Pennsylvania Perspective for Thursday, May 21, 2026

Editor’s note: The Pennsylvania Perspective will be taking a break for Memorial Day. Regular updates will resume on Thursday, May 28, 2026

Pennsylvania

PA 2026 Primary Elections

On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, Pennsylvania held its primary elections to finalize the Democratic and Republican candidates for the November 3, 2026 Midterm General Elections. Pennsylvania holds closed primary elections, meaning that registered Democrats and Republicans can only vote within their own party’s races. Key races included the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, all 17 U.S. Congressional seats, all 203 state House seats, and 25 state Senate seats. Click here for the Pennsylvania Perspective Special Edition: 2026 Primary Election Recap.

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Democrats Launch Midterm Campaigns in Bucks County Swing District

Governor Josh Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis officially launched the Pennsylvania Democratic Party’s fall general election campaign at a primary night event in Warminster, highlighting Bucks County as a pivotal battleground. The purple county will feature high-stakes contests capable of deciding legislative majorities, spearheaded by Democratic County Commissioner Bob Harvie’s challenge against incumbent moderate Republican Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1) in the 1st Congressional District, alongside three highly competitive state Senate races. 

Governor Shapiro Expresses Openness to Open Primaries Legislation

While casting his ballot on Primary Election Day in Montgomery County, Governor Josh Shapiro indicated he is open to signing legislation that would dismantle Pennsylvania’s closed primary system. Currently, Pennsylvania is one of only eight states that restricts primary voting to registered Democrats and Republicans, effectively excluding the state’s 1.4 million independent, unaffiliated, and third-party voters. Despite the rapid growth of this independent voting bloc, which has expanded from 7% of the state’s electorate in 2000 to 16% today, and strong public polling in favor of open primaries, legislative efforts remain heavily split. 

AG Sunday Appeals Ruling on Medicaid-Funded Abortions

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday filed an appeal with the state Supreme Court to challenge a lower court decision that overturned the commonwealth’s ban on using Medicaid to fund abortions. The appeal follows a 4-3 ruling by the Commonwealth Court in April, which determined that the decades-old exclusion within the Abortion Control Act constituted unconstitutional sex discrimination and that abortion is a fundamental right under the state constitution. While Governor Josh Shapiro’s administration previously declined to defend the statute on constitutional grounds, Sunday asserted that his office is legally obligated to defend state laws regardless of political opinion. 

IFO Initial Revenue Estimate for FY 2026-27

The Independent Fiscal Office (IFO), the state agency responsible for providing revenue projections and impartial analysis for state legislators, has released its initial revenue estimate for FY 2026-27. The initial estimate is $49.56 billion, an increase of $789 million (+1.6%) from the current fiscal year. View the report here.

Philadelphia

DA Krasner Rejects U.S. House Inquiries Into Philadelphia Immigration Policies

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner formally responded to the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee, dismissing its investigation into the city’s local immigration policies as lacking any legal or factual basis. The committee, chaired by Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH-4), had established a Monday deadline for District Attorney Krasner, Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel, and Sheriff Rochelle Bilal to submit six years of records, accusing them of undermining public safety by implementing sanctuary practices that limit cooperation with federal immigration agents. District Attorney Krasner sharply criticized the committee leaders’ legal standing and background, asserting that municipal policing powers belong to the city rather than the federal government under the Constitution. While requesting more time to assemble the extensive trove of communication logs, the district attorney revealed he is hiring legal counsel to counter the inquiry and demanded the committee hold a public hearing on the matter ahead of the fall midterm elections. 

Pittsburgh

Board Seeks Transparency Ahead of Pittsburgh Public Schools Closure Vote

The Pittsburgh Public Schools board is scheduled to vote next week on a plan to permanently close nine school buildings and reconfigure multiple academic programs, a proposal very similar to a measure that failed to win board support last November. Under the plan, seven schools would close at the end of the 2026–2027 school year, followed by two more closures at the end of the 2028–2029 school year once local building renovations are complete. In response to mounting community questions and demands for greater oversight during the upcoming implementation phase, board members have proposed establishing a temporary committee to handle quarterly public updates. Board directors also emphasized the need for clear communication regarding the future utility of the vacant properties, raising specific concerns that unmonitored building sales could allow competing charter schools to occupy the shuttered district facilities.

Federal

PA Lawmakers Challenge President Trump’s $1.8B “Anti-Weaponization” Fund

A newly announced $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” created by the Department of Justice to settle President Donald Trump’s personal lawsuit against the IRS over leaked tax records, has drawn intense bipartisan pushback from federal lawmakers. Introduced by House Judiciary Committee Democrats led by Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD-8), proposed legislation aims to block federal funds from financing the account, which is designed to compensate individuals who claim they were targets of politically motivated prosecutions. Moderate Pennsylvania Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1) broke ranks with his party to declare he will actively work to kill the account, prompting a public rebuke from President Trump, who issued a warning about the political consequences of voting against his agenda. While Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) has explicitly condemned the program as unprecedented, Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA) has remained silent on the controversy, which has already sparked an outside lawsuit by law enforcement officers to dissolve the fund over concerns it could compensate participants in the January 6 Capitol riot. 

Four Pennsylvania Swing Districts Shape Battle for House Majority

Following Tuesday’s primary elections, the battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives has focused heavily on four highly competitive swing seats in Pennsylvania. The slate features high-stakes matchups across the state: Republican Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1) will face Bob Harvie in the 1st District; freshman Republican Representative Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA-7) challenges Bob Brooks in the 7th District; Republican Representative Rob Bresnahan (R-PA-8) faces Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti in the 8th District; and Republican Representative Scott Perry (R-PA-10) faces Janelle Stelson in a rematch of their tight 2024 contest in the 10th District. Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro, a potential 2028 presidential contender, has heavily integrated his own reelection campaign with these congressional pickups to assert his national political influence, positioning himself alongside local candidates on a platform targeting Washington corruption and economic relief. National Republicans are leveraging their battle-tested incumbents to withstand the state-level push, emphasizing working-class priorities and bipartisan constituent outreach amid a challenging national political climate. 

Senator McCormick Outlines Vision for State Leadership at Press Club

U.S. Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA) declared that the state is uniquely positioned to take national leadership during a profound era of technological and societal change at the Pennsylvania Press Club. Senator McCormick highlighted first-term achievements, including a 60% reduction in fentanyl deaths and major investments in energy and artificial intelligence. He identified the intersection of AI and energy, the reindustrialization of defense, and life sciences as Pennsylvania’s three highest-potential sectors to compete for capital against rising states like Texas and Georgia. The conservative lawmaker also noted his positive working relationships with Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro and fellow Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), reaffirmed his support for the ongoing war in Iran, and clarified that he did not actively lobby for State Senator Doug Mastriano’s (R-33) recent nomination as ambassador to Slovakia. 

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