Democrats See Opportunity in PA-01. This is the PoliticsPA Playbook.
Let’s Get This Monday Started. 7 days left to register to vote.
Your Morning Pick Me Up. Volcano. Jimmy Buffett
PA Weather
Pittsburgh | Mostly Cloudy, 72
Harrisburg | Mostly Sunny, 75 Philadelphia | Sunny, 74
PA Sports 
Steelers (3-2) | Indianapolis 34-22 | Sun at Tampa Bay Eagles (2-3) | Jacksonville 17-19 | Sun vs. Carolina Pitt (5-1) | North Carolina 17-21 | Sat at Boston College Penn State (3-3) | USC 23-31 | Sat at Michigan Temple (2-4) | UConn 20-34 | Sat vs. Charlotte
Union (12W, 6D, 10L) | Salt Lake 2-1 | Wed at Chicago
Flyers (0-5-2) | Boston 1-5 | Carolina 1-4 | Tue vs. Seattle Penguins (3-2-1) | Columbus 2-3 (SO) | Dallas 2-1 (SO) |
What We’re Listening To. One of the most closely watched congressional races in the country is Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District in the Lehigh Valley where Rep. Ryan Mackenzie is facing a challenge from Democrat Bob Brooks. On today’s Voices of Reason, PoliticsPA’s Steve Ulrich speaks with Mackenzie about his accomplishments in Congress, his policies, his campaign, and what lies ahead in the final weeks before Election Day.
What We’re Seeing. “A new internal poll conducted last week by Democratic pollsters Global Strategy Group found Bob Harvie and Brian Fitzpatrick tied, 46-46%, among likely PA-01 voters, with 8% still undecided.”
Tips. PoliticsPA is Pennsylvania’s premier source for nonpartisan political news and analysis. Tips or press releases can be sent to steve@politicspa.com.
The PoliticsPA Playbook is compiled by Steve Ulrich. For the web version, click here. Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe here.
Top Story
“Republican Brian Fitzpatrick sailed to reelection in Pennsylvania’s 1st District two years ago. But now, with just over three weeks to go until Election Day and public opinion continuing to sour on Donald Trump’s presidency, Democrats smell blood in the water.
Their optimism that Fitzpatrick’s Democratic opponent, Bucks County commissioner Bob Harvie, can defeat the five-term incumbent was on display on Saturday afternoon, as Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries and Pennsylvania’s Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro hit the campaign trail in the leafy Philadelphia suburbs to drum up support for Harvie.” | Politico
Elsewhere
Fitzpatrick, Invoking Reagan, Moves to Block Trump’s Russia Oil Deal. “Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick vowed Saturday to force a House vote to block Russian oil purchases, challenging President Trump’s diesel deal with President Vladimir Putin. Fitzpatrick, co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, said he would introduce the “Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act” and force a vote through a discharge petition.” | Axios Philadelphia
Here’s Who Is Spending the Most on Ads in PA’s Four Key Congressional Contests. “With Election Day only weeks away, candidates in Pennsylvania’s four swing congressional districts are making their pitches to voters with control of the House up for grabs. And that means ads. A lot of ads.” | Philadelphia Inquirer
Stelson Campaign Punches Back at Department of Homeland Security Over Allegation. “Say this for the Janelle Stelson campaign. They are not taking this sitting down.” | PoliticsPA
Cook Political Report Shifts 3 Key Pennsylvania Congressional Races in Democrats’ Favor. “Races involving Brian Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mackenzie and Scott Perry all shifted to the left in the latest CPR analysis.” | PoliticsPA
The Big Unknown Behind Democrats’ Polling Leads. “Poll after poll spells trouble for GOP candidates — in purple states and deep-red ones alike — but while Democrats see a blue wave coming, some Republicans see a polling mirage.” | Axios
State
“On the first full day on Capitol Hill last month after senators returned from an extended recess, John Fetterman did not show up for his first scheduled committee meeting.
Like dozens of times before, it was not clear where the Pennsylvania senator was while the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee voted on his behalf and some of his colleagues amended and commented on legislation — in this case, bills about artificial intelligence, government censorship, and more.” | Philadelphia Inquirer
Elsewhere
Trump Says He’d ‘Love to See’ Fetterman Join Republican Party: ‘He’s Great’. “The president also praised John Fetterman’s character, saying he’s a “solid person” who comes from “magnificent parents.”” | Washington Examiner
Gov. Josh Shapiro Lured Companies Like Chobani and Burlington With State Incentives. Will It Pay Off For PA? “As Shapiro, 53, runs for reelection in November, analysts say, deals with companies like Chobani help reinforce an image the governor has cultivated as a pro-business Democrat who is focused relentlessly on “getting stuff done.”” | Philadelphia Inquirer
PA Lawmaker Refuses to Discuss Reported Gay Slurs, Claims Media Is ‘Lying’. “Rep. Aaron Bernstine from Lawrence County has mostly disappeared from public view since a witness told PennLive the Republican state lawmaker made homophobic comments about his gay colleague at a Harrisburg bar on Sept. 29.” | PennLive
Supreme Court Denies Request to Extend Deadline For Skill Games. “The state Supreme Court on Friday denied requests to extend the deadline Tuesday to remove skill games from establishments across the commonwealth.” | Penn Capital-Star
Around The Commonwealth
“Una sola cosa. Just one thing. That’s all Victor Martinez wanted from listeners of his Spanish-language radio station — tell him one positive thing about President Donald Trump.
Martinez has been hosting his show for nearly a decade in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, where Latinos have gone from a fifth to nearly a quarter of the population over the same time period. He added an hour of politics to his morning talk show at the end of Trump’s first term, and listeners flooded his phone with their worries about the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, their unhappiness with inflation and their concern over Joe Biden’s age.
Now, at the halfway mark of Trump’s second term, Martinez said people are just as frustrated as they were then. They’re angry about higher prices for fuel and groceries, and Republicans could face the consequences in the midterm elections.” | AP
Elsewhere
2026 Election Preview: 118th Legislative District. “Can Jim Haddock win this Lackawanna/Luzerne district again that Donald Trump carried by seven points?” | PoliticsPA
Pennsylvania Election Officials Face Added Scrutiny Ahead of the Midterms. “Amid a tumultuous political climate, election officials say they are adapting how they are preparing for the election.” | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A First-of-its-Kind Look Behind the Scenes at How Lehigh County Opens, Processed and Counts Mail-In Ballots. “Staff members gave a tour of the facility and demonstrated how ballots move through the system on election night. Visitors learned how mail-in ballots are opened, processed and counted, as well as how vote tabulation equipment works.” | Morning Call
Candidates for 8th State House District Elections Weigh In On Key Issues. “Aaron Bernstine, the Republican incumbent, is running for reelection to a seat he has run for uncontested in both 2022 and 2024. He described himself as a “common sense conservative.” Rick Telesz, a Democrat, previously ran for the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Pennsylvania’s 16th Congressional District in 2022, but lost in the Democratic primary. Telesz described himself as a “conservative Democrat.”” | Cranberry Eagle
The Bipartisan Politics of Data Center Opposition. “Sugarloaf Twp. resident John Zola doesn’t remember a single issue in his lifetime that’s galvanized and united people from across the political spectrum as much as opposition to hyperscale data center development has in his bucolic Luzerne County community and across Northeast Pennsylvania.” | Scranton Times-Tribune
Editorial
1 Thing
“Dave Raymond already knows how he’ll begin his speech when he takes the stage at Live! Casino & Hotel Event Center next month to be inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame.
Raymond will ask forgiveness from his fellow Class of 2026 inductees, including South Jersey soccer star Carli Lloyd and former Eagles All-Pro linemen Hugh Douglas and John Runyan.
“The first thing I will say is, ‘I congratulate everybody, but I have to apologize to all of you. From this night forward, you’re always going to have to answer the question of who did you go in with — and you’re going to say a giant green Muppet,” Raymond said.” | Philadelphia Business Journal
Thank you for starting your Monday with us.
Enjoy the holiday. Then right back at it tomorrow.
