First Read – Dec. 21, 2023

WEATHER: Philadelphia: sunny, high of 44; Harrisburg: mostly sunny, high of 41; Pittsburgh: mostly cloudy, high of 41.

FROM CITY & STATE:

* It was quite a year in the commonwealth, and City & State has gathered some of the highlights, lowlights and surprises from a very unique 2023.

* The race for Pennsylvania attorney general is ramping up, with more candidacy and endorsement announcements dropping each week. See who’s getting the nod from the local and state parties as the race continues into 2024. 

* Next year, in addition to a bevy of high-profile races at the federal level, Pennsylvania voters will have the opportunity – and responsibility – of picking the state’s next auditor general. Party leaders have begun debating and endorsing candidates in races for statewide office, with the Democratic Party issuing a historic endorsement within the last week.

NEW THIS MORNING:

* U.S. Sen. John Fetterman is defending his recent comments in which he declared he is not a progressive, saying in a recent interview that he is not a progressive, “just a very strong Democrat,” PennLive reports. 

* The Bucks County Democratic Committee’s executive board selected Pennsbury School Board member Jim Prokopiak as the party’s nominee in a special election to fill the 140th House District seat, Politics PA reports.

* Philadelphia Mayoral-elect Cherelle Parker named two more top members of her cabinet yesterday: Vanguard executive Alba Martinez will lead the city’s commerce department, and Renee Garcia will serve as solicitor, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

* The announcement of U.S. Steel’s sale to Nippon Steel Corporation has drawn negative reactions from elected officials, labor leaders and others who have expressed concern over the implications of the deal, WESA reports. 

* Gov. Josh Shapiro, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and state veterinarian Dr. Alex Hamberg were in Hershey yesterday to give Santa’s reindeer a clean bill of health ahead of their flight on Christmas Eve, the Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports.

* The PA Political Digest podcast has released a bonus, behind-the-scenes episode looking at some of the top political corruption cases in state history, with input from the U.S. attorneys who prosecuted the cases. 

* Six Democrats in the U.S. House – a group that includes U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan – wrote to President Joe Biden this week to push for an “immediate and significant shift” in Israeli military strategy, The Hill reports.

* U.S. Rep. John Joyce discussed a range of issues at a recent legislative luncheon in Adams County, including internet access in rural areas, health care and the opioid crisis, the Gettysburg Times reports. 

* Pittsburgh Regional Transit is applying for a $100 million federal grant to help the agency get a head start on an effort to replace 81 light rail trains, the Pittsburgh Union Progress reports. 

* Westmoreland County Commissioners are expected to vote on the largest county property tax increase in more than 20 years when they vote on the county’s 2024 budget, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports. 

EDITORIAL PAGES:

* PennLive has a new column from John Baer, who reviews the naughty and nice of politics in 2023.

* The Hill has an op-ed from U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, who offers four ways the University of Pennsylvania should move forward following the resignation of President Liz Magill. 

NATIONAL POLITICS:

* President Joe Biden did not comment on a Colorado state court’s ruling that deemed Donald Trump ineligible to hold the presidency, though Biden did say yesterday that it’s “self-evident” that Trump is an insurrectionist, The Associated Press reports. 

* GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie is defying calls to exit the race, worrying some Republicans who fear that the vocal opponent of Trump may be doing more to help, rather than hurt, the former president’s chances for reelection, The Washington Post reports.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: to Bucks County Commissioner Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia … and to Sean Schafer, president & CEO, Schafer Government Affairs, Inc. Want to wish someone a happy birthday in our newsletter? Email their name, job title and upcoming birthday to editor@cityandstatepa.com.

TODAY’S SKED:

10 a.m. – The Shapiro administration reminds Pennsylvanians of support, assistance and resources available during the holiday season, Main Rotunda, state Capitol, Harrisburg. 

KICKER: 

“I’ve been very clear that I’m not a progressive … I’m just a very strong Democrat.” – U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, via PennLiv