Top 10 Stories: Harrisburg/PA Politics Reported By Local News Media Last Week

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- In Memoriam: Sen. David 'Chip' Brightbill, PA Senate Majority Leader, Chair Senate Environmental Committee  [PaEN]

-- Gov. Shapiro

-- Post-Gazette: Gov. Shapiro Says Food Stamp Benefits Starting To Flow; Calls VP Vance A ‘Phony’

-- Guest Essay: Don’t Trade Away Pennsylvania's Climate Regulations As Part Of State Budget Deal  [Fossil Fuel Power Plants Power Wave Of Data Center Proposals]  -  By Rep. Greg Vitali, Majority Chair, House Environmental & Natural Resource Protection Committee  [PaEN]

-- Race For Governor

-- Post-Gazette: Democratic Blowouts Bode Well For Shapiro In 2026; But Republicans See Path For Competitive Governor’s Race

-- Budget 2025 (Almost 2026)

-- Post-Gazette: PA Budget Negotiators Continue Work As Frustration With 128-Day-Old Impasse Increases

-- TribLive: Schools Feeling The Pinch Of State Budget Impasse 

-- TribLive: Westmoreland County Finalizes State Loan, Threatens More Job Cuts As State Budget Impasse Continues

-- Erie Times: Pennsylvania Care Providers Decry 4-Month State Funding Delay: ‘These Are Real People’

-- The Center Square: Fiscal Fallout: Pennsylvania Funding Has Spiked 64% Under Last 2 Governors [And General Assembly Who Adopts The Budget]

-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports October Revenue Was $44 Million, 1.3% Below Their Estimates; FYTD $49 Million, 0.4% IFO Projections

-- Williamsport Sun Editorial: PA Lawmakers Should Reflect On Their Role In State Budget Stalemate

-- Warren Times Editorial: It Is Inexcusable That PA Does Not Have A Budget

-- PA House/Senate

-- WITF: 4 PA House Members Leaving Seats As A Result Of Election - 2 Democrats, 2 Republicans 

-- US Senate/House

-- TribLive: Fetterman: ‘I’m Representing 13 Million Pennsylvanians, Not Just Democrats’

-- TribLive Guest Essay: President Fetterman?  The Commendably Independent PA US Senator - By Paul Kengor, Grove City College

-- WITF: Republican Lancaster Con. Smucker Hears Pushback From Constituents In Tele-Town Hall Amid Federal Shutdown

-- 2025 Elections

-- Post-Gazette: Democratic Landslide In PA ‘Definitely Sending A Message’ To Republicans Just A Year After President’s Victory 

-- Post-Gazette: Democratic Blowouts Bode Well For Shapiro In 2026; But Republicans See Path For Competitive Governor’s Race

-- Morning Call: Can Democrats In PA, Lehigh Valley Carry Strong Election Performance Into 2026 Midterms?

-- PennLive Guest Essay: The New Democratic Goal: Make America America Again - By Mark Singel

-- PennLive Editorial: Voters Deliver Resounding Rebuke Of Republicans Across The Nation, And In Pennsylvania

-- Post-Gazette: PA Voters Retain Democratic PA Supreme Court Justices In Race That Drew National Attention  [61% to 39%]

-- TribLive: All 3 PA Supreme Court Justices Win Retention Races

-- Morning Call: PA Superior Court, Commonwealth Court Races Swept By Democrats

-- Eire Times: Republican Matthew Wolford Loses Bid For Commonwealth Court [43% to 56%]   [Read more here.]

-- WITF: 4 PA House Members Leaving Seats As A Result Of Election - 2 Democrats, 2 Republicans 

-- WESA: ‘Democratic Energy,’ Anger At President Powered Wins Up And Down PA Ballot, Observers Say

-- TribLive: Democrats Look To Build On Election Wins In PA, Elsewhere As Republicans Refocus

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: How PA Democrats Roared Back To Life In Off-Year Election

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Republican State Chair Says Party Is Undeterred By Election Losses, Will Refine Its Strategy For Next Year

-- Post-Gazette: Republicans Say There’s Work to Do After Losing PA Supreme Court Fight

-- PennLive - John Baer: Will 2025 Election Results Predict 2026 Election Outcomes? [Maybe, Maybe Not]

-- WHYY: Democrat Ousts Republican Fred Harran In Bucks County Sheriff’s Race Over Agreement Signed With Federal ICE 

-- Post-Gazette: Election Turnout Spiked Across Pittsburgh As Democrats Surged In PA, Nationally

-- WHYY: Philly Suburbs Record Highest Off-Year Voter Turnout Since 2011

-- TribLive Editorial: High Turnout Shows PA Voters Are Engaged

-- Elections

-- City & State PA: PA Secretary Of State Talks Voting Issues In Chester [Pollbook Error] And Dauphin County [Bomb Threat At 1 Polling Place]

-- Spotlight PA: Chester County Pollbook Error Omits 3rd Party Voters, Forcing 1,000s To Cast Provisional Ballots

-- National Elections

-- AP: Democrats Dominate As Economic Woes Take A Toll On President’s Republicans; Election Takeaways

-- Protesting The President

-- WESA: Pittsburgh Rally And March Target Federal ICE Actions At Home Depot Stores

-- PA Impacts Of President’s Tariffs

-- TribLive/Reuters: US Supreme Court Casts Doubt On Legality Of President’s Tariff Powers

-- PA Impacts Of President’s Policies

-- AP: President Seeks To Halt Federal Food Stamp Aid Payments After Court Order 

-- Reuters: US Supreme Court Pauses Judge’s Order Requiring President To Fully Fund Food Stamp Aid

-- AP: US Supreme Court Issues Temporary Emergency Order To Block Full Food Stamp Aid Payments Until Appeals Court Rules On A Longer Lasting Pause At Request Of President

-- NPR: Federal Judge Orders President’s Administration To Restore Full Food Stamp Benefits By Today

-- Post-Gazette: Gov. Shapiro Says Food Stamp Benefits Starting To Flow; Calls VP Vance A ‘Phony’

-- PA Capital-Star: Uncertainty Over Federal Food Stamp Benefits Hits Home In PA’s Coal Region

-- TribLive: In Absence Of Federal Food Stamps, Local Food Banks, Community Members Step Up

-- Post-Gazette: PA Food Bank Demand Soars As Gov. Shapiro Accuses President’s Administration Of Food Stamp Stonewalling

-- WESA: Food Stamp Partial Benefits Again Delayed By President’s Administration Red-Tape Process, PA Officials Say

-- TribLive: Federal Food Stamp Benefits Remain In Limbo, Grocers Brace For Potential Impact  

-- Morning Call - Bill White: What I Learned When I Had To Rely On Food Stamps To Eat [PDF of Article]

-- TribLive: Effects Of Federal Food Stamp Cuts Are Wide-Reaching In PA

-- TribLive - Joseph Sabino Mistick: President Continues To Play Hunger Games

-- PennLive: Hershey Hoagie Shop Offered To Feed Food Stamp Recipients Running Out Of Benefits Because Of Federal Shutdown, And Then The Haters Came Out 

-- PA Capital-Star: Bipartisan Effort Underway To Revive Canceled Federal Farm-Food Bank Program In PA

-- Erie Times: Erie County Residents Get Sticker Shock After Seeing Health Insurance Plan Costs On Pennie Website [Caused By Congressional Republicans Failing To Renew Tax Credits]

-- PA Capital-Star: Pennsylvanians Grapple With Surging Health Insurance Premiums Due To Lack Of Congressional Republican Action On Expiring Subsidies

-- PUC: Utilities Will Not Terminate LIHEAP-Eligible Heating Customers During Federal Shutdown; Customers Need To Call Utilities Now To Stay Connected This Winter  [PaEN]   

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: With Federal LIHEAP Funding Not Available, PA Heating Utilities Pledge Not To Disconnect Low-Income Customers This Month

-- LancasterOnline/WITF: PA Heating Utilities Step In As Government Shutdown Halts LIHEAP Heating Help Program 

-- WHYY - Sophia Schmidt: Federal LIHEAP Heating Assistance Delayed In PA Due To Federal Shutdown, Here Are Other Resources To Help Pay Energy Bills

-- Wilkes-Barre Times Leader/AP: Coal Miners With Black Lung Disease Fight President’s Administration Rollback Of Safety Protections

-- Post-Gazette/AP: Coal Miners With Black Lung Disease Fights President’s Administration Rollback Of Safety Protections

-- Observer-Reporter: Living In Fear: Federal ICE Raids In Washington County Have Immigrant Community On Edge  [PDF of Article]

-- Wilkes-Barre Times Leader/AP: Two Federal Courts Order ICE Not To Deport Man Who Spent 43 Years In PA Prison Before Murder Case Overturned

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Westinghouse Deal On Nuclear Power Plants Boldest Example Yet Of A National Industrial Policy

-- TribLive Editorial: The Common Cents Of Planning Ahead On Eliminating The Penny [But They Didn’t]

-- New Federal Administration

-- TribLive - Joseph Sabino Mistick: President Continues To Play Hunger Games

-- York Dispatch Editorial: Hate Has Become Normalized In Our Streets, We Must Resist It

-- Republican Herald Editorial: The Most Self-Dealing President In US History Outdoes Himself With $230 Million Claim [PDF of Article]

-- TribLive: President’s Justice Dept. Says President’s Hush Money Conviction Should Be Thrown Out

-- Miscellaneous State/Harrisburg Politics

-- York Dispatch Editorial: Hate Has Become Normalized In Our Streets, We Must Resist It

-- TribLive: Former VP Mike Pence Reflects On Faith And Civility At Duquesne University

-- A.I. /Data Centers

-- AP: Voters’ Anger Over High Electricity Bills And A.I. Data Centers Loom Over 2026 MidTerm Elections [PA Highlighted] 

-- PUC Approves Proposed Model Tariff For Public Review To Balance A.I. Data Center Growth And Ratepayer Protection  [PaEN]

-- PJM Winter Power Outlook: Adequate Power Supplies Available To Serve Growing Demand Under Expected Conditions; 1 GigaWatt Of Mostly Solar Power Capacity Added Since Last Winter  [PaEN] 

-- The Center Square: Estimated Power Demand Spiked By A.I. Data Centers Will Outstrip Supply By 2032 In PJM Service Area; Solutions Require Coordinated Actions

-- Reuters: PPL Corp Signs Agreements With A.I. Data Centers To Connect 20.5 Gigawatts Of Power In PA, A 40% Jump Over 3 Months [Enough Electricity To Power Nearly All The Homes In PA 3 Times Over]  

-- Utility Dive: Exelon’s A.I. Data Center Load Forecast Grows To 18 GW; Market Monitor Continues Call For Review Of PECO - Amazon Data Center Agreement Impact On Ratepayers

-- PEC Podcast: Advanced Electric Transmission Technology - More Capacity, More Power Out Of Our Existing Grid At A Fraction Of The Cost  [PaEN]  

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Pittsburgh Energy Storage Maker EOS Defies Skeptics, Sees Large Market For A.I. Data Center Projects

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - November 10  [PaEN] 

-- International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

-- AP: Voters’ Anger Over High Electricity Bills And A.I. Data Centers Loom Over 2026 MidTerm Elections [PA Highlighted] 

-- AAA Average Gasoline Prices: National- $3.07  Ohio- $3.08  PA- $3.24

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs - 17 - Same For Last 6 Weeks

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - November 10  [PaEN] 

-- Bloomberg: NY And NJ Grant Key Permits For Controversial Northeast Supply Natural Gas Pipeline From PA

-- Inside Climate News: NY Regulators Approve Water Quality Permit For Northeast Supply Enhancement Natural Gas Pipeline From PA

-- Utility Dive: What The Last Natural Gas Boom (And Bust) Says About Today’s Rush To Build; New Gas Generation Remains A Risky Investment, Analysts Say 

-- Reuters: US Set To Produce Record Amounts Of Natural Gas To Meet Surging LNG Export Demand

-- Reuters: US LNG Gas Producers Ink Near Record Contract Volumes, Even As Fees Climb, Rising Costs

-- Flooding

-- Observer-Reporter: Washington County Affected By June Flooding Can Apply For Disaster Loans From Federal Small Business Administration [PDF of Article]

-- WTAE: 40 Years Since The Flood Of Record For Monongahela River

-- Education

-- LancasterOnline: Franklin & Marshall College To Admit PA Students Tuition Free, If Families Make Less Than $75,000

-- The Center Square: Report Says PA Faces Highest Costs For Colleges

-- Health Care

-- Erie Times: Pennsylvania Care Providers Decry 4-Month State Funding Delay: ‘These Are Real People’

-- Erie Times: Erie County Residents Get Sticker Shock After Seeing Health Insurance Plan Costs On Pennie Website [Caused By Congressional Republicans Failing To Renew Tax Credits]

-- PA Capital-Star: Pennsylvanians Grapple With Surging Health Insurance Premiums Due To Lack Of Congressional Republican Action On Expiring Subsidies

-- Law Enforcement

-- Spotlight PA: System For Determining If Someone Is Mentally Fit for Trial In PA Is In Crisis, New Report Finds

-- Observer-Reporter: Living In Fear: Federal ICE Raids In Washington County Have Immigrant Community On Edge  [PDF of Article]

-- WESA: Pittsburgh Rally And March Target Federal ICE Actions At Home Depot Stores

-- Wilkes-Barre Times Leader/AP: Two Federal Courts Order ICE Not To Deport Man Who Spent 43 Years In PA Prison Before Murder Case Overturned

-- The Economy

-- TribLive Editorial: The Common Cents Of Planning Ahead On Eliminating The Penny [But They Didn’t]

[Posted: November 9, 2025]