News & Brews August 15, 2025
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Pa. GOP excited about Garrity
WESA’s Chris Potter reports, “It’s no secret that Republicans are anxious to field a strong challenge to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s re-election next year.” So they “were thrilled when state Treasurer Stacy Garrity, whose own bid has been widely anticipated, posted a campaign-style attack video on social media this week.” The video didn’t officially announce a Garrity candidacy, but it suggested such an announcement is in the offing. And this reassures Republicans who have been concerned about a repeat of 2022, when the party did not field a strong candidate.
Will Dems fall for ‘fool’s gold of midterm success’?
The Liberal Patriot’s Ruy Teixeira writes that “Democrats are probably on course to have a pretty good 2026 election.” After all, some traditional midterm indicators lean in their favor. But there’s bad news for Dems. “As they grasp onto the fool’s gold of midterm success, their opportunities to fix their party’s weaknesses will slip away—indeed, are already slipping away.” Teixeira notes that “it’s worth underscoring how much work Democrats have to do to re-establish support levels that might stand up in a presidential election context, when low-propensity voters flood into the electorate.”
Shapiro’s attack against Catholic nuns continues
Little Sisters of the Poor is an order of Catholic nuns who, for almost 200 years, have dedicated themselves to caring for the elderly poor. But to Gov. Josh Shapiro, they’re the enemy. As attorney general, Shapiro took Little Sisters to court to force them to violate their religious beliefs by providing contraceptives. No fewer than twice has the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Little Sisters. But that didn’t stop Shapiro from harassing them. This week, a federal court in Philadelphia sided with Shapiro’s efforts to force the nuns “to either provide abortion and contraceptives in their healthcare plan or pay tens of millions of dollars in fines.” The Little Sisters plan to appeal.
Op-Ed: Pa. budget update
As the state budget impasse continues, GOP Senator Tracy Pennycuick (Berks and Montgomery counties) provides an update on budget happenings this past week. “Recently, Senate Republicans took action by passing a budget bill to provide funding at the levels included in the final budget for FY 2024-25,” she writes. “While negotiations continue on a final state budget for FY 2025-26, we can – and should – provide counties, school districts, social service providers and others with the critical resources they need right now.” The Senate also “approved a $1.2 billion package to fund Pennsylvania’s public transportation system and invest in our roadways.” The Democrat-controlled House, however, rejected both measures.
A conservative ad ‘ooops’
This one made me chuckle. A conservative group running ads in Colorado thanked the wrong Congressman Evans for supporting President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill. Instead of thanking Republican Rep. Gabe Evans of Colorado’s 8th District (who supported the bill), the ad thanked Democrat Rep. Dwight Evans of Philly, who did not. In another ad, the same group thanked Bucks County Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, who was one of just two Republicans to vote against the OBBB.