📖 Today’s PoliticsPA Playbook. Poll: Most Say the State of the Union Is Not Strong. Lehigh County’s Special Election Comes With High Stakes For PA. The Democrats’ Blue-Collar Brigade. THON 2026 Raises Record $18.8 Million.
🎶 Your Morning Pick Me Up. Miserlou. Dick Dale & His Del-Tones. You’ll recognize it immediately
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🏀 Sixers (31-26) | New Orleans 111-126 | Minnesota 135-108 | Tue at Indiana
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🏒 Penguins (29-15-12) | Feb 26 vs. New Jersey
🔈 What We’re Hearing. The DCCC named Paige Cognetti and Janelle Stelson to its “Red to Blue” program to receive strategic guidance, staff resources, training, and fundraising support.
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Top Story
1. Poll: Most Say the State of the Union Is Not Strong and the U.S. Is Worse Off
“As President Trump is set to deliver his first official State of the Union address of his second term, most Americans say the country is worse off than a year ago and that the state of the union is not strong, according to the latest NPR/PBS News/Marist poll.
Additionally, more people than ever are describing the direction Trump is moving the country as “change for the worse.”
The poll is the latest sign of the political headwinds Trump is facing, particularly with persuadable voters. But given that his base continues to stand behind him — more than 8 in 10 Republicans think the country is better off than a year ago — Trump is unlikely to cede any ground in Tuesday’s address.” | NPR
Elsewhere
Four Hotly Contested U.S. House Races Put PA In National Political Spotlight Once Again. “With control of the U.S. House up for grabs in this year’s midterm elections, Pennsylvania once again finds itself on the national radar with four congressional district races that could tip the balance of power.” | PennLive
Voters Know What The Next Big Issue Is. They Don’t Know How They Feel About It. “Data centers are quickly becoming the next big political issue. And neither party has figured out how to run on them. Americans don’t know much about data centers, they don’t really know how to feel about them and they’re not yet sure where the political battle lines lie.” | POLITICO
Supreme Court’s Tariff Ruling Could Alter 2026 Election. “The 2026 midterm elections could now be shaped around candidates’ response to the U.S. Supreme Court striking down the bulk of President Donald Trump’s tariff authority.” | The Center Square
Shapiro Details Constructive Relationship With Fetterman, Dodges Endorsing Senator. “Gov. Josh Shapiro assured that he and Sen. John Fetterman are on good terms despite “different” political takes on some issues. ” | Washington Examiner
State
2. Lehigh County’s Special Election Tuesday Comes With High Stakes For Pennsylvania Politics
“Local voters in a special election could shift the balance of power in Harrisburg when they head to the polls Tuesday to elect their next state representative.
Residents of Allentown and Salisbury Township will choose between Democrat Ana Tiburcio, an Allentown School Board director, and Republican Robert E. Smith Jr., a former school board director, to represent the 22nd state House District for the next nine months.” | LehighValleyNews
Elsewhere
As New PA Taxes Are Weighed, Democrats Say Tax On Wealthy Should Still Be Considered. “With state legislators once again debating potentially lucrative taxes on marijuana and skill games, some Democrats and tax reform advocates in Harrisburg say lawmakers shouldn’t forget about the revenue generating potential of a tax on the wealthy.” | LNP
Right-to-Know in Pennsylvania During the Age of AI. “The proliferation of generative artificial intelligence has upended the state’s public access process, either burdening governments with voluminous filings or increasing transparency for individuals with no legal training.” | Penn Capital-Star
False Claims Laws In Other States Have Brought In Millions. Why Hasn’t It Passed In PA? “A proposed law would mirror the federal False Claims Act, which allows whistleblowers to file lawsuits on the government’s behalf and receive a share of the money that’s recovered in damages and penalties, or paid out as a settlement. Federal prosecutors say the law is one of their most powerful tools against fraud.” | Spotlight PA
PA Has A Skilled Worker Shortage. What’s The Plan For Filling It? “Pennsylvania officials have unveiled a multi-part plan for strengthening the commonwealth’s higher education system by making credentials more affordable and growing a workforce that matches the needs of a shifting economy.” | USA Today Network
Around The Commonwealth
3. The Democrats’ Blue-Collar Brigade
“Bob Brooks owns a lawn care and snow-removal business, heads the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association, and was recruited by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro to win back one of the most competitive House districts in the country.
And here in the Lehigh Valley, as nationally, the party’s chances of regaining the Houses may rest in the callused hands of candidates like Brooks, who are flaunting their blue-collar bona fides in hopes of winning back lower- and middle-income voters who drifted to Trump in droves.” | TIME
Elsewhere
Trump Administration Doesn’t Need To Restore More President’s House Exhibits For Now, Appeals Court Says. “President Donald Trump’s administration won its first court victory in the President’s House case Friday afternoon, when a federal appeals judge paused the injunction ordering the restoration of the slavery exhibits to the site.” | Philadelphia Inquirer
Josh Shapiro, In His Own Words, On Political Violence And Antisemitism. “Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is opening up about his Jewish faith at a pivotal moment in his political rise.” | AP
Immigration Lawsuits Are Dominating Philly’s Federal Courthouse As ICE Push Continues. “Before this summer, detained immigrants filed release petitions with Philadelphia’s federal court a handful of times a year. A new ICE detention policy led to hundreds of filings in recent months.” | Philadelphia Inquirer
Committeeperson Elections, By the Numbers. “Thinking about running for the lowest elected office in Philly? Chances are, you’ll win.” | Philadelphia Citizen
Editorial
4. What Do You Think?
* Justice Gorsuch Tries to Revive Congress | Wall Street Journal
* How to Stop a Dictator | Zach Beauchamp
* All These New Independents Are Making Politics More Partisan | David M. Drucker
* Republicans Continue To Sow Distrust In Elections. The SAVE America Act Won’t Change That | Luis F. Carrasco
* We Don’t Need Voter ID Because Voter Fraud Isn’t A Problem | Bruce Ledewitz
* The Hidden ICE Blueprint That Should Horrify Every American | Will Bunch
* PA Doesn’t Need To Bend Over Backward For Data Center Developers | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
* Let’s See The Receipts On Data Centers | Greensburg Tribune-Review
* Trump’s Successes: What We Voted For, What We Needed | Guy Ciarrocchi
1 Thing
5. THON Raises Record $18.8 Million
“Another year, another record-setting fundraising total for Penn State’s THON and its efforts to support pediatric cancer patients and research.
THON 2026 raised $18,841,726.53 for the Four Diamonds at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital, the student-run philanthropy revealed on Sunday afternoon at the Bryce Jordan Center. The announcement came following the conclusion of the annual 46-hour dance marathon that began at 6 p.m. on Friday, the culmination of a year of fundraising efforts.” | StateCollege.com
Thank you for starting your week with us.
Time to go move the snow. See you tomorrow.
