First Read – July 22, 2024

WEATHER: Philadelphia: mostly sunny, slight chance of thunderstorms, high of 91; Harrisburg: mostly sunny, chance of thunderstorms, high of 92; Pittsburgh: hot, high of 92.

FROM CITY & STATE:

* In a move that seemed both unthinkable and inevitable, President Joe Biden exited his presidential reelection campaign yesterday. Here’s how Pennsylvania politicians have reacted to the decision so far.

* City & State founder Tom Allon explains why a Kamala Harris-Gretchen Whitmer ticket would clean up on Election Day

* In the latest update to our tracker covering the Pennsylvania attorney general race, Democrat Eugene DePasquale and Republican Dave Sunday both pick up endorsements from major labor organizations across the state. 

NEW THIS MORNING:

* President Joe Biden’s decision to exit the presidential race that could have major implications for Pennsylvania as the Democratic Party recasts its national ticket with Gov. Josh Shapiro as a contender, PennLive reports.

* He’s only been Pennsylvania’s governor for a year and a half, but Shapiro already had a national profile for some of the cases he prosecuted during his tenure as the state’s attorney general, the Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports.

* Pennsylvania’s state Democratic Party chair said yesterday that a state party vote to formally endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the presidential nominee is coming, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

* Pennsylvanians have new protections against lawsuits meant to silence public expression, referred to as ‘strategic lawsuits against public participation,’ or SLAPPs, under a bill Shapiro signed into law last week, Spotlight PA reports.

* Shapiro signed bipartisan House Bill 1993 into law this week, providing stronger protections for patients in Pennsylvania and increasing regulatory oversight of pharmacy benefit managers, The Times Leader reports.

* Months before an armed man took aim at Donald Trump at a presidential campaign rally in rural Pennsylvania, some state lawmakers proposed to outlaw the type of rifle used in the assassination attempt, The Morning Call reports.

* Pennsylvania lawmakers hope a new commission created to encourage people to live in rural areas can stem the population decline happening in those parts of the state, WESA reports. 

* At a news conference hosted by Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects last week, clean air advocates urged the state to pass legislation that would prohibit smoking and vaping in many locations where it is still allowed, Union Progress reports.

EDITORIAL PAGES:

* LancasterOnline writes that instead of paying lip service to the concerns of advocates for people with disabilities, Pennsylvania politicians ought to include people with disabilities in the discussions about renovations to the state Capitol.  

* The Tribune Review writes that in the wake of an assassination attempt at a political rally, if Trump is not safe from gun violence, who can be? 

NATIONAL POLITICS:

* President Joe Biden posted a letter to social media yesterday announcing that he would no longer seek reelection, The Associated Press reports. 

* Last night, chairs for the 57 Democratic state parties and territories met and voted to endorse Vice President Harris to be the Democratic Party’s nominee for president,  The Washington Post reports.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: to Wendelynne J. Newton, executive shareholder at Buchanan Ingersoll and Rooney … 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:

No events scheduled at this time. 

KICKER: “(Shapiro) would be one of the top five mentioned in any conversation about any position on any national ticket.” – Democratic strategist James Carville via PennLive