News & Brews August 18, 2025
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Garrity announces candidacy for governor
This morning, Pennsylvania state Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced her candidacy for governor. In a video posted on X, Garrity pledged to “work hard every day to fix the problems Josh Shapiro has created.” She points to Shapiro’s alliance with “far left mega-donors like Bloomberg and Soros” and the fact that he’s running around angling for president while Pennsylvania’s state budget remains incomplete. Learn more at www.GarrityforPa.com.
SEPTA battle raises questions of Shapiro’s abilities
The Philadelphia Citizen’s Larry Platt writes that “these last months of our SEPTA [funding] drama, … have raised questions about our Governor’s ability to problem-solve.” Indeed, Shapiro has been holding press conferences in southeast Pa., but he’s “preaching to the choir” far from where the negotiating actually has to happen. And as Shapiro angles for the White House, Platt writes that if Governor Shapiro “can’t work with [Senate Majority Leader Joe] Pittman, how is a President Shapiro going to work with, say, Senator John Thune in the nation’s capital, let alone with America’s allies and adversaries?”
A look ‘inside the DNC’s money problems’
POLITICO reports that the fundraising gap between the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee, which is “nearly twice as large as it was at this stage in Trump’s first presidency — has only grown in recent months.” And it’s the Democrats who are lagging. What’s behind the gap? “Major Democratic donors have withheld money this year amid skepticism about the party’s direction, while the small-dollar donors who have long been a source of strength are not growing nearly enough to make up the gap.”
Watch: Senate Majority Leader talks late budget
Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman joined ABC27’s Dennis Owens to discuss the progress (or lack thereof) on state budget negotiations. After Democrats blast Republicans (this takes up the first few minutes of the video), Pittman says the parties are “certainly not close” to a 100% agreement on the budget. The interview ranges from SEPTA to skill games and more. Click here to watch (the segment begins a few minutes into the video).
Gas valve failure possibly to blame for Clairton Coke Works explosion
On Friday, U.S. Steel shared findings from its preliminary investigation into the deadly Clairton Coke Works explosion, and possibly to blame was a gas valve failure. A U.S. Steel spokesperson said, “Pressure built inside the valve, leading to valve failure and coke oven gas filling the area and ultimately exploding when finding an ignition source.” The investigation, however, is still “in its early stages.” And the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports, “The company said it’s working with the United Steelworkers union, local, county and state agencies and third-party experts on the investigation.”