????  Hi, Monday. Let’s Do This.

PA Weather
????️ New Kensington | Partly Sunny, 86
????️ Montoursville | Partly Sunny, 85
????️ Pennsburg | Partly Sunny, 89

PA Sports
⚾ Phillies (67-57) | Washington 3-4 | Mon-Wed vs. San Francisco
⚾ Pirates (55-69) | Minnesota 0-2 | Mon-Wed vs. St. Louis
⚾ Media Little League | Smithfield, RI 2-7
⚽ Union (12-4-7) | Monterrey (Leagues Cup, 3rd Place) 3-0

What We’re Hearing
“As Pennsylvania goes, so goes the presidential race in 2024. And as Bucks County goes, Pennsylvania will go. Everyone should care deeply about this.” State Sen. Steve Santarsiero, the chair of the Bucks County Democratic Party.

“I meant to ask – when did PoliticsPA get so good?”
Find out for yourself. Get your Pennsylvania political news emailed to you at the start of every day. Sign up for your free subscription to the PoliticsPA Playbook.

Top Story

1. Bucks County Power Struggle Could Hint At Shifting Suburban Politics For 2024

“An obscure race for county commissioner underway here in a suburb outside of Philadelphia could tell us a lot about who will win the presidential election in 2024.

Bucks County is one of the swingiest counties in one of the swingiest states in America.

This year it is home to a local race that has the hallmarks of a race for national office: Candidates sparring over book bans in schools, crime and public safety, and the security of democracy in the next presidential election.” (POLITICO)

Related

Trump Advisor Charged In Georgia Fake Elector Scheme Worked On McCormick’s U.S. Senate Bid. “Public records and published reports show Mike Roman is one of five people with ties to Dave McCormick and his 2022 Senate campaign who played roles in the so-called fake elector plan to disrupt the certification of electoral college votes for President Joe Biden on Jan. 6, 2021 by presenting slates of votes for Trump from seven battleground states. ” (PA Capital-Star)

Sen. Bob Casey Campaign Took $220k From Bro’s Law Firm, With Partner Vetting Judicial Picks. “Attorneys and staff at Philadelphia-based Ross Feller Casey, LLP, have donated $222,566 to Bob Casey for Senate since 2008, federal election filings show, of which more than $85,000 arrived this past April — the largest contribution to date.” (New York Post)

PA Republican Donors Keeping Checkbooks Closed Until After First Debate. “Most of Pennsylvania’s biggest Republican donors — including those who gave the maximum amount to President Donald Trump in 2020 — have yet to open their checkbooks for 2024. Wednesday’s debate may start encouraging them to whip out their pens.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

State

2. How PA Can Prevent Election Disaster Ahead of Crucial 2024 Races

“County-level staffing and preparation will be critical heading into 2024’s hotly contested presidential election year, according to Pennsylvania’s new secretary of the commonwealth.

Al Schmidt said he’s touring the state to learn about the concerns in local election offices. A core challenge is replacing experienced poll workers who have stepped down in recent years.” (Erie Times-News)

Related

Choosing Presidential Candidates: Lawmakers Work On Puzzle Of When PA Should Hold Its 2024 Primary. “Frustrated that Pennsylvania is a marquee swing state yet won’t hold its 2024 primary until 31 other states have already held theirs — and concerned the current April 23 date conflicts with the important religious holiday of Passover — legislators are weighing proposals to move next year’s presidential primary up as much as five weeks.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

PA’s Judicial Elections Matter. Here’s Why. “Between the intense campaigns of the midterm and presidential elections, statewide races for Pennsylvania’s appeals courts tend to take a back seat to mayoral and other local elections.” (PA Capital-Star)

PA Will Track Voting Machine Malfunctions Under New Settlement With Election Security Groups. “Counties are still awaiting details on what the program, which begins with this November’s municipal election, will look like. But experts say the reports could be the first of their kind, and could also present a unique opportunity to improve efficiency while combating the kind of election misinformation that has become routine in recent cycles.” (Votebeat)

PA Unemployment Rate Falls to 3.5%. “Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate declined three-tenths of a percentage point over the month to 3.5% in July, the lowest rate on record (back to January 1976).” (PoliticsPA)

• PA’s Jobless Rate Has Fallen To New Record Low, Matching The National Rate. (AP)

Environmental Advocates Weigh In On State DOH, Pitt Fracking Study. “Living close to fracking sites can be linked to a host of adverse health effects, according to a three-year-long environmental study released by the University of Pittsburgh and the Pennsylvania Department of Health. For many environmental advocates, the news comes as no surprise.” (Tribune-Review)

Around The Commonwealth

3. New Bills Would Let PA Local Governments Hire Firms As Managers

“Local governments in Pennsylvania might soon have the option to hire professional firms to be municipal managers, a change that proponents say could improve local government services while saving taxpayers money.

Three sets of bills in the legislature would amend the governing laws for Pennsylvania boroughs, second class townships, and third class cities — classified by population sizes — and provide an alternative municipal management option. First class townships have had the choice since 2020.” (Spotlight PA)

Related

Reporter Sues Allegheny County Over Jail ‘Gag Order’. “Allegheny County is being sued in federal court by a Pittsburgh journalist, who alleges that an Allegheny County Jail “gag order” violates the rights of journalists covering the jail and jail employees’ First Amendment rights.” (WESA)

Hundreds of Philly Politicos Partied In North Wildwood To Toast The Democratic Machine’s Resurgence. “With an eight-piece band on stage, a view of the ocean outside, an open bar, and a buffet, hundreds of Philadelphia elected officials, Democratic ward leaders and other politicos gathered Saturday at a Jersey Shore bar for Brady Bash, an annual party hosted by the longtime chair of the Democratic City Committee, Bob Brady.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Wyoming County DA Files Federal Suit Against Social Media Companies, Joining Others. “Wyoming County District Attorney Joe Peters is suing several social media giants in what he described as an effort to “hold big tech accountable,” alleging widespread harm to minors.” (Scranton Times-Tribune)

Editorial

4. What They’re Saying

• Join The PA Legislature and Start Making Money Today! (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• Who Pays For Fracking’s Harm? (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• The 2024 Political Iceberg: Social Security. (David Shribman)
• You Believe In School Choice, Governor? Act On It. (Charles Mitchell)
• Josh Shapiro’s Department of Self-Promotion. (Gina L. Pope)
• Is The New PA Budget Good For Business? (David Taylor)
• Let’s Stop Pretending College Degrees Don’t Matter. (Ben Wildavsky)
• White College Grads Are Democrats’ New Firewall. Will They Hold For 2024? (Ruy Teixiera)
• The Plan To Boost GOP Primary Turnout. (Kyle Peterson)
• The Many Benefits of Giving Students a PASS. (Sen. Judy Ward)
• House Democrats Need To Get Back To Work. (Stephen Bloom)
• The Term Limits Movement Is Alive and Politically Potent. (John Tamny)

1 Thing

5. A Spa For The Mind

“Sunlight filtered through the tall oaks and pines, dancing on the hardwood floors in the Hall of Philosophy. A few dozen people sat in wooden, rocking chairs, some taking notes, while a college professor waxed about democracy and polarization in modern America.

It wasn’t your typical Tuesday morning in rural Pennsylvania.

This Lebanon County community, a little over 80 miles west of Philadelphia, sits in a valley surrounded by forest and state game lands, and its hilly streets are lined with quaint Victorian homes, large and small, blooming with art and flowers and shaded by towering trees. Mt. Gretna isn’t just a town of pretty houses where most people walk, though. It’s the only municipality in Pennsylvania that’s part of the late 19th century “Chautauqua” movement dedicated to the “exploration of the best in human values and the enrichment of life.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

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