This week’s biggest Winners & Losers

Get ready for another mail-in ballot bonanza. The Commonwealth Court ruled last week that mail-in ballots with incorrect or no dates listed on the outer envelope are eligible to be cured and counted. In response, the Republican National Committee and Pennsylvania GOP have appealed the decision, which could have an enormous impact on the outcome in November.

Former GOP state Rep. Andrew Lewis is returning to Harrisburg in a new capacity. Lewis, a U.S. Army veteran who served in the state House from 2019 to 2022, was named the next president and CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation, a free-market think tank based in Harrisburg. During his time in office, Lewis backed legislation to expand school choice programs and worked across the aisle in support of reforming the state’s regulatory landscape – two issues that will likely remain top of mind for the former lawmaker as he takes over for outgoing Commonwealth Foundation head Charles Mitchell on Sept. 19. 

Attention may be at the top of the ticket, but there are several significant down-ballot races that could decide party control in Harrisburg. In an effort to boost its candidates, the Republican State Leadership Committee has invested $6.2 million in Pennsylvania races – nearly half of what the RSLC invested in races nationwide in 2023. 

Fulton County may have to cough up some serious cash in relation to a court case centered around the county’s decision to allow unauthorized access to its voting machines, according to a report from PennLive. This week, following an accounting request from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Commonwealth Court Judge Renee Cohn Jubelirer determined that the county must pay $711,252 to the Pennsylvania Department of State and $324,673 to Dominion Voting Systems as part of its penalty, which was handed down after the county allowed an outside entity to inspect its voting machines despite facing a court order prohibiting such access. 

The Japanese-owned multinational steel outfit won’t be acquiring U.S. Steel, the iconic Pittsburgh company, if President Joe Biden has his way. His administration announced this week that it intends to block the $14.9 billion deal, citing both national manufacturing and security interests. U.S. Steel leaders and shareholders were also losers, as the company’s stock price plunged on the news.

Starting soon, many SEPTA riders will likely pay more for their commutes. The Philadelphia-region transit authority announced it will eliminate fare discounts for SEPTA Key and credit- and debit-card users to help stem a $240 million budget shortfall. Many Regional Rail users – including single-trip riders and those who park at the stations – will also pay more if SEPTA’s board approves the changes.