🏖️ I’ve Got Friday On My Mind. I’ll be off next week enjoying some much-needed R and R. Here’s hoping that no big news breaks. 😁

PA Weather
🌂 Erie | Cloudy, chance of showers, 79
☔ State College | Showers, 83
⛈️ Allentown | Afternoon showers, storms, 93

PA Sports
⚾ Phillies (65-43) | Fri-Sun vs. Seattle
⚾ Pirates (55-53) | Fri-Sun vs. Arizona
⚽ Union (Leagues Cup) | Sun vs Cruz Azul

🎙️ Voices of Reason, S1 Ep8: The Rise of Kamala Harris; Election Predictions. “How do the events of this historically chaotic month in political history affect the 2024 election outcome? We asked the experts – you’ll be surprised what they have to say.” (PoliticsPA)

🎂 Happy Birthday. Cake and candles for Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (Sun.).

🗞️ Pennsylvania Headlines >> Your Inbox. 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. Inside Shapiro’s Under-The-Radar Campaign To Be the Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee

“The branding on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s political emails changed last week, from “Shapiro for Governor” to “Governor Shapiro,” with an image of an American flag.

It was a subtle but telling change. Shapiro wasn’t running for governor anymore.

Shapiro, a front-runner to be Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, has navigated the last two weeks with a cool but strategic demeanor as he delivers an under-the-radar — but also very public — audition for the No. 2 spot on the Democratic ticket in November.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Related

Would Shapiro as VP Push Democrats Over the Top — Or Cause Them to Splinter? “ Instead of promoting their preferred option, the most liberal Democrats seemed to settle on a strategy of undermining who they believe is the worst.” (WESA Politics)

• Shapiro’s Agility and Appeal Give Him Edge in Running-Mate Race. (Bloomberg)
• Jewish Lawmakers Groan at “Genocide Josh” Campaign. (Axios)
• PA First Lady Lori Shapiro, Once a White House Analyst, Could Soon Be Thrust Into the National Spotlight. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• A Case For Shapiro: Political Insiders Weigh Governor’s Pros, Cons as Possible VP Nominee. (Philadelphia Tribune)

The Country’s Most Diverse Democratic Bench Is On The Cusp Of Its Moment. “There is a group of elected Democrats who are younger than most, more diverse than most and mostly far away from the national spotlight. They are the members of the Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association — and one of them might have their lives changed next week, depending on who Vice President Kamala Harris chooses as her running mate.” (NOTUS)

Third-Party Candidates File to Run For President, US Senate in Pennsylvania. “More than a dozen third-party candidates for president, U.S. Senate and three statewide offices filed paperwork ahead of Thursday’s deadline to get on November’s general election ballot in Pennsylvania, raising the possibility that they could play spoiler in high-stakes and close races in the battleground state.” (AP)

Harris Raised a Massive $310 Million in July, As She Looks to Reset November’s Race Against Trump. “Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign announced Friday that it raised $310 million last month, an eyepopping sum showing that donors who once seemed spooked about the prospects for November’s election with President Joe Biden are now offering mountains of cash to boost his former No. 2. The haul by Harris, the Democratic National Committee and affiliated entities far outpaced Republican former President Donald Trump, whose campaign and assorted committees said they took in $138.7 million for July.” (AP)

State

2. Pennsylvania’s Long-Running Dispute Over Dates On Mail-In Voting Ballots Is Back In the Courts

“A technical requirement that Pennsylvania voters write accurate dates on the exterior envelope of mail-in ballots was again the subject of a court proceeding on Thursday as advocates argued the mandate unfairly leads to otherwise valid votes being thrown out.

A five-judge Commonwealth Court panel heard about two hours of argument in a case that was filed in May, even though the date requirement has been upheld both by the state Supreme Court and the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.” (AP)

Related

Election Officials Send the USPS a Sharp Message: The Mail Must Go Through. “After weeks of presidential election drama over everything from a candidate withdrawal to an assassination attempt, the real fireworks at the National Association of State Election Directors conference in Minneapolis this week were over … snail mail.” (Votebeat)

Commonwealth Court Rules In Erie Republican’s Favor On Access to PA Voters’ Mail Ballots. “Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled Wednesday that completed absentee and mail-in ballots are public records subject to the state’s Right-to-Know Law.” (Erie Times-News)

Elections 101: How Decentralized Election Administration Makes Big Fraud Basically Impossible. “To the election directors working on the ground, claims of stolen elections underline how little is known about the process.” (Spotlight PA)

PA Native Marc Fogel Remains in Russian Captivity After Prisoner Exchange. “A landmark prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Russia headlined by the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former Marine Paul Whelan didn’t include a Pennsylvania man imprisoned nearly three years.” (CNHI News)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Divided Neighbors: What Is The Future of Political Polarization With Young Voters in Erie?

“Joseph Morris, chair of Mercyhurst University’s Department of Political Science, is worried about political polarization. It’s “the greatest threat to the future of our experiment with democracy,” he said.

Morris, who teaches several American politics courses, said he has observed that polarization is a common source of frustration among students. His students have made him slightly hopeful for a more harmonious future, he said, but he still has concerns.

“We’re really susceptible to being led down the wrong path with false information,” he said, and social media is only exacerbating this vulnerability.” (Erie Times-News)

Related

Saporito Confirmed as U.S. District Judge. “U.S. District Magistrate Judge Joseph F. Saporito Jr. has a new title. The U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed Saporito to be the next U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.” (Times Leader)

Casey Campaign Focuses on Fentanyl Crisis, Slams McCormick For Investing In Narcotic Producers. “Thursday’s event in Hazelwood stressed the contrast between Casey’s efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking and the actions of his opponent in the Senate race, Republican David McCormick.” (Pittsburgh Union Progress)

“Rural Americans for Trump” Coalition Launches. “In another nod to the importance of Pennsylvania to the 2024 presidential race, former President Donald Trump and his campaign launched “Rural Americans for Trump” on Thursday.” (PoliticsPA)

Editorial

4. What’s On Your Mind

• Republicans Go DEI on Kamala Harris At Their Own Peril. (Jenice Armstrong)
• JD Vance is a Candidate For the Forgotten Americans. (Sam DeMarco)
• Political Conspiracy Theories Are a Threat to Democracy. (Maddie Graf)
• President Biden Farewell. (Jerry Zahorchak)
• Kamala Harris & Josh Shapiro: The Perfect Pair. (Matthew Brouillette)
• Turning the Page to a Better Future for All. (Steve Cickay)
• Is Josh Shapiro Brat Enough For Kamala Harris? (Larry Platt)
• Shapiro is Best VP pick for Harris. (Jim Burn)
• Even If No Aspiring Dictator, Trump Fails the Voting Rights Test. (Baltimore Sun)

1 Summer Thing

5. Around Here, You Need To Wrap Up Construction Before Quiet Season Starts

“A charming corner cottage in a car-free area of Mount Gretna sits frozen in time.

Time stopped here not a century ago, when the cottage was built. The clock stopped this summer.

July 15 to be exact.

It’s quiet season in this Mount Gretna neighborhood. Until Sept. 1, power tools like leaf blowers are illegal along with lower-tech noisy work like roofing. The rules bring a unique deadline for construction in a community where many of the homes are more than 100 years old. However, locals say the sound of silence is worth an inconvenience that lasts a few weeks.” (LNP | Lancaster Online)

Thanks for starting your morning with us.
Please invite your friends
to subscribe to the PoliticsPA Playbook