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PA Weather
Portage | Chance of Thunderstorms, 81
Elizabethtown | Chance of Thunderstorms, 86
Wyalusing | Chance of Thunderstorms, 86

PA Sports
Phillies (48-41) | Fri-Sun vs. San Diego
Pirates (41-49) | Fri-Sun vs. San Francisco
Union (11-4-7) | Sat vs. NYC FC

What We’re Hearing
To help Chris Deluzio celebrate his 39th birthday, the NRCC presented Deluzio’s office with a report card detailing his adherence to Bernie Sanders’ extreme positions.

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Top Story

1. How Shapiro Turned A Collapsed Bridge Into A Political Win

“When it comes to infrastructure repair jobs, this one had everything: a 24/7 livestream, TikTok star construction workers, a giant NASCAR jet dryer, Gritty and the Phillie Phanatic riding on a firetruck.

In June, a tanker truck crashed underneath Interstate 95 — a critical highway through Philadelphia that sees around 160,000 vehicles per day — killing the driver and causing the overpass to collapse. Experts originally estimated it could take months to repair the highway and reopen the vital artery, but less than two weeks later, six new temporary lanes were opened to allow traffic to flow while the permanent repairs are completed.

The quick repair was hailed as a big political win for rookie Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro — with some people even saying it could be the centerpiece of a potential future campaign for president.” (FiveThirtyEight)

Related

Secretaries Of State Brace For Wave Of AI-Fueled Disinformation During 2024 Campaign. “As a result, they said they are taking unprecedented steps to confront misinformation and disinformation about the election they expect will come in the form of deepfakes and other AI-generated content that could be used to deceive or manipulate voters, a threat that has sparked serious concern from federal officials and election researchers as well.” (Cyberscoop)

• Interview With PA Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt. (Hearst Media)

Republicans’ Conservative Election Bill Heads To House Floor. “Democrats have described the bill, dubbed the American Confidence in Elections Act, as a blatant attempt to disenfranchise voters of color, protect wealthy donors and undercut Washington, D.C.’s right to self-govern.” (Roll Call)

GOP Discord Threatens Senate Response To Railway Disaster. “An internal GOP dispute between party leaders and a motley crew of junior lawmakers is threatening to sink a bipartisan rail safety bill aimed at responding to February’s toxic spill in East Palestine, Ohio.” (POLITICO)

State

2. A Cloudy Future For Legacy Admissions At PA Colleges And Universities

“Following the recent Supreme Court decision that struck down affirmative action in admissions at both public and private colleges and universities, state Sen. Anthony Williams wants to go one step further in the Keystone State.

Williams’ proposal “would ensure that merit-based admissions is the standard and that preference is removed as a consideration in the college and university admission process.” (PoliticsPA)

Related

PA Is Still Without A Final Budget. What Does The Impasse Mean For State, County Programs? “While this isn’t the first time Pennsylvania has seen an impasse, an extended disagreement could affect state and county-based programs and institutions, including K-12 schools, institutions of higher education, human services programs, economic development efforts, and infrastructure projects.” (Pennsylvania Capital-Star)

• ‘It Makes Us Very Nervous’: Nonprofits Hurt By Prior Impasse Worry About Lack Of PA Budget. (WESA)
• Grove Explains The State Budget Impasse. (Broad + Liberty)

How Harrisburg Works: Higher Bar, Guns In The Capitol, And Why The PA Legislature Is Full Time. “Recently, bills to provide taxpayer funding to four Pennsylvania universities failed repeatedly in the state House despite having approval from a majority of lawmakers. That’s because such legislation must clear a higher bar — approval from two-thirds of lawmakers — in order to pass.” (Spotlight PA)

PA Lawmakers Want To Increase Funding For Gun Violence Prevention By 33%. “Since 2018, Pennsylvania has sent tens of millions of dollars each year to nonprofits and community organizations. Lawmakers intend to increase funding by $10 million this year, to send a total of $40 million to get state dollars into the hands of groups doing antiviolence work. The increase represents a 33% hike.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

PA’s Cinematic Senate Race Coming To An Election Near You. “Americans famously crave instant gratification, but the past few weeks have reminded me that when it comes to two essential American rituals, ultimate fulfillment is delayed more and more with every passing year.” (WESA)

Americans For Prosperity Gears Up For 2024 Election Cycle In PA. “The AFP Foundation, its political wing, will be on the ground running in 2024, with endorsements for the presidential primary, U.S. Senate, Congress, and other races, said Ashley Klingensmith, AFP state director. The free-market activist group has been in Pennsylvania for 13 years and has activists in all 67 counties.” (DV Journal)

Around The Commonwealth

3. The Mountain Valley Pipeline Blocked Again Despite Debt-Ceiling Bill Fast-Tracking Project

“A federal appeals court in Virginia this week delivered a message to Congress, the White House and developers of the Mountain Valley Pipeline: not so fast.

Pennsylvania-based Equitrans Midstream’s roughly 300-mile pipeline, envisioned to bring shale gas from the Marcellus and Utica in Appalachia to markets in the Southeast, was fast-tracked as part of the Biden administration’s deal with Congress to suspend the debt limit in June. It’s also supported by Pennsylvania congressmen, including U.S. Reps. John Joyce and Guy Reschenthaler, who joined U.S. Rep. Carol Miller, R-W.Va., to introduce the legislation in May that helped clear legal obstacles to the pipeline.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Related

With Tolls Off The Table, Planning Work Resumes On Major Susquehanna River Bridge Project. “It’s still a few years away, but one of the biggest road construction projects on the capital region’s to-do list is getting reactivated after a very public brawl over how to pay for it.” (PennLive)

What’s Next As PA Prepares To Spend $1.2B On Broadband. “Before Pennsylvania can spend an almost $1.2 billion windfall of federal funding for high-speed internet, it must figure out how to use it.” (Spotlight PA)

How Cannabis Consumption In PA Compares To The Rest Of The US. “For the states that have legalized cannabis use, marijuana has been a boon for government coffers. Many states with fully operational marijuana programs brought in tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue off of cannabis sales in 2021.” (CNHI News)

Judge Rejects Donald Trump’s Bid To Dismiss A Delco Election Worker’s Defamation Lawsuit. “Philadelphia will remain on the long roster of legal venues where Donald Trump has failed to convince a judge that his job as president in 2020 gives him immunity from lawsuits now.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Diamond: Let’s Stop “Doubling Up”  “State Rep. Russ Diamond (R-Lebanon) is proposing a way to reduce the number and expense of state special elections in one fell swoop. He is planning to introduce legislation that requires candidates to run for just one elected office at a time.” (PoliticsPA)

Ups and Downs. “Ah, the summer months. Sitting back in the hot sun with a cold beverage and food on the grill. Nothing happening in Harrisburg … what could be better? Uh, if this were accurate. Here are our Ups and Downs from the week that was.“ (PoliticsPA)

A Closer Look At Rural Public Transit Needs Suggested. “Public transit improvement remains a legislative priority in Pennsylvania, but the newest idea doesn’t focus isn’t Philadelphia or Pittsburgh. Instead, it’s the rural countryside.” (The Center Square)

York County Employees Authorize Strike, Although They Aren’t Yet Picketing. “The employees of York County’s Children, Youth and Families (CYF) and Area Agency on Aging voted to reject the county’s proposed agreement last week, authorizing a strike.” (York Dispatch)

Election Challenges Delay Certification Of Local Races In Fayette County. “Petitions challenging the Republican Party’s primary election results in seven Fayette County precincts are delaying the final certification of the vote, which was supposed to be completed last month.” (Observer-Reporter)

Editorial

4. What They’re Saying

• A Health Care Crisis Is Upon Us, And This One Is Starting In Courtrooms. (Curt Schroder)
• The Letter That Sank School Vouchers In PA. (Mark Nicastre)
• The Biden Administration’s Attack On Democracy. (Stephen L. Carter)
• The End Of Affirmative Action Is As American As Chattel Slavery. (Karen Thompson)
• George Soros’ Bad Bet On Progressive Prosecutors. (Thomas Hogan)

1 Thing

5. The Story Behind PA’s Most Beloved Sports Mascots

“Have you ever wondered what the Phillie Phanatic is, or how the name Iceburgh came to be? Pennsylvania mascots are one of the state’s claims to fame, and have a special place in the hearts of fans across the state. Whether it’s getting the crowd to roar and cheer at a game, or gracing the reopening of I-95, we love our mascots here in the Keystone State.” (The Keystone)

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