News & Brews December 4, 2025
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Behind Gov. Josh Shapiro’s carefully crafted persona
The Atlantic has an insightful and telling long-form story on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s public persona—which covers up a politician who tries to please all sides by abandoning real conviction on multiple issues. The section of the story getting the most attention is Shapiro’s first reaction to hearing about Kamala Harris’s book section about him—an account he called “blatant lies.” But the part that should be getting more attention is the observation that Shapiro’s biggest political liability “might be a former associate named Mike Vereb.”
School district represented by Pa. House Speaker got extra $5M
The progressive Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports that “buried” in this year’s code bill “is a provision giving a single school district $5 million, outside of the typical formulas that are used to distribute funds to Pennsylvania’s school districts. The bill didn’t mention the district by name, but specified the money is to go to one ‘in a county of the second class A with a 2021-2022 adjusted daily membership greater than 5,590 and less than 5,595.’ It could only be William Penn, a Delaware County district represented by state House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia).” When asked about the targeted extra, a House Democrat spokesperson said “the guiding principle for the House Democratic caucus has always been and always will be to help the least advantaged. There is an overlap to the extent that our leaders represent some of the poorest areas. Maybe that is a good thing.” Hmmm.
Dems hope to flip state Senate
This week, Democrat state Sen. James Malone (Lancaster County), who shocked many Republicans by winning a special election earlier this year, announced his re-election campaign. Meanwhile, Democrats hope to flip the chamber, even though their “path to a Senate majority is narrow,” the Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports. They would need to capture four seats, and the members they’re eyeing are Sen. Frank Farry (Bucks), Sen. Jarrett Coleman (Bucks & Lehigh), Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (Berks & Montgomery), and Sen. Rosemary Brown (Lackawanna, Monroe, & Wayne).
Mamdani operatives turn to House seats in Pa.
The Philly-based progressive political strategy firm behind NYC Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani’s recent victory has set its sights on flipping U.S. House seats in Pennsylvania. Specifically, the Inquirer reports, Fight Agency is targeting two races, “working with Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti in Northeast Pennsylvania and firefighter Bob Brooks in the Lehigh Valley.” These areas are currently represented by freshmen U.S. Reps. Rob Bresnahan and Ryan Mackenzie, respectively.
Pa.’s Rep. Smucker running for House Budget chair
The Hill reports that Republican U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker, who represents Pennsylvania’s 11th congressional district in York and Lancaster counties, “was a behind-the-scenes force in helping balance the demands of fiscal hawks with leadership’s desire to push the One Big Beautiful Bill Act over the finish line this year. Now, he’s bringing that experience and focus on fiscal discipline to his bid to lead Republicans on the House Budget Committee in the next Congress, after current Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) opted to not seek reelection.” Members won’t select a new chair (or ranking member if they lose the House) until after next year’s mid-term elections. “But Smucker is seen as a heavy favorite to win the race.”