🌅 Good Morning, Tuesday. Oh, that news cycle.

PA Weather
🌤️ Curwensville | Partly Sunny, 83
☁️ Ephrata | Mostly Cloudy, 86
☁️ Wind Gap | Mostly Cloudy, 84

PA Sports
⚾ Phillies (63-37) | Minnesota 2-7 | Tue-Wed vs. Minnesota
⚾ Pirates (51-49) | St. Louis 2-1 | Tue-Wed vs. St. Louis

👂 What We’re Hearing. Rep. Mike Kelly seems likely to get a seat on Speaker Mike Johnson’s assassination commission. Rep. Dan Meuser is also angling for a spot among the six GOP members on the 11-person panel.

🎂 Happy Birthday. Cake and candles for Rep. Mike Jones.

🗞️ Pennsylvania Headlines >> Your Inbox. Where can you find all 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 AM. And it’s free. Add your name to the list and subscribe now.

Top Story

1. Harris Has Support of Enough Dem Delegates To Become Nominee

“Vice President Kamala Harris has secured the support of enough Democratic delegates to become her party’s nominee against Republican Donald Trump, according to an Associated Press survey, as top Democrats rallied to her in the aftermath of President Joe Biden’s decision to drop his bid for reelection.

The quick coalescing behind Harris marked an attempt by the party to put weeks of internecine drama over Biden’s political future behind them and to unify behind the task of defeating Trump with just over 100 days until Election Day.” (AP)

Related

Is America Ready For a Woman of Color To Be President? Black Leaders Here Say Yes. “The Democratic Party seems all but ready to make Vice President Kamala Harris the first woman of color to top a major party presidential ticket. But is America ready to vote for her?” (Philadelphia Tribune)

• Black and Asian American Leaders in Philly Hope Kamala Harris’ Candidacy Will Energize Democrats. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• PA Democrats Falling In Line Behind Harris. (PoliticsPA)
• Harris Earns Endorsement of Pennsylvania Democratic Party. (PoliticsPA)

Biden’s Exit Expected to Impact PA — Whether or Not Josh Shapiro Lands on Ticket. “President Joe Biden’s announcement Sunday that he was ending his reelection bid has upended politics nationwide, and will almost certainly have a particularly acute impact on Pennsylvania.” (Delco Times)

Will Vance Be a Boost – Or a Bust — For Trump in Philly Suburbs? “Most political strategists say Vance could make a difference in western Pennsylvania, with its large, blue-collar population. But how will the military veteran and Yale Law grad impact the race in the affluent white-collar suburbs of southeastern Pennsylvania?” (DV Journal)

State

2. Would Shapiro Have to Step Down as Governor to Run For VP?

“With speculation swirling around a possible vice presidential ticket slot alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, what is in place for the Keystone State should Gov. Josh Shapiro be added to the Democratic ballot opposite Republicans Donald Trump and JD Vance?

For openers, there is no “resign-to-run” law in the Commonwealth, meaning that the governor can continue in office while campaigning for a potential Harris-Shapiro ticket in the fall.” (PoliticsPA)

Related

Gov. Josh Shapiro Neither Confirms Nor Denies He’s in the Running for VP Nomination. “Shapiro, swarmed by national media at a news conference in Pittsburgh the day after President Joe Biden ended his reelection campaign and endorsed his vice president, said Harris will make the “deeply personal decision” of choosing who she wants to campaign and govern with.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

• Pennsylvania Democrats Want Harris to Pick One of Their Own. (NOTUS)

Who is Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro? Full Biography, Key Accomplishments, Controversies & More. “Shapiro, 51, was elected Pennsylvania’s governor in 2022 and assumed office in January 2023. He is a moderate Democrat whose career trajectory has seen him move from congressional aide to Pennsylvania’s chief executive, all within two decades.” (Spotlight PA)

• What Makes Josh Shapiro a VP Candidate? Here’s Five Highlights of His PA Political Career. (PhillyBurbs.com)
• Everyone Is Talking About Whether Josh Shapiro Will Be Harris’ Running Mate, Except Josh Shapiro. (WESA)
• Democratic VP Contender Shapiro Made His Name Battling Trump in Court As Pennsylvania AG. (NBC News)

Pennsylvania Gets Nearly $400 Million For Industrial Decarbonization. “The money will kick-start its Rise PA program, which stands for Reducing Industrial Sector Emissions in Pennsylvania, and takes on the biggest source of carbon emissions in the state, and the one that has been stubbornly increasing even as other sectors of the economy have seen emissions fall over the past two decades.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

PA Supreme Court Rejects Pittsburgh’s Appeal of Ruling Striking Down Tax on Visiting Athletes. “A Pennsylvania court ruling declaring Pittsburgh’s tax on visiting athletes and performers unconstitutional will remain in place after the state Supreme Court declined to hear the city’s appeal.” (Penn Capital-Star)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Homeland Security Committee Says ‘Glaringly Obvious Issues’ Were Present at Trump Rally

“The July 13 rally for former President Donald Trump had “glaringly obvious” security issues, members of the House Committee on Homeland Security said after touring the Butler Farm Show grounds.

Representatives on the committee got a firsthand look at not only the Butler Farm Show grounds, but also at the nearby rooftop where the 20-year-old Bethel Park man who shot at Trump was perched during the campaign rally.” (Butler Eagle)

Related

Perry, Lee Question Trump Rally Security Breakdown. “Two of Pennsylvania’s congressional lawmakers probed U.S. Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle on Monday about the agency’s communications minutes before a gunman opened fire at a July 13 campaign rally, nearly killing former president Donald Trump.” (The Center Square)

Harris’ Candidacy, Shapiro Buzz May Help Other Democrats: PA Senator. “The leader of Pennsylvania’s Democrats in the state Senate is predicting that the surge of support for Kamala Harris will help the party’s chances of flipping control of the state’s upper legislative chamber — possibly even more so if Gov. Josh Shapiro ends up on the national ticket.” (PennLive)

Despite Jay-Z and Josh Shapiro’s Support, PA Didn’t Approve School Vouchers This Year. Here’s Why. “Pennsylvania lawmakers and advocates were prepared for a tough budget fight over school vouchers this year. But it fizzled out.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Editorial

4. What’s On Your Mind

• Joe Biden is a Bridge to the Past, and Now to the Future. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• Kamala Harris Just Made the Election Exciting Again. (Adriana E. Ramírez)
• Cutting Government Red Tape Can Help Bridge the Digital Divide in Rural PA. (Jim Martin)
• Deception, Hypocrisy, and Failure. (Guy Ciarrocchi)
• Reset in Presidential Race Gives PA Young Voters Chance to Refocus On the Real Issues. (Kevin Mack)
• Pennsylvania’s Pivotal District, PA-17. (Salena Zito)

1 Fast Food Thing

5. The Meal Deal Lives On

“Burger chain McDonald’s $5 value meal offer will be extended to August at most U.S. locations after about 93% of its restaurants voted in favor of the plan, according to a memo seen by Reuters.

McDonald’s kicked off the meal offer on June 25 for an initial four-week period to compete with similar promotions offered by large fast-food chains to attract cash-strapped customers. Some McDonald’s restaurants have voted in favor of extending the offer through August, while others are yet to vote, which could mean different offer periods for different geographies, according to the memo.” (Reuters)

Thanks for starting your morning with us.
Please invite your colleagues
to subscribe to the PoliticsPA Playbook