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PA Sports
⚾ Phillies (64-37) | Minnesota 3-0 | Wed vs. Minnesota
⚾ Pirates (51-50) | St. Louis 1-2 | Tue-Wed vs. St. Louis

👂 What We’re Hearing. Rep. Susan Wild is filing a discharge petition today for legislation guaranteeing a right to in vitro fertilization.

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Top Story

1. Veepstakes Puts Governor’s Record, Future in Spotlight

“Josh Shapiro took on the Catholic Church, fixed a vital bridge quickly and never lost an election.

Now, the first-term Democratic governor might get the chance to show what he can do on a national stage.” (WVIA)

Related

Shapiro Denies He’s Filed Paperwork To Be Considered As Harris’ Running Mate. “Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is again brushing off questions about his candidacy for vice president with presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.” (PennLive)

Electoral College Counts Are Everything — Except Maybe When Picking a Running Mate. “While a home state bounce from vice presidential picks might have been a thing in other political ages, in the latter 20th and early 21st centuries political scientists think that belief is more myth than reality.” (PennLive)

Dean Phillips Says America Should Be Ready For a Jewish Vice President. “His comments were made in reference to Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro, expected to be on the shortlist of Democrats who could join Harris’ ticket as the vice presidential candidate.” (The Hill)

Gamblers Are Betting on Gov. Shapiro for Harris’ VP Pick as Election Predictions Flood Online Markets. “Whom will Vice President Kamala Harris choose as her running mate? Online gamblers think they have it figured out.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

What Does the Election Reset Mean for Pennsylvania? “On Sunday, the U.S. presidential race experienced its fourth hard reset in just 7 weeks: the incumbent president ended his campaign and endorsed his vice president, which was preceded by Trump’s criminal convictions, Biden’s debate meltdown, and Trump surviving an assassination attempt.” (RealClear Pennsylvania)

State

2. Secret Service Told State Police That Another Agency Would Handle Building Where Shooter Fired At Trump

“The head of the Pennsylvania State Police appeared before a Congressional panel Tuesday to testify about the attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump — although state police, in many cases, are not privy to the fine details of how and why the Secret Service made the decisions that it did.

Col. Christopher Paris, commissioner of the PSP, testified for roughly four hours before the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security regarding state police’s role at the July 13 Trump rally in Butler County.” (PennLive)

Related

Federal Dollars Driving Energy Policy In Pennsylvania Toward Solar, Hydrogen. “A flurry of recent bipartisan agreements by state lawmakers on energy projects and policies is sending a clear message: Pennsylvania is slowly moving toward clean energy but fossil fuels aren’t going anywhere.” (Spotlight PA)

Harris Faces An Energy Tightrope in Pittsburgh. “Can Kamala Harris convince Pennsylvania that an ambitious climate policy comes with jobs?” (POLITICO)

PA Dominates In Political Ad Spending With High-Stakes Races For The White House and Senate. “Pennsylvania is ahead of all other states in political ad spending during this election year, a sign that campaigns are pouring all they can into securing necessary support in the critical battleground state.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

DLCC to Invest $500K in PA House. “The funds are the first part of a $2.2 million investment in battleground states, which is itself part of a larger $10 million investment the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) announced last month.” (Penn Capital-Star)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Bucks County Is Now the Only Republican Majority County in the Area

“The Bucks County Republican Party celebrated a turning point Monday.

For the first time in a decade and a half, Republicans outpaced Democrats in voter registration in the key purple county, and Bucks County became the only Republican-majority county in the Philadelphia area.

The county party enthusiastically celebrated the win on social media, and National Republican Congressional Committee touted the change as proof that GOP messaging was working.

But the reality is more complicated.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Related

State Election Directors Fear The Postal Service Can’t Handle Expected Crush Of Mail-In Ballots. “They based their fears on past problems and a disruptive consolidation of postal facilities across the country that Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has put on hold until after the elections.” (AP)

‘Roadspreading’ Returns: How Pennsylvania’s Oil Industry Quietly Dumped Waste Across the State. “Spreading fracking wastewater on roads is banned. Oil and gas companies do it anyway.” (Grist)

Chancellor Who Oversaw PA State University Restructuring to Resign in October. “Dan Greenstein said he is resigning to pursue a “compelling opportunity … to work nationally. Greenstein did not say in his letter what his new position would be.” (Penn Capital-Star)

Editorial

4. What’s On Your Mind

• ‘Unacceptable’ Is An Understatement Regarding Security Failures At Butler Rally. (Tribune-Review)
• I’m Not Interested In Your Kamala Harris Memes. I Just Want You To Vote. (Elizabeth Wellington)
• VP Harris Has a Friend in Pennsylvania. (Pete Sirianni)
• The Democrats’ Crisis Isn’t Over. (Michael Kazin)
• Another Fine Mess. (Andy Bloom)
• Why Won’t Pennsylvania Lawmakers Support Sexual Assault Victims? (Gabriella Romeo)

1 Thing

5. Back to the Future Goes The Flip Phone

“Samsung’s recently released Galaxy Z Flip 6 has won praise from reviewers for its design, which folds a smartphone with 6.7-inch screen in half. Now Apple is reportedly preparing a competitor.

Apple is working on a “clamshell” design iPhone, similar to the Galaxy Z Flip series, according to a report Tuesday from The Information. The new design, which could be ready as early as 2026, will coincide with Apple’s plans to also release newly improved camera technologies, including a variable aperture, the report added.” (CNET)

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