News & Brews August 25, 2026
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Shapiro hires ex-ICE official in odd arrangement
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office pays $177,507 annually to employ a full-time lobbyist in Washington, D.C., an arrangement not entirely unusual. But in addition to this, Shapiro’s office has also hired a former high-ranking ICE official—who works full time but is paid on an hourly basis at $89 per hour, adding up to about $185,000 per year. This is “an unusual arrangement for a gubernatorial staffer, and one that Shapiro’s office could not immediately explain.”
Shapiro’s spokesperson blamed the hire on Trump and the supposed need to counter his actions. Ah yes, the president is creating so much more work for the governor that he simply can’t handle it with traditional staff. (Also, Spotlight PA’s headline to this story claims Shapiro hired an ex-Trump official. That’s a stretch. The person in question worked as a federal immigration official for years spanning multiple administrations. So let’s lay off the click bait.)
Poll: Shapiro leads Garrity 55%-39%
According to a new Inquirer/New York Times/Siena University poll, Gov. Shapiro holds a 55%-39% lead over Republican challenger Stacy Garrity, and 60% of voters have a favorable opinion of Shapiro. Particularly telling is that 35% of registered Republicans approve of Shapiro’s job performance. (It’s unclear if these Republicans like Shapiro’s opposition to school choice, his push for a RGGI tax, or his refusal to take a stand to protect girls sports the most. But I digress).
The Inquirer also notes, “Among those surveyed who said they plan to vote in the Democratic primary in two years, 86% said they would be likely to support [Shapiro] — though the poll did not compare him with other potential primary candidates.” (Emphasis added.) In other words, this question is meaningless.
Poll: Dems demand complete loyalty
U.S. Senator John Fetterman votes with his Democrat colleagues about 90% of the time. But that’s not enough for many Democrats. The same poll mentioned above found that two-thirds of likely Democrat voters this year think Fetterman sides with Trump too often. Meanwhile, about half say Fetterman has been too supportive of Israel (because apparently Dems want at least a little support for Hamas terrorists—just a bit, of course. And speaking of which, remember all those Gaza famine claims? Yeah, turns out….).
Meanwhile, “Fetterman’s standing among Pennsylvania voters overall remains split, according to the poll. He is viewed favorably by 49% and unfavorably by 43% of all likely voters in the state.”
Philly union didn’t follow its own rules
Since 2014, Philadelphia-based District Council 21 has spent more than $9 million through its PACs on Pennsylvania elections. Well oopsy oops. Now, it appears the union may have been “operating outside” of its own laws and rules. And this is per James A. Williams, Jr., the general president of the union’s parent union, the 140,000-member International Union of Painters and Allied Trades.
As a result, Williams has “appointed a trustee to take control of the district council, removing the union’s elected business manager, Bernie Snyder, from his position and suspending other officers.” Williams says the problem isn’t fraud or theft but rather “mismanagement,” including overpaying certain staff.
Here’s the thing, as the Inquirer reports: This union “is not just any union. It is one of the largest members of the politically influential Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council, which is a close ally of elected officials ranging from Mayor Cherelle L. Parker to Gov. Josh Shapiro. In 2023, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris each visited a training site affiliated with DC 21.”
State unveils new voter registration dashboard
ABC27 reports that Pennsylvania has rolled out a new voter registration dashboard intended to show “the year-to-date cumulative net change in total voter registration statewide.” It appears from my perusal that some of the glitches are possibly still being worked out (for example, I couldn’t change the date range). But amid false claims about Republican gains and massive voter roll purges this year, the dashboard is helpful as the reality is that on net party switches, this year has been the best year for Dems and the worst year for Republicans, despite activist’s social media clickbait to the contrary.
