🎉  Wednesday. The Day After

🎶  Your Morning Pick-Me-Up. Where Everybody Knows Your Name. RIP George Wendt

PA Weather
🌧️ Butler | Rain, 62
☂️ Williamsport | Showers, 55
☔ Scranton | Rain, 55

PA Sports
⚾ Phillies (30-18) | Colorado 7-4 | Wed-Thu vs. Colorado
⚾ Pirates (16-33) | Cincinnati 1-0 | Wed vs. Cincinnati
⚽ Union (9-2-3) | Wed vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds (US Open Cup)

PA Money | Futures (as of 7:37 a.m.)
💰 Dow 🔽 -328.00 | NASDAQ 🔽 -108.75 | S&P 🔽 -32.00

🔊  What We’re Hearing. “House and Senate Democratic committees had more cash banked at the end of April than their GOP counterparts, per campaign-finance filings due Tuesday.”

🔊  What We’re Also Hearing. “What’s happening, Norm? It’s a dog-eat-dog world, Sammy, and I’m wearing Milk-Bone underwear.”

🗞️  The PoliticsPA Playbook is compiled by Steve Ulrich. To read in your browser, click here. Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe for free.

Top Story

1. Corey O’Connor Wins Pittsburgh’s Democratic Mayoral Primary, Unseating Incumbent Ed Gainey

“Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor pulled off a rare political feat Tuesday night, unseating incumbent Mayor Ed Gainey in an intense, competitive primary that at times appeared to be a proxy for the national battles between the progressive and moderate wings of the weakened Democratic party.

Mr. O’Connor received nearly 53% of the votes, while Mr. Gainey tallied about 47% with all but two precincts in the city reporting as of early Wednesday morning. Although rare for a challenger to unseat an incumbent, particularly in a dark blue area like Pittsburgh, this marks the second time in a row that voters have decided to make a change in city hall.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Elsewhere

O’Connor Knocks Off Incumbent Gainey in Pittsburgh’s Democratic Mayoral Primary; Moreno Gets GOP Nod. “With 99.3% of precincts reporting unofficial results just after midnight and nearly 19,000 mail-in votes tallied, O’Connor had collected 52.7% of the votes counted compared with 47% for Gainey. On the Republican side, Moreno collected 61.9% of the votes counted compared with 26.6% for small-business owner Thomas West.” (TribLIVE)

Analysis: Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey’s Stunning Primary Defeat Highlights Era of Political Upheaval. “It was the second time in two elections that Democrats ousted an incumbent mayor — something that hadn’t happened in Pittsburgh in nearly a century before Mr. Gainey accomplished the feat just four years ago when he defeated former Mayor Bill Peduto.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

The Commonwealth and Superior Court Candidates Advancing to November. “The party-endorsed Republican candidate for Commonwealth Court coasted to victory in Tuesday’s contested primary, while a Superior Court hopeful who didn’t win the GOP nod defeated her opponent. They’ll face Democrats who ran unopposed for vacancies on Pennsylvania’s powerful lower appellate courts this November.” (Spotlight PA)

State

2. Devlin Stuns Two-Term Incumbent Erie Mayor Schember to Win Democratic Primary

“Daria Devlin’s time is now.

The 47-year-old Democrat scored a stunning upset in the May 20 municipal primary, defeating two-term incumbent Erie Mayor Joe Schember and retired educator Sheila Woeger for their party’s nomination for the top job in city government.

​​Devlin defeated a two-term incumbent devoid of major scandal or damaging public missteps, a mayor in Schember who was first elected in 2017 and rolled to re-election in the 2021 primary by defeating two Democratic challengers and walking away with 74% of the vote.” (Erie Times-News)

Elsewhere

Cognetti Wins Democratic Nomination For Scranton Mayor, Beynon Carries Republican Race. “Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti easily defeated a primary election challenger Tuesday to earn a shot at another term in office. On the Republican side, Trish Beynon, a construction company accounting executive, defeated Lynn Labrosky, a car repair shop co-owner.” (WVIA)

Incumbent Tuerk Secures Democratic Nomination for Allentown Mayor. “Incumbent Mayor Matt Tuerk handedly won the Democratic nomination for mayor of Allentown on Tuesday, fending off a challenge from councilman Ed Zucal. Tuerk is seeking a second, four-year term as mayor.” (Armchair Lehigh Valley)

Wanda Williams Fends Off Challengers, Is Poised to Win a Second Term As Harrisburg Mayor. “A five-way contest for the all-important Democrat nomination for Harrisburg mayor came down to a primary Election Night horse race between incumbent Wanda Williams and Treasurer Dan Miller. The outcome was a photo finish, with the incumbent appearing poised to secure a second term.” (PennLive)

Arroyo Wins Democratic Nomination For Lancaster City Mayor. “Democrat Jaime Arroyo is on the path to become Lancaster city’s next mayor after soundly defeating opponent Janet Diaz Tuesday.” (LNP)

Reynolds Defeats Crampsie Smith to Win Democratic Nod for Bethlehem Mayor. “Incumbent J. William Reynolds has beaten back a challenge from Councilwoman Grace Crampsie Smith to capture the Democratic nomination for Bethlehem mayor. Reynolds, who is seeking his second term, tallied approximately 4,400 votes to Crampsie Smith’s 2,228, according to unofficial results” (Armchair Lehigh Valley)

King Wins Democratic Nod For Johnstown Mayor, Will Face GOP’s DeBartola in Fall. “Deputy Mayor the Rev. Sylvia King and self-described community watchdog John DeBartola are now set to face off in the general election to become the City of Johnstown’s next mayor.” (Johnstown Tribune-Democrat)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Philly DA Larry Krasner Defeats Primary Challenger Patrick Dugan, Positioning Him For a Third Term

“Over the last eight years, Philadelphians have seen the rate of shootings and homicides soar to unthinkable heights, they’ve seen the violence decrease at a dizzying pace, and through it all, the city’s Democratic voters have stood by District Attorney Larry Krasner.

Krasner, a leader of the national progressive prosecutor movement, is poised to win a third term after prevailing over a well-funded challenge from former Municipal Court Judge Patrick F. Dugan in Tuesday’s Democratic primary, according to an Associated Press projection. With a majority of precincts reporting late Tuesday night, Krasner held a commanding lead of about 20 percentage points.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Elsewhere

On a ‘Slow’ Pennsylvania Primary Day, Civic Duty and National Issues Were Top of Mind For Philly Voters. “The high-profile race for Philly district proved of low interest to voters, with one official saying the action at the polls was “slow, very slow.”” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Key Takeaways From the PA Primary: Incumbent Mayors, Experienced Executive Candidates Perform Well in Low-Turnout Races. “Incumbent mayors had a good night in Allentown and Bethlehem, while a low-turnout primary election saw experienced county executive candidates prevail and set up partisan contests for November’s school board races.” (Allentown Morning Call)

Downingtown Is One Step Closer to Electing Pennsylvania’s First Openly Transgender Mayor. “Erica Deuso won the Democratic nomination to be Downingtown’s mayor. If elected, she would be the first transgender person elected mayor in Pennsylvania.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Editorial

4. Speak Your Mind

• It’s Trump’s Move on U.S. Steel Sale. (TribLIVE)
• Don’t Repeat History. Sell U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel. (Sen. Kim Ward)
• How Groupthink Protected Biden and Re-elected Trump. (Ezra Klein)
• Joe Biden and the 25th Amendment. (James Taranto)
• DOGE Slashed AmeriCorps – Why the National Service Program Cuts Matter in PA. (Rep. Dan Miller)

1 Thing

5. A Man Walked Into a Bar – And Every Cheers Episode, George Wendt’s Norm Made It Funny

“From the first episode of Cheers to the very last, a decade later, George Wendt’s teddy bear barfly Norm Peterson was a fully formed sitcom dream. Like Howard Borden before him and Cosmo Kramer after him, his entrance alone was a highlight in every episode – and Wendt, who has died aged 76, appeared in all 275 episodes of Cheers, a feat matched by only Ted Danson and Rhea Perlman.

Every single time he opened the door, perpetually sweaty and tie always askew, the bar gave a huge cheer – “NOOOORM!” – as he trudged to his favourite stool for that first beer. Every weary walk to his seat came with a zinger.” (The Guardian)

Thank you for starting your Wednesday with us.
And reading the PoliticsPA Playbook