Recent polls show Casey and Wolf with double digit leads, while Barletta paints Casey as ineffective in new ads. Here is the Playbook.

Three Polls Show Casey and Wolf Up Double-Digits: The polls also indicate President Trump is a factor in how they will vote.

Drilling Down: How Democrats Can Make The Most of Their Advantages in Pennsylvania This Year: The newly drawn map should benefit Democratic Congressional candidates.

PA1: Cook Moves Race From Leans Republican to Toss Up: The election analyst believes President Trump’s unpopularity is defining the race.

PA Sen: Barletta Paints Casey as Ineffective in New Ads: The two newest ads are running on cable in Philadelphia and on broadcast TV in every other Pennsylvania market except for Scranton.

F&M Poll: 60% of the state’s registered voters say they are “very interested” in the 2018 elections, while 50% of registered voters in PA believes Gov. Wolf is doing an “excellent” or “good” job, and 42% of registered voters say Sen. Casey is doing an “excellent” or “good” job.

Harrisburg & DC
AP: Pennsylvania’s high court hears argument from unnamed clergy
Post-Gazette: Pa. gubernatorial candidate Wagner invested his own donations to his campaign — and made money on the deal
PennLive: With midterms looming, Democrats have ‘overplayed their hand on everything,’ state GOP boss says
WHYY Newsworks: The Republicans are reassessing their chances in Pa. midterms
Morning Call: What have Bob Casey and Pat Toomey said ahead of today’s Kavanaugh hearing?
Inquirer: Pa. House advances bill ordering gun surrender in more domestic violence cases
Inquirer: Uber drivers win settlement over data breach but lose case over employee rights
Citizens Voice: Cosby behind bars: Appeal could focus on women, judge, tape
Inquirer: How to register to vote in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware
StateImpactPA: In Pennsylvania, no oversight of where some pipelines can be built
StateImpactPA: We’re wired to be wary of certain things. Here’s why pipelines are among them
StateImpactPA: First responders near pipeline prep for an unlikely event: ‘One hell of a boom’
StateImpactPA: Mariner East 2: Sunoco’s incidents, fines and shutdowns fuel residents’ safety concerns
PLSReporter: Capitol All-Star Game Recap
PLSReporter: Restrictions to domestic abusers gun ownership pass House
PLSReporter: VIDEO: Mixes reactions among legislators following HB 2060 House passage
PLSReporter: House committee advances grand jury suggestion missing from statue bill
PLSReporter: Committee forwards new affordable housing plan in Philadelphia
Inquirer: Pa. Supreme Court weighs whether to keep names redacted in grand jury report
PlanPhilly: A Philly-Pittsburgh Hyperloop? State House resolution calls for feasibility study
WESA: With Time Running Out, Senators Say They Won’t Pass Sex Abuse Bill As-Is
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Panel OKs reduced plates for veterans
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Three casinos signal plans for sports betting in Pennsylvania
PennLive: In an emotional video, one of five sisters sexually abused by priest implores Senate to pass reforms
PennLive: Pa. Republican Rep. Keith Rothfus is a ‘dead man walking,’ report
PennLive: Wolf, Casey maintain double-digit leads over GOP opponents new poll, finds

Philadelphia
Philadelphia Magazine: Kenney Wants $15 Minimum Wage for City Employees, Contractors
WHYY Newsworks: As protestors heckle, affordable housing bills advance in City Council
WHYY Newsworks: City fights filthy streets with viral video
WHYY Newsworks: Philly developers say numbers don’t ‘pencil’ out on city’s latest affordable housing scheme
PlanPhilly: A Philly-Pittsburgh Hyperloop? State House resolution calls for feasibility study   
KYW Newsradio: Report exposes personal experiences of those below Philly’s poverty line
PhillyVoice: WATCH: Attorneys protest judge’s controversial decision regarding new DA policy

SEPA
Delco Daily Times: Bianca’s Law: Comitta introduces bill to ban loaded handguns in cars
Delco Daily Times: Delco reps back move to get guns out of hands of abusers
Bucks County Courier Times: State, federal candidates to appear at League of Women Voters forums
Bucks County Courier Times: Bucks election board relocates polling places in Milford, Telford
Pottstown Mercury: Pottstown School Board replacement will wait until November
Daily Local News: Kichline, Arkoosh to receive Devereux award
Daily Local News: Gun Sense panel discusses link between mental health and guns
Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette: Allegheny County gets $1.7 million in grants to address health inequality, opioid epidemic
Post-Gazette: New judge in Antwon Rose slaying denies motion to keep discovery out of officer’s hands
Post-Gazette: Pa. gubernatorial candidate Wagner invested his own donations to his campaign — and made money on the deal  
Post-Gazette: Funds for medical examiner’s ballistics testing are part of gun-violence reduction effort
Post-Gazette: ‘I think this is a ‘Who are we?’ moment,’ law professor says about Brett Kavanaugh hearings  
PlanPhilly: A Philly-Pittsburgh Hyperloop? State House resolution calls for feasibility study
WESA: At Voter Mobilization Event, Tom Hanks Says If You Don’t Vote ‘You Can’t Complain’
KDKA: National Guard Tearing Down Blighted Properties In Beaver Falls
City Paper: Lisa Cunningham named editor-in-chief at Pittsburgh City Paper

SWPA
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Johnstown Act 47 exit strategy draft presented, City Council and public have chance to comment
Altoona Mirror: Blair budget initially $5M short
Observer-Reporter: Monessen seeks help from National Guard with blight problem
Observer-Reporter: Charleroi district wants to keep tax collections local
Beaver County Times: County considers contracting two CYS solicitors
Beaver County Times: Beaver Falls, Monaca revitalization funding for projects approved
PennLive: Pa. Republican Rep. Keith Rothfus is a ‘dead man walking,’ report

NEPA
Citizens Voice: W-B parking authority goes to court over former Hotel Sterling lot
Citizens Voice: Author to promote book at Barnes & Noble in W-B Twp.
Citizens Voice: Training needed on W-B police records system
Citizens Voice: Democrats dominate new election poll
The Times Leader: Luzerne County officials promise corrective action on audit delay issues
The Times Leader: Wilkes-Barre police must settle record system debt

South Central
Carlisle Sentinel: Keefer, Tallman among those opposed to Rozzi provision in sexual abuse bill
PennLive: In an emotional video, one of five sisters sexually abused by priest implores Senate to pass reforms
PennLive: Milton Hershey never dreamed it: His school provides haven for kids from homes wrecked by heroin
York Daily Record: Lancaster votes to decriminalize some recreational marijuana use and possession
LNP | LancasterOnline: Additional seating available for the congressional debate at MU on Oct. 8

Lehigh Valley
Inquirer: GOP fears Susan Wild is pulling away with Charlie Dent’s old Pa. U.S. House seat
Morning Call: 5 key takeaways from that live poll of the Lehigh Valley’s congressional race
Morning Call: Lehigh Valley senators balk at bill giving child sex abuse victims more time to sue
Express Times: Northampton County fills cabinet post vacant for 4 years
Reading Eagle: Berks County Housing Authority receives 3,000 applications for low-income program
Reading Eagle: Activists call on Berks lawmakers to stay on top of pipeline construction issues
Reading Eagle: Study shows Reading schools need tens of millions of dollars in repairs
Morning Call: Allentown charges nonprofit Good Shepherd $700,000 in business taxes
Morning Call: Easton Councilman to become director of Northampton County courts
Morning Call: Mayor says 70 percent of Easton’s real estate taxes will go toward pensions next year  
Morning Call: Tackling poverty is topic of Lehigh Valley congressional forum   

North by Northwest
Erie Times-News: Erie councilman could propose postponing EMTA vote
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Mayor won’t replace open city planner position
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Hughesville Borough considers combining wards

Opinion
Inquirer Editorial Board: Pennsylvania senators should vote for justice for sex abuse victims
Antony Davies and James R. Harrigan: Pa. legislature, one of the largest in the country, has become expensive and embarrassing
Helen Ubiñas: A new billboard urges you to look at the faces of our dead
Trudy Rubin: Trump at United Nations puts ego first, America last
Samantha Erickson: What I learned about myself when I heard my son’s school was on lockdown
Cindy Bass: Day-care bill is ‘commonsense legislation’
John Baer: The Pa. House, where size still matters
Ernest Owens: Defending Bill Cosby Does Nothing to Protect Black Men
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Putting justice at risk: The number of judicial bench openings is inexcusable
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: The Cosby tragedy: A fall of Shakespearean dimension and pathos
Brian O’Neill: Another train to Pittsburgh! But probably not.