????  Tuesday. Let’s Go.

????️  In Today’s PoliticsPA Playbook. What Would Happen If Fetterman’s Health Would Cause Him To Resign? Shapiro Says Challenger Garrity At Odds With GOP Leaders On Budget Remarks. O’Connor Continues To Build Administration With Five New Appointees. The Most Philly Gifts You Can Give.

????  Your Morning Pick-Me-Up. Living In America | James Brown. Ow!

PA Weather
☔  McKees Rocks | Rain, 43
☁️  Chambersburg | Increasing Clouds, 45
☁️  Mountain Top | Increasing Clouds, 42

PA Sports
????  Sixers (8-5) | LA Clippers 110-108 | Wed vs. Toronto
????  Flyers (9-6-3) | Thu at St. Louis
????  Penguins (10-5-4) | Fri vs. Minnesota

????  What’s Happening Today. House, 11 a.m. | Senate 1 p.m.

????  The PoliticsPA Playbook is compiled by Steve Ulrich. To read in your browser, click here. Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe for free.

Top Story

1.   What Would Happen If Fetterman’s Health Would Cause Him To Resign From The U.S. Senate? 

“The recent fall by Pennsylvania’s U.S. Sen. John Fetterman has once again raised concerns about his overall health. 

If the 56-year-old’s health would take another turn south, would Fetterman consider resigning his seat in the U.S. Senate? And if he did, what would happen next?” | PoliticsPA

Elsewhere

Fetterman Returns To D.C. After Hospitalization, Speaks At Conference For Jewish Leaders. “Sen. John Fetterman is back to work after recovering from a fall that required hospitalization.” | Philadelphia Inquirer

Pennsylvania’s Working Families Party Pledges To Support A Primary Challenger Against Sen. John Fetterman. “The progressive statewide group is launching a portal to recruit and train potential candidates to challenge Fetterman.” | Philadelphia Inquirer

Trump’s Grip on Republicans Shows First Signs of Slipping. “GOP support for releasing Epstein files is the latest pushback against the president from his own party.” | Wall Street Journal

State

2.  Shapiro Says Challenger Garrity At Odds With GOP Leaders On Budget Remarks

“Elected officials from across the political spectrum hailed the long-delayed passage of Pennsylvania’s state budget last week — with at least one notable exception. State Treasurer Stacy Garrity, the most likely Republican challenger to Governor Josh Shapiro in 2026, was not impressed. But Shapiro said Monday that her criticism put her at odds with members of her own party, who have celebrated a number of policy wins that were part of the compromise.

Garrity remained quiet on the budget’s passage last week, and her campaign social-media accounts have been silent on the topic. But during an appearance on a conservative talk-radio show on Friday, she said of the spending plan, “It’s crazy, and everybody’s patting themselves on the back and I can’t understand it.” | WESA

Elsewhere

Protesters Take To PA Capitol, Call For Ban On Gifts To Lawmakers. “Over a dozen people were arrested inside the Pennsylvania Capitol Monday during an hours-long, non-violent protest calling for a ban on gifts to lawmakers.” | WITF

Shapiro Says National Democrats Folded In The Federal Shutdown, While He Stayed ‘At The Table’ For PA’s Late Budget Deal. “As Shapiro portrays the outcome of Pennsylvania’s 2025 state budget as an across-the-board victory, the path to get there was harder, messier, and longer than anyone in Harrisburg would have liked.” | Philadelphia Inquirer

Long-Sought PA Tax Credit For Some Workers To Be Ready For Filing Season. “A new tax credit for lower-income workers in Pennsylvania will be ready for tax time this spring, Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration said Monday, calling it the most significant tax change for the state’s working class in over half a century.” | PennLive

Around The Commonwealth

3.   Pittsburgh Mayor-Elect O’Connor Continues To Build Administration With Five New Appointees

“The next Pittsburgh mayoral administration is starting to take shape as Mayor-elect Corey O’Connor announced five new appointees Monday morning. 

Building on the picks Mr. O’Connor has already announced, the newest staff members bring a mix of experience from past jobs in government, nonprofits and the corporate sector.” | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Elsewhere

Some Gains, Some Decreases Mark 2024-25 Student School Assessments. “As the dust finally settles around the state budget, the Pennsylvania Department of Education has announced the results of assessments for last school year.” | PoliticsPA

See How Much Money Your PA School District Will Receive To Close Adequacy, Tax Burden Gaps. “The legislature first created these supplements in the 2024 budget in response to a Commonwealth Court ruling that found Pennsylvania’s public school funding system to be unconstitutionally inequitable.” | Spotlight PA

Pittsburgh Journalists Vote To End Country’s Longest Strike And Notify The PG They Are Returning To Work. “The Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh’s most momentous gathering since the formation of a strike picket line more than three years ago began last week in the manner of all big strike meetings — with the arrival of a half dozen boxes of pizza. Strikes run on pizza. Turns out they also can begin to end on them.” | Pittsburgh Union Progress

One Of President Donald Trump’s Press Secretaries Is A Lehigh Valley High School Graduate. Here’s Her Story. “Like many federal workers, Abigail Jackson felt the pressure of not being paid more than six weeks during the government shutdown. But just as many others did, Jackson continued to show up to the office. The difference is hers is in the White House.” | Allentown Morning Call

Editorial

4.  What Do You Think?

• A Vote To Release The Epstein Files Should Only Be Congress’ First Step Toward Ensuring Justice For Victims | Philadelphia Inquirer 
• Were The Democratic Senators Who Voted To End The Shutdown Sellouts Or Statesmen? | Harold Jackson
• Pennsylvania’s Budget Bullies Cyber Students Out Of Their Money | Guy Ciarrocchi
• Pennsylvania Should Stay The Course On Sports Betting | Stephen Kent

1 Thing

5.  The Most Philly Gifts You Can Give This Season

“Philadelphia is obviously a gift to the world, but what in the world do you give someone who is obviously in love with Philly?

If The Inquirer’s 2025 Very Philly Gift Guide helps you find something for everyone, this one’s just for the locals — and anyone who thinks a Sizzli snow globe is peak holiday magic. Consider this a love letter to Philly’s quirks: a collection of gifts that only true locals (and a few honorary ones) will fully appreciate.” | Philadelphia Inquirer

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