
Supreme Court Won’t Reinstate Pennsylvania Judge Suspended For Partisan Facebook Posts. “The Supreme Court on Monday turned away a former Pennsylvania judge’s challenge to his suspension for making partisan Facebook posts, a dispute that touches on issues of free speech and judicial ethics.” | The Hill
State
“While many people are paying attention to how the 2026 midterm elections might change the balance of power in Washington, D.C., it is also a potentially pivotal election here in Pennsylvania.
I think voters should understand not just the positions of the individual candidates on the ballot, but what the legislative priorities will be for either party if they gain control of the General Assembly.” | PoliticsPA
Elsewhere
Shapiro Endorses Open Primary Legislation That Passed Pennsylvania House. “Gov. Josh Shapiro backs a bill that would open Pennsylvania’s primary elections to unaffiliated voters. House Bill 280, authored by state Rep. Jared Solomon, D-Philadelphia, passed the state House by a 115-88 vote on Tuesday.” | The Center Square
No One Is Investigating PA Lawmaker Accused of Hurling Slurs. Here’s Why. “Twenty-five advocacy agencies from across Pennsylvania called for Republican state lawmaker Aaron Bernstine, R-Beaver County, to immediately resign from office in a joint letter addressed to the three top House leaders on Monday.” | PennLive
Diamond Urges House Leaders Not to Allow Skill Games Deadline to Pass Without a Solution. “A state lawmaker sponsoring two bills that he said would save skill games while providing new revenue for tax relief and more blamed Democratic House leaders Monday for inaction on the topic.” | Penn Capital-Star
Outmaneuvered, Outmatched and Outspent: How Data Centers Are Overwhelming Small-Town America. “When small American communities say no to big data centers, they often find tech companies won’t take no for an answer.” | PennLive
Around The Commonwealth
“The Nov. 3 election is almost here. While many voters will head to their local polling places on Election Day, others will use mail ballots. All registered voters in the commonwealth have been able to vote by mail since 2020.
Mail voting can be confusing and has been made even more so over the past six years by legal challenges, disinformation undermining public faith in elections, and efforts by many Republican lawmakers to prohibit its use.” | Spotlight PA
Elsewhere
Pennsylvania Proposal to Ban Law Enforcement at Polling Places Reflects Activist Concerns. “As the 2026 midterms near, one question repeatedly comes up in discussions about potential disruptions to election administration. “‘What if ICE shows up?’” | Votebeat
House Bill Gives 1.2 Million Independent PA Voters New Hope. “Pennsylvania’s fastest-growing voting group is one step closer to being able to cast ballots in the two major political parties’ nominating contests.” | USA Today Network
2026 Election Preview: 30th Legislative District. “PoliticsPA has identified 19 State House races throughout the Commonwealth to focus on during the run-up to the 2026 election, as part of our 31 Races in 31 Days series.” | PoliticsPA
2026 Election Preview: 41st Legislative District. “Incumbent Brett Miller faces a familiar challenger in Brad Chambers in this Lancaster County contest.” | PoliticsPA
SD-14: Where Democratic State Sen. Nick Miller, Republican Challenger Omy Maldonado Stand on the Issues. “In Pennsylvania’s 14th Senate District, Democratic state Sen. Nick Miller on Nov. 3 faces Republican Omy Maldonado, a technology consultant who is making his second bid at running for the office.” | Morning Call
Editorial
1 Thing
“Americans have a serious appetite for ice cream, consuming roughly 19 pounds, or about four gallons, per person each year. As of April 2026, the U.S. ice cream industry generates around $7.5 billion in annual sales.
Vanilla remains the most popular flavor nationwide, but this map asks a different question: Which flavors stand out most in each state?” | Visual Capitalist
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