12/29 Playbook: Starting the 2028 Engines

December 29, 2025 | 7:57 AM EST

Steve Ulrich

???? A Holiday Monday. A Playbook for those who are checking their email. We’ll return on Friday to start the New Year. Make 2026 a great one!

????️ In Today’s PoliticsPA Playbook. The 2028 Race Has Begun. Here’s Who’s Winning. PA, 18 Other States Sue To Block Kennedy’s Plan To Curb Trans Care. Our Most Popular Stories In 2025. Do You Remember What Happened In 2025?

???? Your Morning Pick-Me-Up. New Year’s Day. U2

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Top Story

1. The 2028 Race Has Begun. Here’s Who’s Winning

“It’s clear to everyone that the jockeying for presidential primary position in the post-Trump era — in both major parties — has already begun. Ambitious contenders are seizing on book deals, magazine profiles, podcast appearances, policy pronouncements and more than a few low-key beefs to find the spotlight and try to elbow into what will be a crowded race.

So which potential 2028ers jockeyed the best in 2025?

In the spirit of this year’s “FIFA Peace Prize — Football Unites the World” award delivered to Trump, POLITICO Magazine is ready to bestow trophies on some of the likeliest presidential contenders. Here are the Democrats and Republicans eyeing the White House who spent the past year maneuvering — some better than others.” | POLITICO

Elsewhere

The 2026 Battleground: Congress’s Most Vulnerable House and Senate Seats. “With control of Congress expected to hinge on a narrow margin in 2026, a small group of House and Senate incumbents is already emerging as the most vulnerable lawmakers of the coming cycle.” | Washington Examiner

Racist AI Fakes Are Now A Business — And A Political Tool. “One video shows multiple Black women screaming and pounding on a door with the caption “store under attack.” Another captures distraught Walmart employees of color being loaded into an ICE van. Why it matters: These AI-generated viral videos aren’t just perpetuating racism — they’re influencing political discourse.” | Axios

State

2. PA, 18 Other States Sue To Block Kennedy’s Plan To Curb Trans Care

“Nineteen states and D.C. sued Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his health department to block the Trump administration’s plan to curb young people’s gender-affirming care.

Kennedy announced last week he would stop Medicare and Medicaid payments to any provider offering gender-affirming care to minors, a move the Oregon-led lawsuit says “exceeds the Secretary’s authority and violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the Medicare and Medicaid statutes.”

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said in a statement on Wednesday: “The declaration falsely claims that certain forms of gender-affirming care are ‘unsafe and ineffective.'”” | Axios

Elsewhere

Shapiro Leaves Board Of Pardons Seat Empty After Concerns Over Member’s ‘Inappropriate’ Questioning. “Gov. Josh Shapiro has not reappointed a longtime member of the Board of Pardons, a psychiatrist who advocates have opposed for his votes against clemency applicants, lack of experience in criminal justice, and lines of questioning they find inappropriate.” | Spotlight PA

Lawmakers Want To Restore 24-Hour Agenda Notice, After PA Supreme Court Ruling. “State lawmakers have reached a rare bipartisan consensus in favor of reestablishing the 24-hour minimum time period for local governments to notify the public of their planned votes and debates. ” | WITF

Provisional Ballot Rejections Are Down in Pennsylvania After State Redesigns Envelope. “The Pennsylvania Department of State rolled out a redesigned envelope for provisional ballots earlier this year, and it appears to have helped reduce the number of ballots rejected for errors.” | PoliticsPA

PA’s List Of Wacky Political Party Names Signals Strong Third-Party Impulse. “Pennsylvania officially recognizes four political parties: Democratic, Republican, Green and Libertarian, and on Question 8 of the state’s voter registration application, new voters can check a box to identify themselves as a member of any one of those four parties. Voters who want to go their own way can check a box for “No Affiliation,” or they can check a box marked “Other” and write in whatever they like — and write in, they do.” | LNP

Around The Commonwealth

3. Our Most Popular Stories In 2025

“As the curtain closes on 2025, PoliticsPA takes a look back at our most popular stories of the year as determined by you – our readers.

Thank you for your support over the past year and we look forward to even better things in 2026.” | PoliticsPA

Elsewhere

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey Defends His Legacy After 4 Years In Office. “Gainey is philosophical about the shifts in his political fortunes and convinced that his administration saw more success in four years than other mayors did in eight.” | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pennsylvania Health Care in 2025. “Perhaps more than any other area of concern, the story of Pennsylvania’s health care in 2025 has been carved out in reactions to the massive policy swings undertaken by the federal government.” | PoliticsPA

Lehigh County Democrats To Pick 22nd House Candidate on Jan. 3. “Democratic precinct captains from the 22nd House District will meet on Jan. 3 to pick a candidate for a special election being held to fill the seat vacated by Democrat Josh Siegel, who was elected Lehigh County executive last month.” | Armchair Lehigh Valley

Erie County Executive Brenton Davis Leaves Office With ‘No Regrets’. “Davis reflects on his term, election loss and what’s next, saying he’s ‘blessed for every opportunity’ to serve.” | Erie Times-News

Editorial

4. What Do You Think?

The Damage Done | Philadelphia Inquirer
Why We Fall for Narcissistic Leaders, Starting in Grade School | Adam Grant
Why Republicans Can’t Agree On Health Care | David M. Drucker
Broadband Decisions Must Outlast Politics | TribLIVE
Pennsylvania Must Be Prepared To Meet Energy Challenges | Tom Gilbert
We Can’t Forget The GOP’s Economic Sabotage In 2025 | Marc Stier
Repeal of RGGI Can Light The Future For Pennsylvania | Matt Zupon
Pennsylvania State Budget a Mixed Bag for Farmers | Emma and Aaron de Long

1 Thing

5. Do You Remember What Happened In 2025?

“How well do you remember what happened in 2025? Test your knowledge with 25 questions about some of the year’s biggest stories.” | AP

Thank you for your support during 2025.
From all of us to all of you, Happy New Year!

Steve Ulrich

Ulrich has worked as managing editor of PoliticsPA since January 2022 after spending two years as the Director of Elections in York (Pa.) County. Prior to that, he spent 35 years as a college athletics administrator. Send email to [email protected]