May 24: The Holiday Weekend Edition

It’s the Unofficial Start of Summer. Enjoy the Memorial Day weekend. Pause and remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. We’ll see you on Tuesday.

PA Weather


Presque Isle | Sunny, 72


Raystown | Decreasing Clouds, 80


Mount Pocono | Sunny, 78

PA Sports


Phillies (37-14) | Texas 5-2 | Fri-Sun vs. Colorado


Pirates (23-28) | San Francisco 6-7 | Fri-Sun vs. Atlanta


Union (4-5-4) | Sat vs. Charlotte

What We’re Hearing. Senate contests have received the most money in future ad reservations so far, with $431M booked in fall. The most expensive states include Ohio ($154.6M), Montana ($104.3M), and Pennsylvania ($45.3M).

Happy Birthday. Cake and candles for former Rep. Charlie Dent. Early wishes for Rep. Scott Perry (Mon.) and belated salutations for Rep. Matt Bradford (Thu.).

Daily Bruce. “Down in the shadow of the penitentiary. Out by the gas fires of the refinery. I’m ten years burning down the road. Nowhere to run ain’t got nowhere to go.” – Born In The U.S.A.

Pennsylvania. The Ultimate Swing State. 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. Evans Suffers ‘Minor Stroke.’ Expects To Return To Work in Six Weeks

“U.S. Congressman Dwight Evans (D-03) announced today that he has suffered a ‘minor stroke’ and will be away from the House for approximately six weeks.

“I wanted to let my constituents know that I am recovering from a minor stroke, and I want to emphasize the word minor,” according to a statement. “It was minor enough that I didn’t even realize what had happened for a few days. The main impact seems to be some difficulty with one leg, which will probably impact my walking for some time, but not my long-term ability to serve the people of Philadelphia.” (PoliticsPA)

Related

Bipartisan Border Bill Loses Support, Fails Procedural Vote in U.S. Senate. “The U.S. Senate failed Thursday to advance a border security bill as both parties seek to hone their messages on immigration policy in the runup to November’s elections.” Both Pennsylvania senators voted for the bill. (Penn Capital-Star)

President Joe Biden Will Return To Philadelphia Next Week. “President Joe Biden will be back campaigning in Philadelphia on Wednesday, in what will be his fifth visit to the area and seventh to Pennsylvania this year.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Biden Nominates Longtime Public Defender For U.S. Court In Philly In Race To Confirm More Judges Than Trump. “The White House announced the nomination of Catherine Henry — who has spent nearly 30 years defending clients who cannot afford their own lawyers against criminal charges in state and federal court — to the U.S. District Court in a statement Thursday.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Swing-State Dem Senator Says Concerns About Males Competing In Female Sports Are ‘Unfounded’. “Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey believes that concerns over males competing in female sports are based on “overgeneralized” and “unfounded assumptions,” according to a June 2023 letter obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.” (Daily Caller)

State

2. COVID Pandemic Let PA House Lawmakers Vote Remotely. The GOP Says It’s Time To Restrict That Rule

“In April, a firestorm erupted in Harrisburg after Philadelphia police issued an arrest warrant for a sitting state House lawmaker.

Less than a week later, authorities revoked the warrant and revealed that it was based on flawed information. But in those intervening days, Republican leaders loudly and publicly objected to their Democratic counterparts casting votes on the member’s behalf while he was absent.

Chamber rules banned the practice until 2020, when the pandemic forced a shift. And despite the recent drama, remote voting shows no signs of going away.” (Spotlight PA)

Related

Pennsylvania Joins DOJ, 29 Other States in Antitrust Suit vs. Live Nation. “Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry is leading a bipartisan coalition of 30 states, along with the U.S. Department of Justice, in an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Ticketmaster, LLC.” (PoliticsPA)

Norfolk Southern Fined $15M in Federal Settlement Over East Palestine Train Derailment. “In a move that could prove controversial, the federal government agreed to a $15 million fine for Norfolk Southern over the February, 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, and the railroad promised to pay more than $300 million top improve safety and address community health concerns.” (PoliticsPA)

Mackenzie, Wild Trade Jabs As Volume Turns Up On PA-07 Congressional Race. “U.S. Rep. Susan Wild’s campaign doubled down on its criticism of U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson on Thursday after her Republican challenger demanded she apologize for questioning his commitment to supporting first responders.” (LehighValleyNews.com)

On The Bike Trail, Gov. Shapiro Talks Nippon Steel, Steelers, Tourism and Biden. “Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Thursday that Nippon Steel pledged to move its U.S. headquarters to Pittsburgh from Houston if its bid to buy U.S. Steel is successful.” (Tribune-Review)

Around The Commonwealth

3. No Resolution In 117th GOP House District Race

“It’s been a month since the Pennsylvania presidential primary election and there is still no winner in the contest for the GOP nomination in the 117th Legislative District.

Incumbent Michael Cabell (R-Luzerne) trails challenger Jamie Walsh by a mere three votes with contests in the Commonwealth Court left to possibly decide the final outcome.” (PoliticsPA)

Related

Cabell Election Challenge Targets State’s Voter Address Change Procedure. “In his tight race for the Republican nomination, state Rep. Michael Cabell is taking aim at the state’s automatic voter registration address change procedure tied to vehicles, according to a Thursday court filing.” (Times Leader)

Upset Watch: Dems Think These PA State House Seats Are Up For Grabs in Nov. “They’ve since defended their narrow one-seat majority in the lower chamber by winning several special elections, albeit in some of the commonwealth’s bluest districts. So their tenuous grip on the House will be put to a much tougher test in defending all 102 seats this year — though they hope to not just maintain their lead, but expand it.” (Erie Times-News)

Politicians Often Use Blue-Ribbon Commissions As A Delay Tactic. This One’s Different. “Also, the war in Gaza leads to a war of words in a Bucks County congressional race, and Mayor Cherelle L. Parker plans to weigh in strongly on the 76ers’ arena proposal — once she makes up her mind.” (Inquirer Clout)

Pittsburgh Leaders Celebrate City’s Selection As Host of the 2026 NFL Draft. “Local and state leaders gathered Thursday at Acrisure Stadium on the city’s North Shore to spotlight the announcement that had come a day earlier at the NFL’s spring owners meeting in Nashville.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Former President Trump is Giving Interviews To PA Media, Even If His Message Isn’t Always Clear. “Let’s start by giving Donald Trump credit: For all his talk about the “fake news media,” he’s remarkably willing to talk to reporters — even if it’s not always easy to figure out what he’s saying.” (WESA Politics)

Editorial

4. What’s On Your Mind

• Pennsylvania Is Leading In All The Wrong Categories. (Reps. Joe D’Orsie and Mike Jones)
• Anti-Abortion Advocates Are Manipulating Our Courts. (Sara Dixon)
• Saving Social Security: Yes It Can Be Done! (Colin Hanna)
• House Dems Vote To Establish Monopoly In School Director Training. (Beth Ann Rosica)
• Americans Deserve Transparency About Our Elected Officials’ Health. (David Reel)
• America: Republic or a Democracy? (Kimball Shinkoskey)

1 Thing

5. Paying College Athletes

“The NCAA and the nation’s five biggest conferences announced Thursday night that they have agreed to pay nearly $2.8 billion to settle a host of antitrust claims, a monumental decision that sets the stage for a groundbreaking revenue-sharing model that could start steering millions of dollars directly to athletes as soon as the 2025 fall semester.

Terms were not disclosed, though some details have emerged in the past few weeks. They signal the end of the NCAA’s bedrock amateurism model that dates to its founding in 1906.

“This landmark settlement will bring college sports into the 21st century, with college athletes finally able to receive a fair share of the billions of dollars of revenue that they generate for their schools,” said Steve Berman, one of the lead attorneys for the plaintiffs.” (AP)

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