A Split Decision Thursday. Warm to the west, cooler to the east. 

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Your Morning Pick-Me-Up. Ain’t Too Proud to Beg, The Temptations

PA Weather
Heidelberg | Mostly Sunny, 70
Huntingdon | Partly Sunny, 56
Harveys Lake | Partly Sunny, 51

PA Sports
Flyers (27-31-8) | Thu vs. Tampa Bay
Penguins (26-31-10) | Thu vs. St. Louis
Sixers (22-43) | Toronto 105-118 | Fri vs. Indiana

Social Media. Join us on Twitter and Bluesky at @PoliticsPA

Top Story

1. Fetterman Says He’ll Back a GOP Spending Bill to Avoid a Government Shutdown. Will Other Democrats Follow?

“The heat is on for Senate Democrats this week as they weigh whether to support a Republican-led government spending bill that they oppose or to risk being blamed for shutting down the federal government.

And front and center is Sen. John Fetterman, who has vowed to support the bill to avoid a shutdown, in a moment reflective of the larger question confronting the Democratic Party: When to fight and when to fall in line?” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Elsewhere

Scanlon Condemns the Arrest of Columbia Student Mahmoud Khalil in Scathing Letter. “U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon is one of three Democrats circulating a letter castigating President Donald J. Trump’s administration for the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil and seeking answers from two of his top cabinet members about the case.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Warrants For Scott Perry’s Cellphone Finally Unveiled, Revealing True Target. “The affidavit Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigators filed in support of the Perry search stated that they were looking for information implicating Jeffrey Clark.” (PennLive)

U.S.-Made Beer, Bourbon, Motorcycles and More On Tariff List in Trump Trade War With EU. “The European Union released a lengthy list Wednesday of U.S. goods, from Kentucky bourbon to household appliances, slated for retaliatory tariffs in response to President Donald Trump’s taxes on steel and aluminum imports that went into effect overnight.” (Penn Capital-Star)

State

2. Who’s Running For Statewide Court?

“The spotlight of the nation is focused again on Pennsylvania, this time for its retention elections for three of its seven judges on the state’s Supreme Court.

Here is a list of candidates for retention and for vacancies on Pennsylvania’s courts.” (PoliticsPA)

Elsewhere

Sunday Offers Insights to His First Few Weeks As PA Attorney General. “Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday on Wednesday offered more insight into his recent decision to abstain from joining a lawsuit filed by Gov. Josh Shapiro against the Trump administration regarding $2 billion in state funding that was, at the time, frozen.” (PennLive)

‘Our Democracy Will Get Better.’ PA Legislators Push For Open Primaries. “Taxes paid by unaffiliated voters, often called independents, fund primary elections in Pennsylvania, even though they are excluded from participating in them.” (LNP)

Does Pennsylvania’s Natural Gas Industry Pay Its Fair Share of Taxes? “In an appropriations committee hearing, State Senator Art Haywood (D-Philadelphia) said drillers are ripping off Pennsylvania.” (WETM)

PA is Facing a Nursing Shortage. Gov. Shapiro Takes Aim With a $5 Million Proposal. “Hospitals across the state are grappling with a persistent shortage of nurses, straining health care systems and patient care. And Pennsylvania’s workforce shortage is among the most severe in the nation, with the state potentially looking at a dearth of 20,000 nurses by next year.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Who’s Running For County Courts of Common Pleas?

The petition deadline has passed. Here is the list of candidates for vacancies in the state’s Court of Common Pleas. (PoliticsPA)

Elsewhere

Pittsburgh-Area Republicans Look to Compete Up and Downballot as 2025 Ballots Take Shape. “Local Republicans appear to have made good on a pledge to contest every municipal race in the city of Pittsburgh this year, and they have also fielded a candidate in the race for Allegheny County sheriff.” (WESA)

PA LGBTQ Protections Challenged In Court. Why Schools, Parents, Politicians Are Suing. “A lawsuit filed by two school districts and several parents seeks to remove Pennsylvania’s protections for transgender and gay people, redefining the discrimination guidelines for these groups.” (Beaver County Times)

Schools’ Solar Demand Booming in Pennsylvania. “In its pilot round, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, or DCED, reported receiving 88 grant applications from schools across 25 counties for the Solar for Schools program. Schools requested $88 million in funding — more than three times the available $25 million. ” (The Center Square)

Philly DA Larry Krasner, Former Judge Pat Dugan Talk Trump, Homicides and Retail Theft at Candidate Forum. “The Democratic candidates agreed on most issues but highlighted their differences on issues like the city’s crime rate and the death penalty.” (WHYY)

Editorial

4. Speak Your Mind

• As Washington Unwinds Its Commitments, State and Local Governments Will Have to Step Up. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• Harrisburg’s Getting a Wake-Up Call. Who Will Answer? (John Baer)
• Pundit Nation Was Wrong About Everything. (Peter Kalis)

1 Thing

5. Total Eclipse of the Heart

“Late tonight and early Friday bring the rare chance to see a total lunar eclipse and “Blood Moon.”

Why it matters: This is the first total lunar eclipse since November 2022 and it’s the only lunar eclipse visible from the U.S. this year.

The initial phase of the eclipse, called the penumbral eclipse, begins at 11:57pm ET Thursday, NASA said in its timeline.” (Axios Philadelphia)

Thank you for starting your morning with us.
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