🇺🇲 It’s Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. As well as special election day in PA and National Voter Registration Day. Have a day, PA
PA Weather
☁️ Titusville | Mostly Cloudy, 79
☁️ Pequea | Cloudy, 79
🌤️ Lackawaxen | Mostly Sunny, 78
PA Sports
⚾ Phillies (90-60) | Milwaukee 2-6 | Tue-Wed vs. Milwaukee
⚾ Pirates (71-79) | St. Louis 0-4 | Tue-Thu vs. St. Louis
🏈 Eagles (1-1) | Atlanta 21-22 | Sun vs. New Orleans
⚽ Union (7-9-12) | Wed vs. NYC FC
🗓️ What’s Happening Today. The Senate convenes at 1 p.m. Vice President Kamala Harris will be interviewed by NABJ journalists at the studios of WHYY in Philadelphia at 2:30.
👂 What We’re Hearing. “This is female-gender advantage on steroids,” said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center. “In all three data sets, the women margin is around almost twice around Trump’s edge among men.”
🗞️ You Asked for PA News. We Deliver. 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. Suffolk Poll Says Harris Leads Trump In PA, Two Bellwether Counties
“Vice President Kamala Harris holds an advantage over former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania as well as two of the Keystone State’s bellwether counties according to a USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll released Monday night.
Harris, the Democratic candidate, has a three-point lead over the Republican nominee, 49-46%, in a survey of 500 likely voters in the Commonwealth in a poll conducted Sept. 12-15. The results are within the poll’s margin of error of +/-4.4.
In the U.S. Senate contest, Democratic incumbent Bob Casey Jr. leads Republican challenger Dave McCormick, 47-43%.” (PoliticsPA)
Elsewhere
‘So Goes Pennsylvania’: Inside The Harris-Trump Fight For Top 2024 Battleground. “The state could come down to undecided voters in Northeast Pennsylvania and its emerging “Latino Belt.” That includes Lehigh Valley, home of Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton and several smaller townships.” (USA Today)
- Harris-Walz Campaign to Bring Abortion Rights Bus Tour to Harrisburg on Wednesday. (PennLive)
Trump Targets Western PA Borough For Its Growing Haitian Population Amid False Claims of Migrants Eating Pets in Ohio. “The borough manager said Haitian immigrants are “not a burden” on Charleroi, despite Donald Trump’s insinuations on stage in Tucson, Arizona, Thursday.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)
- Local GOP Lawmaker Pushes Back on Trump’s attacks on Haitians in Charleroi, PA. (The Keystone)
- Charleroi’s Immigrant Liaison Says National Attention Has Stressed Borough’s Haitian Population. (Washington Observer-Reporter)
With 7 Weeks Before Election, Harris and Biden Keep Focus On PA. “President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are starting this week the way they spent much of last week — in Pennsylvania.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Biden Talks Up Historically Black Colleges, Condemns Anti-Haitian Rhetoric In Philly Visit. “While President Joe Biden talked up his commitment to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, or HBCUs, in his visit to Philadelphia on Monday, he reinforced his stance against anti-Haitian immigrant rhetoric from Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.” (Philadelphia Tribune)
State
2. 2020 Déjà Vu: Why the 2024 Election Could Take Days to Call
“Four years ago, former President Trump seized on expected delays in counting heavily Democratic absentee and mail-in ballots in swing states to fuel false claims that the election was stolen. Experts warn it could happen again in 2024.
Why it matters: In the politically divided states whose 2020 votes received the most attention, some new laws and policies aim to expedite ballot counts — but many rules and timelines will likely be the same.
And in those toss-up states — Wisconsin, Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgia — the margins in the race for president could be even closer this time.” (Axios)
Elsewhere
PA Counties Can Start Printing Mail Ballots After State Supreme Court Rules Cornel West Can’t Join Ballot. “Pennsylvania counties can begin printing and distributing mail ballots after the Pennsylvania Department of State finalized the list of candidates who will appear on the ballot Monday.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Inside the Mail-In Ballot Battle in Pennsylvania That Could Swing the Election. “Thousands of votes could be left uncounted in an ongoing legal battle in Pennsylvania over a paperwork error.” (NOTUS)
Why Do Election Experts Oppose Hand-Counting Ballots? “Election experts resoundingly agree that hand-counting ballots takes longer than counting with machines, it’s less reliable, and it’s a logistical nightmare for U.S. elections — including in Pennsylvania.” (AP)
Shapiro’s New Automatic Voter Registration Is Benefiting Republicans By a 2 to 1 Margin. “Sometimes political actions have unintended consequences. When Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Montgomery County Democrat, implemented a new measure that allowed residents getting driver’s licenses and ID cards to be opted into registering to vote, some Republican elected officials and conservatives weren’t happy about it. ” (Washington Examiner)
GOP Attorney General Candidate Sunday Strikes Moderate Tone With PennLive Editorial Board. “Dave Sunday, the GOP candidate for state attorney general, tried to tone down the extreme rhetoric dominating the top of his party during a meeting with the PennLive editorial board on Monday.” (PennLive)
Around The Commonwealth
3. Fun With Maps: Voter Registration by County (Sept. 2024)
“Fifty days out from the 2024 presidential election, we decided to take a look at voter registration numbers in the Commonwealth and their potential impact in November.
Democrats (3.93M) continue to hold a registration advantage over Republicans (3.58M) by approximately 343,000 voters. That number has dropped by 13,000 since our last compilation. Those registered with no affiliation total just over one million (1.06M), while other party registrants are just under 345,000.” (PoliticsPA)
Elsewhere
Can Kamala Harris Win Back Support In PA’s Trump-Friendly Rust Belt? “Once Democratic strongholds, Nanticoke and former manufacturing towns like it across Pennsylvania started on a rightward shift that has been supercharged by Trump’s populism.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Luzerne County Elections Board Confirms Jamie Walsh As Winner of Republican State House Nomination. “Almost five months after the primary election, Jamie Walsh officially became the winner of the Republican nomination for a Luzerne County state House seat Monday.” (WVIA)
Democrats Run Unopposed to Fill 2 State House Vacancies in Philadelphia. “Philadelphia voters on Tuesday will fill two vacant state House seats in special elections, and in both cases a Democratic candidate is the only person on the ballot.” (AP)
Bradley, Dintini Get Spotlight From RSLC, Right Leaders Network. “As part of its ongoing effort to grow and strengthen the Republican party by elevating more women and diverse down-ballot candidates in the states, the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) is kicking off its 2024 Right Leaders Network Spotlight Candidates Series this weekend by showcasing a slate of leaders who will be on the ballot across the nation in 2024.” (PoliticsPA)
DLCC Identifies 19 PA Races to Watch With 50 Days Remaining. “In a memo shared with PoliticsPA, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) shared its focus on driving resources and attention to Pennsylvania and 19 races that will make the difference in the outcome of the election.” (PoliticsPA)
Editorial
4. What’s On Your Mind
- PA Supreme Court Wrongly Passed On Chance to Settle Election Procedures. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
- Pennsylvania Ballot Dating Dilemma is a Political Groundhog Day. (Greensburg Tribune-Review)
- We Need Voter ID Laws — But Only If They Bring In More Voters. (Adriana E. Ramírez)
- Pennsylvania Should Celebrate Japanese Investment in its Steel Industry. (Michael Stelzig)
- The Immigrants You Fear Are Just Like Your Ancestors. Don’t Fall For Political Scare Tactics. (Jos Joseph)
- So, You’re Sure the Presidential Race Will Be Close? (Stuart Rothenberg)
- How Trump Can Win Pennsylvania. (Guy Ciarrocchi)
- Taking Smartphones From Students Won’t Stop School Shootings. Pennsylvania Lawmakers Need to Pass Gun Legislation. (LNP | Lancaster Online)
- National Voter Registration Day Is More Important Than Ever. (Kristina Becvar)
1 Thing
5. NBA Teams Up to Power The Polls
“Democracy thrives when everyone plays their part, and this election cycle, the NBA is stepping up to ensure every vote is counted. In partnership with Power the Polls and Vet the Vote, we’re recruiting the next wave of poll workers — a crucial role in keeping our elections running smoothly.
Poll workers are the unsung heroes of Election Day. From making sure polling stations stay open to ensuring technology works seamlessly, they’re the ones who help voters cast their ballots with confidence. It’s not just a civic duty — it’s an opportunity to give back, support the democratic process and even earn some extra income.” (NBA)
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