☀️ Good Thursday Morning. The PoliticsPA Playbook is compiled by Steve Ulrich. To read in your browser, click here.

Headlines. Cognetti and Corporate PAC Money. What to Know About Shapiro’s Lawsuits vs. Trump Admin. Data Center Wars Hit Ballot Box in PA. Door Dash Through the Air?

🎶 Your Morning Pick Me Up. Small Town. John Mellencamp

PA Weather
☀️  Slippery Rock | Sunny, 80
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🌤️  East Stroudsburg | Partly Sunny, Chance of Showers, 79

PA Sports 
⚾  Phillies (57-52, 6.5 GB, – GB WC) | Miami 6-8 | Fri at Baltimore
⚾  Pirates (55-54, 12.5 GB, -2.0 GB WC) | Arizona 0-3 | Thu at Cincinnati
⚽  Union (3W, 3D, 11L) | Sat at Atlanta

What We’re Hearing. “I think this is the first year in Pennsylvania where data centers have emerged as a highly salient issue,” said Chris Borick, professor of political science at Lehigh University. “Data centers in particular have taken their place among the top tier of issues in this year’s cycle.”

Tips. PoliticsPA is Pennsylvania’s premier source for nonpartisan political news and analysis. Tips or press releases can be sent to [email protected].

Top Story

1.   Cognetti Refuses Corporate PAC Money. But Some Is Arriving Indirectly

“Paige Cognetti, the mayor of Scranton, Pennsylvania, who Democrats hope will unseat Republican Rep. Rob Bresnahan this November, has repeatedly pledged not to take money from corporate political action committees as a candidate or lawmaker.

But federal campaign finance filings show Cognetti has accepted donations from numerous political committees that themselves are awash in cash from corporate PACs, including money from defense contractor Boeing, banking giant JPMorgan Chase and insurance company UnitedHealthcare.” | NOTUS

Elsewhere

Republican Mega-Donor Drops Thousands On Fetterman In Latest Campaign Filings. “The latest campaign finance filings with the Federal Election Commission show that Texas-based real estate magnate Harlan Crow contributed the maximum of $7,000 to Fetterman’s Senate campaign committee via two $3,500 donations on June 30.” | PennLive

Schumer Urges Fetterman Not to Leave Senate Democratic Caucus. “Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday urged Sen. John Fetterman to stay in the Senate Democratic Conference and praised him as a “very good” member of Congress, despite growing tensions between Fetterman and the progressive Democratic base.” | The Hill

Fitzpatrick, Suozzi Talk ‘Lasting Affordability’ Amid Ideological Split. “Affordability has emerged as a defining issue ahead of the 2026 midterm elections as policymakers confront the combined effects of post-pandemic inflation, higher interest rates, and persistent cost increases across fundamental areas of daily life.” | PoliticsPA

To Win Over Working-Class Voters, Democrats Need To Stop Talking About Democracy. “There’s an active debate in Democratic politics between progressives and moderates about how to build a winning coalition. A new report from a pair of California researchers argues that debate misses the point. The answer isn’t centrism, they write, it’s respect for where working-class voters are coming from.” | NPR

State

2.   Shapiro Has Sued the Trump Admin Dozens of Times. Here’s Everything to Know About Those Lawsuits

“Over the past year and a half, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro has sued the Trump administration more than two dozen times to challenge the loss of federal funding, rollbacks of environmental protections, and more.

Shapiro has signed Pennsylvania onto most of these cases in his formal capacity as governor, using the commonwealth’s Office of General Counsel as legal representation.

The governor is among the few people named in these high-profile cases, which typically list states rather than their elected officials. The suits have become a key part of Shapiro’s reelection campaign, and may serve as a launchpad for his potential 2028 Democratic presidential bid.” | Spotlight PA

Elsewhere

Green Party Threatens Dems in Pennsylvania. “Something strange is going on in Pennsylvania. The commonwealth’s Green Party is warning voters that candidates are petitioning to get on the ballot in key races under mysterious circumstances without the party’s endorsement.” | Punchbowl News

Gov. Shapiro Faces Calls to Close Youth Detention Center, End State Collaboration With ICE. “Over 100 people from 15 Pennsylvania counties joined a rally on the Capitol steps, urging Shapiro to protect immigrant communities, limit the enforcement of ICE detainers, and prevent ICE from accessing state databases and information from PennDOT that could lead to enforcement efforts.” | Penn Capital-Star

Trump Taps PA Agriculture Leader For State Job Aimed at Advancing the ‘America First’ Agenda. “Chris Hoffman, the former president of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, will be the new USDA Rural Development state director for Pennsylvania, the Agriculture Department said Wednesday.” | PennLive

Around The Commonwealth

3.   In Pennsylvania, the Data Center Wars Hit the Ballot Box

“Kelsey Pazanski Wargo, a registered nurse who lives less than a mile from a proposed 400-acre data center complex, said in a text message that she has a simple test for the politicians presiding over the buildout: “Will NOT vote for anyone who hasn’t come out swinging against them.”

A hundred miles south in Skippack, health care advocate Peg Eitl — who not only voted for Gov. Josh Shapiro in 2022 but canvassed for him and says she has been registered as both a Democrat and a Republican in the past — has drawn her own line. 

“I respect and appreciate many of his policies,” she said, “but I will NOT vote for him unless he pushes for a moratorium,” adding that she won’t vote for his Republican opponent, Stacy Garrity, either.” | PoliticsPA

Elsewhere

State Lawmakers Show Up For Data Center Tour and Can’t Go Inside. “State lawmakers who are associated with a taxpayer-funded agency gathering information on the controversial data center issue showed up Tuesday for a prearranged look at a high-profile site – and weren’t allow in the data center.” | The Center Square

Mayor Parker’s Former DEI Chief Sues the City For Discrimination In Tell-All Lawsuit. “Brandee Anderson claims she was fired as part of a coordinated effort to “suppress” diversity work and came as a Parker administration official made derisive comments about other DEI leaders.” | Philadelphia Inquirer

77½ Years Is A Normal PA Lifespan, But A Lot Depends On Your County. “Across most of the commonwealth, particularly in many rural communities, the average lifespan is much shorter — and the center says policymakers should pay attention to these statistics.” | USA Today Network

Editorial

4.  What Do You Think?

• The Way Out of Trump’s Failed Iran War | Philadelphia Inquirer
• Transparency Requires Independent Media and Divided Government | Broad + Liberty
• The Timing of the Truth | Terry Tracy
• John Fetterman Has a Big Choice to Make | W. James Antle III
• The Smartest Energy Policy Is Already in Bucks County | Athan Koutsiouroumbas
• A Win in Philadelphia for America’s Founders | Jeffrey H. Anderson
• Energy Security Starts With Pennsylvania | Stephanie Catarino Wissman

1 Thing

5.   Door Dash By Air

“DoorDash has received FAA approval to launch its own drone delivery program called “DoorDash Air.”

The company will develop its own drone and manage many of its deliveries, while still working with its existing drone delivery partners. 

Harrison Shih, head of DoorDash Air, said in a statement: “We want drone delivery to work for any merchant, anywhere.”” | Axios

Thank you for starting your Thursday with us.
Door Dash drone delivery, huh? | See you tomorrow