Political handicappers give Western Pa. incumbents the upper hand in midterms
Only one congressional incumbent from Southwestern Pennsylvania is considered vulnerable in this year’s pivotal midterm elections, and that congressman, U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Fox Chapel, faces a minimal threat, a new analysis shows. Deluzio is unopposed in the May 19 primary but will face a Republican challenger in November. Beaver...
What is Section 2, the provision of the Voting Rights Act at the heart of Louisiana redistricting case?
It remains to be seen how the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on a congressional redistricting case in Louisiana will impact the political landscape. Critics say the court’s ruling Wednesday that the creation of a Black-majority congressional district in Louisiana represented “unconstitutional racial gerrymander” could open the door for more challenges...
Deluzio, Hegseth spar during heated congressional hearingVideo
U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sparred during a contentious congressional hearing Wednesday over accounts that a U.S. command post in Kuwait was unprepared for an Iranian drone attack that killed six troops and injured dozens more. When Deluzio asked Hegseth whether there was anything else that...
Fetterman looks to expand SNAP benefits to include hot rotisserie chicken
U.S. Sen. John Fetterman says hot rotisserie chicken from Costco is a staple on his family’s dinner table. At $4.99 apiece, Costco’s hot rotisserie chicken is “America’s best (and delicious) affordability play,” the Democrat from Braddock said. “It’s one of my family’s favorites,” Fetterman added. But Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program...
Sen. Dave McCormick endorses Trump nominee for Fed chair
U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick introduced the nominee to chair the Federal Reserve at a contentious Senate Banking Committee hearing on Tuesday, describing him as a personal friend who he said is the “right man for this pivotal moment.” “He will shake up a stagnant institution at a time when change...
Chance of severe weather during NFL Draft is ‘quite low,’ meteorologist saysVideo
Weather conditions over the past couple of days have seemed more reminiscent of late in the football season than late April, with low temperatures plunging into the 30s. But highs are expected to climb back into the 70s in time for this week’s NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, potentially reaching the...
Voters to decide on placing term limits on Allegheny County officials
Allegheny County Council voted this week to let voters decide whether to place term limits on the county executive, members of council and row officers including the district attorney, sheriff, controller and treasurer. County Executive Sara Innamorato plans to sign the legislation, according to a spokeswoman. That would clear the...
Western Pa. congressional incumbents have upper hand over challengers in campaign cash
Congressional incumbents seeking reelection in Western Pennsylvania have significantly more cash to fuel their campaigns than their challengers, new filings show. U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Fox Chapel, has the biggest money advantage, according to the latest filings with the Federal Election Commission, which were due Wednesday. His campaign raised $2.1...
Pa. House sends budget proposal to Senate earlier than it has in nearly a decade
The state House sent a proposed $53.3 billion budget for the coming fiscal year to the Senate on Tuesday — the earliest it has initially passed a spending plan in nearly a decade. The plan passed this week by the Democratic-controlled House has virtually no chance of making it through...
Undeterred by past setbacks, perennial political candidates set sights on primary
If at first — or the second, third or fourth time — you don’t succeed, try, try again. Some people seeking office this year are known in political circles as perennial candidates. They’ve appeared on ballots several times before but typically came up far short in bids for the same...
Shapiro, Garrity spar over Iran
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Treasurer Stacy Garrity are sparring this week over the war in Iran. Garrity, who is unopposed for the Republican nomination in this year’s race for governor, took exception Thursday to Shapiro describing the conflict as “the president’s war of choice.” In response to a reporter’s...
Date set for special election in Butler County state House district
A special election to replace former state Rep. Stephenie Scialabba, R-Cranberry, has been scheduled for August, but voters in the Butler County state House district could remain without a representative until late September. State House Speaker Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia, on Wednesday scheduled the 12th District special election for Aug. 18....
Shapiro outraises Garrity by 10-to-1 margin in 1st quarter, filings show
State Treasurer Stacy Garrity raised more than $1 million for her gubernatorial campaign during the first three months of the year but was outraised by incumbent Gov. Josh Shapiro by more than a 10-to-1 margin, campaign finance reports show. Garrity, a Republican from Bradford County, filed paperwork Tuesday showing that...
Shapiro’s reelection campaign reports raising over $10M during first quarter
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s reelection campaign said it raised more than $10 million during the first three months of the year — twice as much as the previous record for a gubernatorial campaign in the first quarter of an election year. “This remarkably strong showing underscores the broad support for...
Shapiro holds wide lead over Garrity in race for Pa. governor, poll shows
A new poll shows Gov. Josh Shapiro with a commanding lead over Treasurer Stacy Garrity in his bid for a second term. The Susquehanna Polling and Research poll, released Wednesday, has Shapiro leading Garrity by 22 percentage points (58% to 36%). Just 5% of likely voters remain undecided at this...
Shapiro vows to ‘protect’ voters from Trump order on voting by mail
Gov. Josh Shapiro opposes an executive order by President Donald Trump that attempts to place tighter restrictions on mail-in voting. “President Trump can sign whatever the hell he wants to, but it won’t change the Constitution. The authority to set our election rules belongs to the states — and as...
Sen. Dave McCormick, NIH Director Jay Battacharya tour Pittsburgh medical, research facilities
U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick said Monday he would oppose any White House push to reduce funding for the National Institutes of Health, the largest biomedical research agency in the world. Roll Call, citing sources in the medical research industry, reported last week that the White House could seek to cut...
Some Pa. lawmakers call for suspending state taxes on gas and dieselVideo
With average gas prices hovering around $4 a gallon, and diesel prices nearly $2 a gallon higher, some Pennsylvania lawmakers are exploring temporarily suspending the state’s taxes on both. “Everybody is talking about affordability, but what are we doing about it? I think we can do something,” state Sen. Lisa...
Pa. House votes to boost state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2029
The state House voted Tuesday afternoon to boost Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2029. Pennsylvania’s minimum wage has been $7.25 an hour since 2009. “If you work hard, you shouldn’t have to worry about your next meal or having a roof over your head. Pennsylvania needs a...
GOP state House candidate in North Hills ruled ineligible to appear on primary ballot
A McCandless Republican has been ruled ineligible to appear on the May 19 primary ballot as a candidate for state House because he doesn’t meet Pennsylvania’s residency requirement. Ehab Akkary was the lone Republican to file paperwork to seek the GOP nomination in the 30th state House District, which includes...
Congress is enacting less legislation than it has in at least a half-century, records show
Lawmakers in Washington are on pace to introduce more legislation this session than they have since the 1970s, but they’re also on pace to enact fewer bills and resolutions into law than they have in at least a half-century. A database maintained by the government transparency website GovTrack.us showed that,...
Summer Lee moves to impeach Attorney General Pam Bondi as GOP-led committee subpoenas her
U.S. Rep. Summer Lee and five Democratic colleagues on Tuesday introduced articles of impeachment against Attorney General Pam Bondi over her handling of files related to the late billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and what the lawmakers described as the politicization of the Justice Department. Separately Tuesday, the GOP-controlled House...
Petition argues Republican state House candidate in North Hills is ineligible to run
A petition filed in Commonwealth Court says a Republican state House candidate in the North Hills is not eligible to run because he doesn’t meet the state’s residency requirement. The candidate, Ehab Akkary of McCandless, called the challenge “antidemocratic” and said it is a “frivolous and politically motivated attempt to...
Western Pa. lawmakers secure $406M in federal earmarks for local projects
Congressional earmarks have returned in a big way this fiscal year, with $15.7 billion tucked into non-defense appropriations bills to support more than 8,000 projects nationwide. Western Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation has secured more than $406 million for nearly 200 government and nonprofit projects, records show. Those lawmakers have requested another...
Western Pa. primary races shaping up as candidates file nomination petitions
The May 19 primary could feature more than a dozen contested races across Southwestern Pennsylvania for state House and Senate, the U.S. House and lieutenant governor, according to a state database of candidates who filed nomination paperwork to run for office. The field of candidates isn’t set yet, though. Signatures...
