More than 60 Republicans in the state House sent a letter to the state’s congressional delegation asking them to reject Pennsylvania’s election results. Here is the Playbook. 

December 4th Ups and Downs: Pennsylvania certifies the 2020 election results to confirm Biden’s victory in the state, a Centre County Republican will lead the GOP Ag committee, plus a political power couple ties the knot. All of that and more are in this week’s Ups and Downs.

As of Monday morning, we still are waiting for a call in a state Senate race and multiple congressional candidates have also yet to concede. 

Congressional Races 

All incumbents have secured another term in Congress, although a few challengers have yet to concede in their races. 

PA7: Rep. Susan Wild (D-Lehigh) has defeated GOP challenger Lisa Scheller. The AP called the race for Wild on Nov. 6. As of Monday morning, Wild leads by 16,163 votes (or by 4.2 points) with 98% of estimated votes reported. Scheller has not conceded in the race.

PA8: Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-Lackawanna) has defeated GOP challenger Jim Bognet. The AP called the race for Cartwright on Nov. 6. As of Monday morning, Cartwright leads by 12,213 votes (or by 3.6 points) with 95% of estimated votes reported. Bognet has not conceded in the race.

PA17: Rep. Conor Lamb (D-Allegheny) has defeated GOP challenger Sean Parnell. The AP called the race for Lamb on Nov. 7. As of Monday morning, Lamb leads by 2.2 points (9,969 votes) with 97% of estimated votes reported. Parnell has not conceded in the race.

State Senate and House

Republicans have flipped four state House seats, (HD-33), (HD-55), (HD-123), and (HD-143), most notably unseating House Minority Leader Frank Dermody (D-Allegheny). Democrats have flipped one seat in the Philly suburbs (HD-152). For the state Senate, Republicans have flipped one seat in western PA (SD-37), while Democrats have flipped one seat in the Philly suburbs (SD-9), and another race in western PA has not been called yet. 

State Senate 

SD-45: Sen. Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny) leads GOP challenger Nicole Ziccarelli by 89 votes, as of Monday morning, according to DOS. 

Harrisburg & DC   
Spotlight PA: GOP leaders ask Congress to reject Pa.’s electors for Joe Biden
Inquirer: A Pa. senator gets a political boost from pushing Trump’s false election claims — with 2022 in sight
Inquirer: After Trump team calls them ‘cowards’ and ‘traitors,’ state GOP leaders urge Congress to reject Pa. election results
Inquirer: U.S. Supreme Court moves up deadline in congressman’s bid to upend Pa. election results 
Inquirer: It didn’t need to take that long: What Pennsylvania’s election could have looked like with earlier counting 
Inquirer: Fact-checking false claims about Pennsylvania’s presidential election by Trump and his allies
AP: Elections shaping up to become major issue in Legislature
WITF: Pa. Senate Dems offer $4 billion pandemic relief plan  
WHYY Newsworks: Pa. GOP leaders urge Congress to ‘object’ to Electoral College vote — Dems call it ‘desperation’
The Caucus: Adjutant General’s retirement comes days after report criticizes veterans home’s handling of COVID-19
USA Today: Live politics updates: SCOTUS sets Tuesday deadline in Trump ally’s Pennsylvania election challenge
Morning Call: Pennsylvania Republican lawmakers’ push to review election includes request to dispute electors; top Democrat calls it ‘unconscionable’
Morning Call: Pennsylvania Republican lawmakers ask state’s members of Congress to dispute electors approved by Gov. Wolf
Patriot News: Pa. Democratic legislative leaders push back against GOP plans to investigate 2020 election issues; ‘time to move on’ 
Patriot News: Pa. Senate Democrats unveil $4 billion COVID-19 relief plan; ‘This is unprecedented help but we’re in unprecedented times’ 
Patriot News: ‘Unpermitted’ Christmas tree permitted to remain in Pa. Capitol Rotunda 
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Pa. Senate Dems roll out $4B debt-funded COVID-19 relief package 
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: GOP leaders — once again — say they can’t overturn election results, but send letter disputing results to Congress 
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Putting off short-term disaster, Pa. lawmakers must once again face transportation funding woes this winter 
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: COVID-19 in Pa.: State sets another single-day record in cases; hospitalizations rise 
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Casey’s Rosie the Riveter Congressional Gold Medal gets signed into law | Five for Your Weekend 
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Report: Most states are weeks late in paying unemployment benefits. How did Pa. do? | Monday Morning Coffee
PLSReporter: Republican lawmakers ask Congress to reject Pa.’s electoral votes 
PLSReporter: Senate Dems call for $4 billion COVID relief package using emergency debt 
PLSReporter: SCI Smithfield reports first death as activists, lawmakers demand better COVID-19 mitigation in prisons
KYW Newsradio: Pennsylvania offers help in dealing with addiction over the holidays
KYW Newsradio: Anti-Defamation League to honor health secretary Levine with special award
KYW Newsradio: Wolf announces plan to tackle flooding caused by climate change
Fox News: Alito moves up Pennsylvania’s response date on emergency application to day before safe harbor deadline 
Fox News: PA man begs Facebook friends to help find ICU bed for COVID-19-stricken mom
StateImpactPA: Plans for PFAS probe move forward in southeast Pennsylvania townships
Politico: Top Pennsylvania Republicans pressure congressional delegation to challenge Biden’s victory 

Philadelphia 
Billy Penn: Philly passes 180-day ban on restaurant evictions, throwing struggling industry a lifeline
KYW Newsradio: COVID-19 presented big budget challenges for Philly, officials say
KYW Newsradio: Philadelphia to ask residents to help shape city budget through new ‘participatory’ process
KYW Newsradio: City Council to vote on ‘anti-poverty’ package of tax bills
KYW Newsradio: Philly DA’s office helps disadvantaged job-seekers now to prevent crime later
KYW Newsradio: Record-high Pa. COVID-19 numbers a reminder ‘we are really in the midst of a crisis’
KYW Newsradio: Flashpoint: COVID-19’s impact on gender roles in families; Michael Eric Dyson’s ‘Long Time Coming’; ‘Weight of Death’
Inquirer: Philadelphia may be on the way to a record for fatal drug overdoses in 2020, another COVID-19 consequence 
Inquirer: City of Philadelphia offers some BIRT tax refunds to beleaguered business owners 
Inquirer: COVID-19 hospitalizations jump 57% in Pa. as new cases keep climbing; U.S. death rate reaches levels not seen since April; two South Jersey schools close buildings
Philly Voice: City Council passes six-month eviction moratorium on restaurants to keep industry afloat amid COVID-19 pandemic 
Philly Voice: Philadelphia Department of Prisons implements shelter-in-place for inmates as COVID-19 cases surge
Philadelphia Business Journal: Analysis: How PPP played out in Greater Philadelphia, and why interest plummeted in June

SEPA
Daily Local News: State senator to introduce plan to help save PennDOT projects and jobs
Daily Local News: Chester County’s next goal: Ensuring smooth vaccination distribution
Daily Local News: Chester County website to aid businesses during pandemic gets major update
Daily Local News: Rep. Shusterman hosting Dec. 8 virtual roundtable on local history
Bucks Local News: Fitzpatrick’s bipartisan Big Cat Public Safety Act passes U.S. House of Representatives
Bucks Local News: Revitalization project invests in new jobs for Bucks County
Bucks Local News: Bucks County Human Services, Bensalem Township Police Department launch co-responder pilot program 
KYW Newsradio: After being ordered to go virtual for two weeks, some Montco schools get kids back in classroom
Delco Daily Times: Robert resigns as Ridley Township commissioner

Pittsburgh 
City Paper: Rep. Conor Lamb votes against MORE Act, a bill to decriminalize marijuana federally
City Paper: Meet the Pa. Commonwealth Court judges who’ve recently sided with Republicans on election rulings, only to be overturned by higher courts
City Paper: An ongoing tally of confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths in Allegheny County
KDKA: ‘This Just Isn’t A Good Bill:’ Rep. Conor Lamb Explains No Vote On Decriminalizing Marijuana 
KDKA: COVID-19 Relief In Pittsburgh: Corporations Received Millions In PPP While Small Businesses Struggled To Secure Loans 
KDKA: Pittsburgh Receives Perfect Score For LGBTQ Inclusion, Ranks Among Top Cities
KDKA: COVID-19 In Pittsburgh: Allegheny Co. Health Dept. Reports Over 1,000 New Coronavirus Cases
Post-Gazette: Reschenthaler, evolving into firebrand, sees conservative mandate as he stokes political divisions
Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh City Council to discuss paid COVID-19 sick days Monday 
Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh-area agencies await word on Biden’s refugee plan 
Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh teachers union calls for improved equity programs, revenue to fund them 
Post-Gazette: Public hearing set for Monday on Pittsburgh schools budget 
Post-Gazette: Pennsylvania, Allegheny County set new daily records for COVID-19 cases
Pittsburgh Business Times: Pittsburgh metro outpacing nation in percentage of jobs regained since April, new report from Allegheny Conference on Community Development finds 
Pittsburgh Business Times: Saturday brings new Covid records for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Tribune Review: Allegheny County reports record 1,197 new coronavirus cases; 5 deaths
WESA: Utility Commission Slashes PWSA’s 2021 Rate Increase, Expands Shut Off Protections

SWPA 
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Cambria County judge elected chairperson of ethics committee
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Bedford commissioners approve CARES funding
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: 159 Inclined podcast features Mike Hammers, mayor of Lorain Borough
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Cambria County adds 11 COVID-19 deaths, 320 new cases, as state sets daily record
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: WATCH VIDEO | COVID-19 ‘knocking down a generation’: Cambria among state leaders in recent virus deaths
Tribune Review: Westmoreland County posts record covid-19 cases for 3rd-straight day. This time 437. 
Observer-Reporter: Fayette, Washington counties both report more than 200 new COVID cases Saturday
Observer-Reporter: Pennsylvania adds more than 21K coronavirus cases, 218 deaths over weekend
Altoona Mirror: Shrinking recovery number tells tale

NEPA
Times-Tribune: Barletta, Meuser could clash in 2022 primary
Times-Tribune: Biden a Scranton boy at heart
Times-Tribune: Newly introduced mail voting undergoes trial by fire in 2020
Times-Tribune: Pennsylvania, NEPA set record spikes in COVID-19 cases for third consecutive day
Citizens Voice: Kaufer says his name was mistakenly added to letter about Electoral College vote
Citizens Voice: Newly introduced mail voting undergoes trial by fire in 2020
Citizens Voice: County council to vote on budget amendments; employee raises in question
Citizens Voice: Brown defends leaving meeting; Brooks calls it ‘disrespectful’
Citizens Voice: 221 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Luzerne County on Sunday
The Times Leader: Wilkes-Barre ZIP code of 18702 by far the county hot spot for COVID-19
The Times Leader: 221 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Luzerne County on Sunday

South Central 
LNP | LancasterOnline: ‘Radiation is forever’: How long will it take to clean up Three Mile Island? [Lancaster Watchdog]
LNP | LancasterOnline: COVID-19 hitting Latinos hard nationwide, but what’s the story in Lancaster County?
LNP | LancasterOnline: Lancaster County reports 278 new cases of COVID-19 [Sunday’s COVID-19 updates]
Carlisle Sentinel: Cumberland County budget sees a few big cash flow changes, but holds the line on most items
Carlisle Sentinel: DOH: 255 new cases of COVID-19, 7 deaths for Cumberland County in Saturday’s report
Patriot News: ‘Unpermitted’ Christmas tree permitted to remain in Pa. Capitol Rotunda 
York Dispatch: York County tax collectors want a pay raise in 2021
York Dispatch: Four new COVID-19 related deaths in York County on Sunday, health department reports

Lehigh Valley      
Morning Call: Despite string of local losses, Lehigh Valley Republicans intend to stick with MAGA mindset
Morning Call: Pennsylvania coronavirus update: 12,884 new cases- the highest daily increase since pandemic began
Express Times: Pennsylvania reports record-high COVID-19 cases with 12,884 positive tests. State surpasses 400K cases since March. 
Reading Eagle: Caravan and vigil at Berks immigrant detention center intended to bring hope 
Reading Eagle: COVID cases rise by 378 in Berks and another day, another record for Pa.

North by Northwest
Erie Times-News: U.S. Supreme Court updates schedule, could hear Rep. Mike Kelly’s emergency request sooner 
Erie Times-News: How Erie-area federal officials voted, Dec. 4 
Erie Times-News: 225 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Erie County
Centre Daily Times: Dec. 5 update: Pennsylvania surpasses 400,000 COVID-19 cases; Centre County adds 96 
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Council whittles tax hike down to 1.5 mills, takes mayor to task
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: ‘Concerning’ case numbers lead to capacity issues
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Lycoming County 98 new COVID-19 cases

Opinion  
Ryan Aument and Scott Martin: Pennsylvania lawmakers cannot overturn the results of the election
Dan Meuser: We need tighter election security to protect all legal votes
Danene Sorace: Lancaster can lead the way on racial justice 
Mark O’Keefe: What 5 counties tell us about the changing face of Pa.’s elections 
Patrick Beaty: Can courts be gerrymandered, too? Absolutely
PennLive Editorial Board: Still think COVID-19 is a hoax? Visit a hospital
Observer-Reporter Editorial: The heated post-election rhetoric needs to be turned down  
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Rising numbers of new gun owners should take safety seriously 
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Shedding light on ‘dark money’  
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Visible at last 
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Surviving COVID holidays 
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Give your time to others
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Goodfellows fund brightens holiday
Inquirer Editorial Board: Rickia Young’s brutal treatment by police makes all Philadelphians less safe 
Inquirer Editorial Board: Solving landlord-tenants disputes outside of court and without eviction should be the norm. 
Charlie Gerow: COVID-19 must be defeated without locking down the economy 
Sharif El-Mekki: A Marshall Plan for Black America is the only way to repay this country’s moral debt 
Paul Muschick: Could this Pennsylvania veteran’s death from coronavirus have been prevented?
Cassidy Garcia: Can Biden pave the way for permanent citizenship for Dreamers?
Sophia Estrella and Devon Raad: Lehigh Valley day care centers: State funding changes will result in permanent closures
Keith C. Burris: Look for the mavericks
Gene Therapy: Vaccines are ready. Are we?
James Largay and Paul Saunders: Leftist ideology puts our democracy in great peril
Jennifer Rovella: A plea as our LVH–Cedar Crest COVID-19 population approaches critical levels
Ruth Ann Dailey: Measuring corruption — and moving on
Chris Kelly: In Joe Biden’s hometown, Trump dead-enders traffic in delusion
David M. Shribman: Other presidents have risen above their differences
Dick Polman: Trump’s COVID adviser Scott Atlas has quit. But he can’t scrub the blood off his hands 
Heidi Boghosian: Baltimore County schools shut down after a cyberattack. The same could happen in Philly. 
David A. Ridenour: A cloud hangs over the election — but don’t blame Trump’s supporters
Maria Panaritis: An anonymous note, a little cash, and a moment of moral clarity in the U.S. mail 
Katey McElrath: Food system workers were under-served before the pandemic. It’s worse now.
Rebekah Bruesehoff: What Elliot Page’s coming out means to me as a 13-year-old transgender activist 
Helen Ubiñas: A philosophical look through my planner showed life goes on, even during a pandemic 
Jonathan D. Sarna: How Hanukkah came to be an annual White House celebration
Randy Bish: A Quarantine Christmas Carol | Editorial Cartoon
James Peterson: Color of Coronavirus: Engines For Misery In The Racial Pandemic