News & Brews November 5, 2026
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Shapiro’s trifecta plans
Immediately after winning a Democrat trifecta, Gov. Shapiro outlined his first plans once the new legislative session begins. Spotlight PA reports that Shapiro “did not provide an exhaustive list, but he said he can ‘guarantee’ they’ll accomplish the following: ‘We will fund mass transit. We will raise the minimum wage. We will make sure that women have a right to reproductive freedom here in this commonwealth. We will build more housing. We will allow survivors of abuse the ability to confront their abusers in court.’”
For lawmakers’ part, “Democrats plan to advance a bill to increase the state minimum wage first, party leaders indicated Wednesday. The wage is currently $7.25 an hour, the federal minimum set in 2009. Pennsylvania lawmakers last voted to increase it in 2006. State Sen. Vincent Hughes (D., Philadelphia) said he wanted to ‘double that sucker.’ There are many other policies that Democrats want to address. Lawmakers … named paid family leave, legalizing recreational cannabis, stricter rules for data centers, expanding voting rights, and allowing citizen-led referenda as additional issues they wish to tackle.”
Election season is underway…
I know I know — make it stop! Sadly, I can’t. No sooner had everyone seen Tuesday’s election results than Democrat Commonwealth Court Judge Matthew Wolf announced that he’ll be running for state Supreme Court. Seriously, no respect for those of us who want to get some sleep and have 30 minutes to think about something other than elections. Sigh. Anyway, Democrat Justice Christine Donohue will soon be forced to retire as she’ll hit the mandatory retirement age, so there will be an open seat on Pennsylvania’s state Supreme Court. Wolf seems to think the open seat will be next November, but Donohue hasn’t actually announced her retirement and can technically serve through the end of next year. So, here we go.
Green mandates, the grid, & the ‘net zero’ illusion
Commonwealth Foundation Senior Fellow Gordon Tomb gave a great interview on the Powering America podcast on “the implications of green energy mandates on electricity prices and reliability.” Gordon tackles “Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards, which require a percentage of electricity to come from renewable sources, and critiques the effectiveness and economic impact of such policies.” He also notes “that fossil fuels and nuclear power remain the most viable energy sources for affordable electricity, while highlighting the political challenges in shifting energy policy.” It’s a great conversation. Listen here (scroll down for the play button), or click here to read more.
A far-left Congress? Maybe. Maybe not.
With antisemitic terrorist sympathizer Abdul El-Sayed winning a seat in the U.S. Senate from Michigan, it’s easy to look at this week’s Blue Wave as an incoming flood of far-left politicians. And while there certainly are some of those, the Wall Street Journal offers some perspective: “Judging by the candidates who delivered their majorities, Democrats may be moving toward the center.” (I’m not sure I’d go that far, but stay with me here.) The Journal notes, “Third Way, a centrist Democratic advocacy group, figures that as of Wednesday afternoon, candidates endorsed exclusively by moderate groups—New Democrat Coalition, Blue Dog Coalition, or WelcomePAC—had flipped 26 districts, with four more highly likely.
“By contrast, candidates endorsed exclusively by [Sen. Bernie] Sanders’s political-action committee, Our Revolution, had flipped just three.” To be sure, the progressive wing of the Democrat caucus grew “by virtue of having won primaries in deep-blue regions” (i.e. Chris Rabb in Philly). And states like Michigan and Minnesota already had Democrat senators, so these wins weren’t flips. But it’s still interesting to note what kind of candidates flipped districts.
Pa. loses influence in U.S. Senate
With Democrats gaining a decisive U.S. Senate majority (54-44 with two races not yet called), Pennsylvania’s influence in the chamber has, interestingly, dwindled for two reasons. First, whereas Democrat Sen. John Fetterman—who sometimes sided with Republicans—was previously a deciding vote, now Democrats are labeling him “irrelevant” to their caucus. (Of course, they’ll still aim to oust him at the first opportunity.) Meanwhile, Republican Sen. Dave McCormick is now part of a minority that will have little sway. As one Pennsylvania Democrat strategist put it, Fetterman has been “checkmated” by his party’s majority, adding, “It’s almost like we have one senator … and obviously Dave McCormick isn’t going to have much leverage in the Democratic caucus.”
