☀️  Tuesday. Welcome to the Steel City, AI friends.

????  Your Morning Pick-Me-Up. She Blinded Me With Science. Thomas Dolby

PA Weather
☀️  Pittsburgh | Mostly Sunny, 91
????️  Harrisburg | Decreasing Clouds, 90
????️  Philadelphia | Mostly Sunny, 87

PA Sports
⚽  Union (13-4-5) | Wed vs. Montreal

????  What’s Happening Today. The House has a non-voting session scheduled for 11 a.m.

???? What We’re Hearing. “Pennsylvania is uniquely positioned because of abundant energy, of incredible skilled workers, technology. We need to win the battle for AI innovation in America, and Pennsylvania is at the center of it.” – Sen. Dave McCormick

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

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Top Story

1.   Trump and McCormick Team Up to Promote Energy Investments in Pennsylvania

“President Donald Trump and Sen. David McCormick of Pennsylvania will jointly announce roughly $70 billion of energy investments in the state Tuesday as the president travels to Pittsburgh for a conference with dozens of top executives to promote his energy and technology agenda.

The Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit will be held at Carnegie Mellon University, and it comes as the state’s political and business leaders are working to forge the city into a hub for robotics, artificial intelligence and energy.” (AP)

Elsewhere

A $75B Investment Is Coming to PA. Here’s What Tech and Energy Leaders Are Saying Before the Pittsburgh Summit. “With the buzz of billions of dollars promised, the major players in Pittsburgh’s tech and AI scene buzzed through Aurora’s headquarters in the Strip District Monday afternoon to unpack the hype and reflect on why Pittsburgh, why now — and what next?” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Pittsburgh Aims to Power AI Future. “National figures are converging on the city Tuesday to pitch Pennsylvania as a future hub for energy-powered AI — and local companies, civic leaders and lawmakers want to lead the charge.” (Axios Pittsburgh)

The Industry and Political Leaders Who Are — Or Could Be — Attending the Energy and AI Summit in Pittsburgh. “Some of the biggest names in energy and artificial intelligence will convene on the campus of Carnegie Mellon University on Tuesday in a summit promising to showcase “Pennsylvania’s incredible potential to power the AI revolution.”” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Are Data Centers The Next Big Thing For Natural Gas? “The projected power appetite of data centers has energized the natural gas industry. According to a Department of Energy analysis, the amount of electricity used by data centers could go from 4.5% of U.S. use in 2023 to as high as 12% in 2028.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

AI Data Centers Meet Community Resistance in PA: ‘Seems Like It’s Being Rushed’. “In Luzerne County, many are worried how this fourth industrial revolution will reshape their lives once again.” (RealClearPolitics)

Republicans’ Farm Bill Hopes Now Rest With Democrats. “House Agriculture Chair G.T. Thompson’s hopes for passing a skinny farm bill this fall could hinge on support from Democrats incensed by his maneuvering for the GOP reconciliation package.” (POLITICO)

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State

2.   Pennsylvania GOP Plans to Endorse Challenger to Josh Shapiro in September, Gearing Up For 2026

“The Pennsylvania Republican Party plans to endorse a candidate for governor in September — nearly half a year earlier than in the past — in an attempt to learn from its 2022 losses and capitalize on its 2024 successes.

That endorsement could likely be for Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity, who is expected to announce a bid for the GOP nomination to challenge Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Elsewhere

Brian Fitzpatrick Voted ‘No’ on Reconciliation. Democrats Are Running Against Him As If He Voted ‘Yes.’. “Democrats agreed with Fitzpatrick’s vote against the GOP’s reconciliation bill. They’re blaming him for it anyway.” (NOTUS)

Shapiro Joins Lawsuit Challenging Administration’s Decision to Withhold PA Education Funds. “Gov. Josh Shapiro joined a multistate lawsuit with 25 other states and the District of Columbia challenging the Trump Administration’s decision to unlawfully withhold $230 million in funding owed to Pennsylvania schools.” (PoliticsPA)

PA House Moves Preliminary Budget Bill As Negotiations Continue. “Despite not yet having a full deal with the Republican-majority state Senate, Pennsylvania House Democrats on Monday passed a $50 billion spending bill described as a work in progress, as budget negotiations grind forward.” (PennLive)

Shapiro, Martin Question Whether Street Should Remain State Party Chair While Running For Congress. “Gov. Josh Shapiro and Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said this week that they think State Sen. Sharif Street should consider stepping down as Pennsylvania’s state party chair as he runs for U.S. Congress.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

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Around The Commonwealth

3.  Boyle Named “Most Effective” Member of PA Congressional Delegation in 118th Congress

“The Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) at the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University has named Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (D‑02) the most effective member of Pennsylvania’s delegation in the 118th Congress.

The Center’s rankings for the 118th Congress are based on a comprehensive, data-driven analysis of legislative activity, including bill sponsorship, progress through committee, and bills signed into law.” (PoliticsPA)

Elsewhere

CoreWeave Commits $6 Billion to Pennsylvania Data Center Amid Trump AI Push. “The Lancaster project is expected to create about 600 jobs during construction, with about 70 full-time technical and operational positions at launch.” (Reuters)

Lithium Production Facility Coming to Pennsylvania. “The project, led by Boston-based water treatment company Gradiant, could give the state a new role in the clean energy supply chain by producing lithium. The facility will be in Susquehanna County near the New York border.” (Axios Pittsburgh)

PA-10: Janelle Stelson Announces Another Run at Scott Perry. “Former broadcast journalist Janelle Stelson made it official on Monday morning that she is once again a candidate for Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District seat.” (PoliticsPA)

Thousands of Provisional Ballots Were Rejected In PA Last Year For Errors. A New Design Aims to Fix That. “Pennsylvania election officials are hoping that a newly designed envelope for provisional ballots will reduce the numbers tossed for technical reasons.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

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Editorial

4.  Speak Your Mind

• Pennsylvania Led America’s Industrial Rise — Now It Will Lead the AI Revolution. (Sen. Dave McCormick)
• Energy and Innovation Summit Is a Great Opportunity For Pittsburgh. But People Must Come First. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• Of Trump’s Many Motley Appointments, Emil Bove May Be the Most Worrisome of Them All. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• Most Pennsylvania Voters Ignore Judicial Elections − A Political Scientist Explains Why They Matter, Especially in a Battleground State. (Daniel J. Mallinson)
• Starting Gate: 2026 Governor Race Set to Begin. (Lowman Henry)
• No Tax on Tips? How About No Tips? (Howard Lurie)
• Marijuana Legalization Is a No-Brainer For Pennsylvania. (Tim Balch)

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1 Thing

5.   An ‘Iron Dome’ For Mosquitoes

“You can now order an “Iron Dome” for mosquitoes. Its name is the Photon Matrix, a black box about the size of a smartphone that can detect, track, and eliminate mosquitoes mid-flight using an AI-guided laser system.

According to its inventor, it can identify and zap up to 30 mosquitoes per second with calibrated laser pulses that will disintegrate these potentially lethal—and always annoying—flying pests without harming people or pets. Just looking at the video of it in action makes me laugh like a supervillain.” (Fast Company)

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Thanks for starting your Tuesday with us.
We didn’t write this with AI. We’ll see you tomorrow.