Latest news with #Pennsylvanians
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
GOP field begins to emerge in 2026 race for Pennsylvania governor
Influential Republicans believe the perfect candidate to go up against popular Democratic incumbent Gov. Josh Shapiro might be a woman who is a decorated veteran, has business chops and has already aced a state-level election by getting the most votes in Pennsylvania history. But will Stacy Garrity run? Virtually the entire Republican Party in Pennsylvania is waiting for the answer. The 2026 gubernatorial election race looms, and Garrity, the twice-elected state treasurer from Bradford County, has been the main focus of attention since U.S. Rep Dan Meuser removed himself from consideration. "I will have an announcement about the future of my career in service very soon," Garrity said when asked about her plans. Social media posts have hinted the 2022 Republican nominee, Sen. Doug Mastriano of Franklin County, might be thinking about another run. But attempts to obtain a comment from Mastriano were not successful, and higher-ups in the party say there has been little talk about the former nominee. "I have not heard a soul discuss that he is running, or should run, or that he would have any support," said Jason Richey, Allegheny County Republican Committee chairman and a former gubernatorial candidate himself. "I think Stacy is going to announce. I think she is going to run." State Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward of Westmoreland County said she hopes Garrity will run. "She's a fighter. And she's smart. She's a really intelligent, thoughtful treasurer, and I think she would make a superb governor because she's got all the ingredients," Ward said. "I look forward to her announcement and being behind her 100%." And Melissa Hart, an attorney in Allegheny County and former Republican congresswoman, said Garrity has the "inner strength" to go up against Shapiro - widely regarded as a very tough opponent. While he has not yet formally announced a bid for reelection, recent polling has shown more than twice as many Pennsylvanians approve of Shapiro's job performance than disapprove. And his national prominence was underscored by a Thursday night appearance on Stephen Colbert's late-night television show. To Hart, who was once a state senator, hesitancy to declare candidacy is understandable. There's a "coarseness" in modern politics that did not used to be present, she said. Hence, the "enthusiasm for running for office is not as healthy as it should be," she said. Nonetheless, while Republican chatter focuses on an unannounced Garrity, other potential Republican candidates may be sitting on the sidelines, according to pollster Chris Borick. A political science professor at Muhlenberg College in Lehigh County, Borick said if Garrity chooses not to run, "you would probably see a bunch of candidates throw their hats in the ring." In 2024, Garrity beat Democratic challenger Erin McClelland in the state treasurer's race by a 52%-to-46% margin in a field with five candidates. Her total of more than 3.5 million votes was the largest ever for a state-level candidate in Pennsylvania history, observers said. The campaign raised eyebrows when Shapiro opted not to endorse McClelland, a fellow Democrat - a decision that may have been influenced by less-than-flattering social media posts made by McClelland concerning Shapiro. The only hat in the ring for Democrats in the May 19, 2026, primary will likely belong to the 52-year-old Shapiro. He will ride into the 2026 contest on a long string of election victories - for state representative, Montgomery County commissioner, attorney general, and governor. "Gov. Shapiro is in a very strong position, as most incumbent governors are," said former Republican state Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman of Centre County. To date, Corman said, things "have gone very well" for Shapiro but a lot could happen before the November 2026 general election. In his first year on the job, Shapiro received a barrage of criticism from Republicans for a decision to line-item veto money for a voucher-style school scholarship program, a concept he had supported during during his election campaign. They have consistently attacked his spending proposals as unsustainable - one senator said a Shapiro budget would "bankrupt" the state - and more recently, Republicans have attacked what they describe as a lack of transparency in the use of taxpayer-funded airplanes. Some Republicans believe Shapiro's continued flirtation with a possible presidential run may sour some voters. "Gov. Shapiro has always had his eye on his next office," Ward said. "Everything he has done, as far as I am concerned, has been calculated into 'How does that affect his run for president.' And I don't think that's a positive for Pennsylvania." Since he was a finalist in Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris' 2024 search for a running mate, Shapiro has remained on the national stage. A late June Emerson College poll put Shapiro in a tie for fourth when Democratic primary voters nationwide were asked about a potential 2028 presidential candidate. Both Shapiro and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez polled at 7%, behind former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg with 16%, Harris with 13%, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom with 12%. Shapiro will have national and state Democratic backing in the 2026 governor's race, according to state Sen. Jay Costa of Allegheny County, the top Democrat in the state Senate. Hanging on to the Pennsylvania governorship is "imperative" for the party, Costa said, and Shapiro and Lt. Gov. Austin Davis of McKeesport comprise "a very strong, formidable team." Borick said that's a charge Republicans are sure to hurl at the governor regardless of who their candidate is. His likely response, Borick said, has already become apparent in his frequent appearances all over the state. "He is saying, 'Look at my job performance. Look at where I am. Look at what I am doing,'" Borick said. As July nears to a close, Shapiro is bogged down in closed-door negotiations for a state budget that had a deadline of June 30. How long it takes and how the spending plan is perceived will influence the upcoming campaign, multiple observers said. And even though Garrity has not declared her intentions, friction has developed between supporters of Shapiro and those who plan to back Garrity. Earlier this month, a Philadelphia-area union official said on social media that if Garrity ran for governor, she would never again have support from the union, "not even for county dog catcher." That and other comments raised the ire of Ward and other women in the Senate Republican caucus, who claimed they were sexist and meant to intimidate. Costa, who said he saw the posts, rejected that notion and said the wording did not convey the message Republicans were trying to attach to it. Shapiro was asked about it during a public appearance on Wednesday, and he brushed it off. "Here is what I know to be true. The Republicans will nominate someone to run against me for governor. Let them play that out - that deals with their politics on their side. I am going to continue doing my job, governing for all Pennsylvanians," he said. That response drew more fire from Republican women in the Senate, who believed he failed to address the issue. Sen. Camera Bartolotta, R-Washington, said it was a "masterful" dodge of the topic. Shapiro's win by more than 700,000 votes over Mastriano in 2022 came after the senator was the top vote-getter in a bruising, nine-way primary. The state Republican party wants to avoid a repeat of the chaotic scenario. Its communications director, James Markley, said the GOP is working to narrow Democrats' registration advantage, which he put at less than than 70,000 "active" voters. The goal, he said, is to provide the eventual nominee with "the strongest infrastructure possible" for the campaign. Garrity worked at Global Tungsten & Powders Corp. in Towanda in Bradford County for decades - eventually becoming a corporate vice president - but also served a full career in the Army Reserve, with three deployments. Markley said Garrity has produced "real results" in multiple aspects of her life. And Borick, the pollster, said an opt-in from Garrity would set up a fascinating match. "We don't see this very often in Pennsylvania politics - where you get two clear party stars to face off." _____ Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Axios
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Axios
Pennsylvania's latest banned license plate list is a riot
Pennsylvania, U-FNNY-AF. Why it matters: Call us vainglorious, but Pennsylvanians are getting more creative withnew, crass catchphrases to put on our vanity plates. The big picture: The state's most recent banned plate list has grown to more than 4,500 entries, up from roughly 2,000 in 2023. Entries reflect political machinations, historic and pop cultural events and a taste for the tawdry. And it all comes as state lawmakers are considering a proposal requiring drivers to have two license plates on their vehicles. How it works: Rules, rules, rules. The state has a whole list of them, but basically you can't include sexual innuendo, profanity, scat references (grow up, everyone) or things that'll confuse law enforcement or make you seem like you're a cop. Axios Philly went line-by-line through the list to better understand what the state deems clever or canceled. Here are some of the rejected submissions that caught our eye: POTUS47, F-ELON, EF ELON: One Pennsylvanian's political tribute is another's insult. Bonus irony points if this had ended up on a Tesla. The drawback: It's very easy to read it as "FELON." NOMAMES: A Spanish slang term to express surprise ... and something you mutter under your breath when the PennDOT clerk tells you that you can't put it on your plate. LFGENZ: OK, boomer! EDGING: Yep, someone went there. We're edging toward a very, very dark place in Pennsylvania license plate history. FAFO: Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner's go-to catchphrase ended up on T-shirts, but PennDOT was like "FAFO" when someone tried replicating the cringeworthy meme on a plate. FITFO: Apparently, this stands for "Figure it the f--k out." We just did. FLUFF-U: It's where you go to get a bachelor of science (BS). FWAGON: Keep your mind out of the G-utter, folks. Clearly, this is a typo — F and G are right next to each other on the keyboard — from someone chest-pounding about their new Mercedes Benz G-Class. UZAHO: AKA E-ZPass' licentious cousin. Get it, or is that too subtle? GOVNA: That's Mr. Shapiro to you, bloke. PENNDOT: If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.
Axios
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Axios
ICE arrests of noncriminals spike in Pennsylvania
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests of people without criminal charges or convictions soared in Pennsylvania in June, newly obtained data shows. Why it matters: The jump, which mirrors national trends, came shortly after the Trump administration's decision to hike ICE's arrest quotas. State of play: Noncriminal arrests in Pennsylvania made up an average of 51% of daily ICE arrests in early June, up from 27% in early January, per ICE data via UC Berkeley. Last month, ICE made 332 noncriminal arrests in the state, up from 70 in January. The average number of daily arrests of those with charges or convictions also increased in early June, but not to the same degree. Zoom out: Nationwide, people without criminal charges or convictions made up an average of 47% of daily ICE arrests in early June, up from about 21% in early May, before the quota increase. Between the lines: The spike in noncriminal ICE arrests nationwide came despite the Trump administration's claimed focus on criminals living in the country illegally. And it happened just after the Trump administration told ICE to arrest at least 3,000 people daily, up from 1,000. Context: UC Berkeley School of Law's Deportation Data Project obtained the agency's data — based on seven-day trailing averages — via Freedom of Information Act requests. Being in the U.S. illegally is a civil, not criminal, violation. Meanwhile, more Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies are cooperating with ICE compared to last month. 25 state agencies have signed onto deals with ICE known as 287(g) agreements as of last week, per federal data — up from 11 in early June. The agreements allow such agencies to carry out immigration enforcement and supplement federal officers, who have limited resources. Plus: Removal orders issued to Pennsylvanians reached at least 869 in June, per the latest data from the nonpartisan Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC). That's up from 567 in January. Zoom in: ICE arrests and activity in the Philly region are raising concerns and sparking protests.
New York Post
16-07-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Let's hope Kathy Hochul took notes as investors poured $100 billion into Pennsylvania for AI projects
Let's hope Gov. Kathy Hochul was paying attention Tuesday as President Donald Trump joined the Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit in Pittsburgh, underscoring his solid commitment to US growth — and prosperity. Investors are dumping a whopping $100 billion into AI-related initiatives, and New Yorkers would love to get a piece of that — but Hochul's anti-business policies are getting in the way. One major lesson from the summit: AI dominance is inextricably linked to energy because servers and data farms require a lot of constant, reliable electricity. Advertisement Other industries, too, are highly sensitive to energy prices and reliability. And states like Pennsylvania understand that economic growth is inseparable from responsible extraction of natural resources, in large part to produce the power industry needs. That's why major companies are pouring tens of billions of dollars into the Keystone State's new AI initiatives. Advertisement Yet in New York, if you look across the state line at our neighbor from the economically anemic Southern Tier, it's hard not to feel a twinge of regret: While the shale revolution has sparked an economic resurgence in Pennsylvania, New York has banned fracking, which is needed to harvest the region's natural gas. Since then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo banned fracking in 2015, the Southern Tier has lost out on tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity. Yet Hochul hasn't lifted a finger to reverse it; rather, she openly supports depriving New Yorkers of the kind of windfalls Pennsylvanians are enjoying thanks to fracking. (And she plans to run on New York's 'affordability' crisis?) Advertisement This is no small-potatoes issue: A study by the Heritage Foundation comparing neighboring counties along the states' border found that annual household incomes in New York are $27,000 lower than those in Pennsylvania. That's a lot of mortgage and car payments. Indeed, where Trump and Pennsylvania actively encourage business, including in the energy industry, Hochul & Co. never stop looking for ways to discourage it — especially when it comes to energy. New York has nixed gas hook-ups and pipelines, and its leaders aim to electrify everything, in the farcical hope that renewables (wind and solar power) can one day provide enough juice. Advertisement Hochul has even sought to punish energy companies: The 'Polluters Pay' law she signed in 2024 actually pins the blame for 'heatwaves' and 'coastal storms' on companies for the 'crime' of selling gas in New York since 2000. (Never mind that it's always been perfectly legal to do so.) Those companies must contribute $3 billion per year to a state-run Superfund. (Want some fries with that shakedown?) Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's similarly sued the energy industry, essentially, for having caused global warming. The case was laughed out of court. Meanwhile, Hochul's climate mandates drive up the cost of energy not just for homeowners but companies that need it. Get opinions and commentary from our columnists Subscribe to our daily Post Opinion newsletter! Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters But energy woes aren't businesses' only gripe about New York: The state also slaps firms — and their employees — with some of the highest taxes in the nation. And the Democratic nominee for mayor in New York, Zohran Mamdani, vows to raise them further if elected. No wonder the Empire State is ranked by the Tax Foundation as second-to-worst for its business climate. Advertisement No wonder New York, particularly upstate, suffers while states like Pennsylvania thrive. Hochul and her fellow Democrats could bring that prosperity to New York in a flash: Just end the fracking ban. Get realistic about fighting climate change. Stop hiking taxes. Ease up on regulations. Alas, they have no desire to do any of that. The far-lefties, like Mamdani, want just the opposite. Unless New Yorkers get new leadership, they'll simply have to sit back and watch in envy as their neighbors prosper — while they don't.
UPI
16-07-2025
- Business
- UPI
Trump announces creation of 'AI economy' during innovation summit
July 15 (UPI) -- Pennsylvanians and the nation will benefit from $100 billion in energy- and artificial intelligence-related investments announced on Tuesday to energize the nation's growing AI economy. The investments should create tens of thousands of new jobs for Pennsylvanians in the energy and AI sectors while helping the United States improve its economy and global AI standing, President Donald Trump said during Tuesday's inaugural Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit in Pittsburgh. "We're here today because we believe America's destiny is to dominate every industry and be the first in every technology," Trump told attendees. "That includes being the world's No. 1 superpower in artificial intelligence," he added. The president said the United States is "way ahead of China" in AI development and has many plants under construction. "China and other countries are racing to catch up to America having to do with AI," Trump said. "We're not going to let them do it," he said. "We have the great chips [and] the great everything." Trump said the United States is "going to be fighting them in a very friendly fashion," adding that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping have a "great relationship." "Remaining the world's leader in AI will require an enormous increase in energy production," Trump told the audience. He said "clean, beautiful coal" and oil production will be a key element in producing more electrical power to support AI endeavors in the United States and to stay ahead of China in AI development. More than $56 billion in new energy infrastructure and $36 billion in new data projects were announced on Tuesday, the president said. A $15 billion investment by Knighthead Capital Management will create the largest natural gas-fired power generation plant in North America in Homer City, Pa. Google also is investing "billions and billions" to revitalize two hydropower facilities in the commonwealth, Trump added. Westinghouse officials also have announced that the company will build several nuclear power plants throughout the nation to ensure the AI economy has ample energy available. "A lot more than that will be announced in the coming weeks and months," Trump added. The president said 20 "leading technology and energy companies" are poised to invest in Pennsylvania to develop an AI economy that utilizes the commonwealth's energy and technology assets, CBS News reported. Many firms are investing elsewhere in the country, too, in order to support the nation's AI economy, according to the New York Post. Trump spoke for about 30 minutes during the hour-long Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit, which was organized by Sen Dave McCormick, R-Pa., and held on the campus of Carnegie Mellon University. Pennsylvania's Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and others joined Trump and McCormick to discuss energy matters and the growth of AI in the United States.
