👟 Kicking Off a Short Week. Let’s make it a good one.

PA Weather
🌂 Erie | Mostly Cloudy, Chance of Rain, 53
☁️ State College | Increasing Clouds, 51
☀️ Allentown | Mostly Sunny, 54

PA Sports
🏈 Steelers (8-3) | Sun vs. Cincinnati
🏈 Eagles (9-2) | LA Rams 37-20 | Sun vs. Baltimore
🏈 Penn State (10-1) | Minnesota 26-25 | Sat vs. Maryland
🏈 Pitt (7-4) | Louisville 9-37 | Sat vs. Boston College
🏈 Temple (3-8) | UTSA 27-51 | Sat vs. North Texas
🏀 Sixers (3-13) | Brooklyn 113-98 | LA Clippers 99-125 | Wed vs. Houston
🏒 Flyers (9-10-2) | Chicago 3-2 (OT) | Mon vs. Vegas
🏒 Penguins (7-12-4) | Winnipeg 1-4 | Utah 1-6 | Wed vs. Vancouver

📻 What We’re Listening To. Voices of Reason Podcast: Why PA “Bled Red” Statewide in 2024. (PoliticsPA)

📱 Find Us On Blue Sky. PoliticsPA has joined Blue Sky as another option for your social media. Come join us at politicspa.bluesky.social. You can also find us on Twitter @PoliticsPA

🗞️ Good Morning Pennsylvania. Find all the latest news on what’s happening in Keystone State politics with 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. McCormick’s Challenge: Balancing Needs of Pennsylvania With Those of Donald Trump

“Clad in jeans and a winter jacket, David McCormick stood in front of the U.S. Steel Tower in Downtown Pittsburgh last December to call the iconic American company’s potential sale to Japan’s largest steel manufacturer a tragedy.

Now — with Sen. Bob Casey conceding a bitter, tight race amid a recount Thursday — Mr. McCormick will get a chance come January to make good on his pledge to fight for Pennsylvania steelworkers, as well as working families and businesses across the country that he says have been hit hard by the Biden-Harris administration. ” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Elsewhere

End of the Casey Era: Bob Casey Will Leave the Senate With a Reputation as a Quiet Fighter For Working People. “After conceding to Republican Dave McCormick, Pennsylvania’s senior senator drew praise for his work and character.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Corporate Greed to Miner Benefits: A Look At Outgoing Sen. Bob Casey’s Legislative Career. “Casey was first elected to the Senate in 2006, soundly defeating then-incumbent Sen. Rick Santorum. He went on to breeze through two subsequent re-election contests. Here are a few of Casey’s accomplishments during his three terms in the Senate.” (Erie Times-News)

Fetterman Admits Dems ‘Sort of Lost Ourselves’ On Key Election Issue. “Sen John Fetterman says Democrats’ messaging on border security cost them the White House, Congress.” (Fox News)

President-Elect Trump Using Secret Money to Run His Transition Team. “President-elect Donald Trump is keeping secret the names of the donors who are funding his transition effort, a break from tradition that could make it impossible to see what interest groups, businesses or wealthy people are helping launch his second term.” (New York Times)

State

2. Shapiro Redirects $153M in Federal Highway Funds to SEPTA

“At a Friday morning press conference in Philadelphia, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced that he is redirecting $153 million in federal highway funding to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA).

The regional public transportation agency operates bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail and electric trolleybus services for the five counties in and around Philadelphia.

SEPTA is grappling with a $240 million budget shortfall and was considering planned service cuts to deal with the deficit.” (PoliticsPA)

Elsewhere

PA Spending Headed Into the Red? As Budget Season Approaches, Clashing Views Abound. “New and bleak numbers from the state Independent Fiscal Office could harden partisan views on Pennsylvania’s long-term financial health as another budget season approaches, with projections for deficits that start this year at $3.4 billion and escalate to $6.7 billion in five years.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Josh Shapiro Faces New Harrisburg Reality: A Republican Attorney General. “With the election of Dave Sunday as attorney general, Pennsylvania will have a governor and top prosecutor from different political parties for the first time in a decade.” (LNP | Lancaster Online)

Mumin Resigns as Education Head; Fitterer Named Acting Secretary. “There will be a change at the top of Pennsylvania’s education department. Secretary of Education Khalid Mumin announced his resignation from the post after serving the Commonwealth for the past two years.” (PoliticsPA)

Clarke Named PLCB Chair. “Governor Josh Shapiro announced today that Darrell Clarke is the new chairman of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB).” (PoliticsPA)

Around The Commonwealth

3. The GOP Courts An Unlikely Voting Bloc: the Amish

“The Amish normally avoid the spotlight. But during the recent U.S. election, photos and videos went viral of Amish holding Trump 2024 signs, registering to vote and attending rallies in the weeks before they enthusiastically helped re-elect Donald Trump.

Now, Republican organizers say the outreach to the so-called plain communities, including Amish voters in the rural patchwork of farms west of Philadelphia and north of Pittsburgh, was so successful that they are making them a permanent bloc of voters to court.” (Wall Street Journal)

Elsewhere

Democrats Search For Answers As Blue Philadelphia Turns Towards Trump. “Trump grew his support in nearly all of Philadelphia’s wards – what went wrong for Harris in a key Democratic city?” (The Guardian)

Counties Fight For More Freedom Over How to Spend Opioid Money With $247M More on the Way. “As local governments prepare to receive roughly $247 million more to fight the opioid epidemic, some Pennsylvania counties are fighting decisions made by a state oversight board to reject their spending plans.” (Spotlight PA)

Pennsylvania Investigations Into Suspicious Voter Registration Forms Yield No Charges Yet. “Investigations by five Pennsylvania counties into the submission of suspicious voter registration forms haven’t resulted in any charges yet, and three of the counties aren’t releasing details about the progress of their inquiries.” (Votebeat Pennsylvania)

Ex Schuylkill County HR Director Sues, Alleges County Denied Interview to Get Her Job Back. “The former Schuylkill County official whose investigation found a former county commissioner harassed and abused female employees wants compensation dating back more than four years.” (WVIA)

Editorial

4. What’s On Your Mind

• Let’s Change the Tone of Elections in 2025. (Greensburg Tribune-Review)
• Can John Fetterman Change Enough to Win Reelection? (Oliver Bateman)
• Corey O’Connor Will Be Pittsburgh’s Next Mayor. (Brandon McGinley)
• Outdated Township Construction Laws Are Costing Taxpayers Money. (Sen. Doug Mastriano)
• As Voters Reject Marijuana, PA Policymakers Should Avoid the Failed Experiment. (Dan Bartkowiak)

1 Thing

5. Temple to ‘Step Back and Assess’ Football Program, President John Fry Says

“Temple University is reassessing its football program following the firing of its head coach, President John Fry said Friday.

The admission comes amid speculation that the program could be on the chopping block.

Temple is in a difficult position to turn the struggling program around, with rampant realignment and new name, image and likeness (NIL) rules reshaping college football.” (Philadelphia Business Journal)

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