All articles tagged with #josh shapiro
A Quinnipiac University poll released October 7 shows incumbent Governor Josh Shapiro leading Republican challenger Stacy Garrity by 25 points among likely voters. Shapiro also holds a 15-point advantage in the generic ballot for U.S. House control. The survey highlights strong voter opposition to AI data centers and a significant approval gap between Shapiro and President Donald Trump.
The CDC updated its national measles tally to include one death in 2026, despite Pennsylvania reporting four measles-associated fatalities. The discrepancy has intensified a political feud between Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who disputed the state's death counts. Meanwhile, the outbreak continues to surge, with Pennsylvania reporting over 800 cases and neighboring states seeing rising infections.
Pennsylvania reports two more measles-related deaths, bringing the state’s toll to four and reigniting a political feud between Health Secretary RFK Jr. and Gov. Josh Shapiro over how the outbreak is counted and reported. The state says the deaths are measles-associated, but the CDC has not listed them in its official tally, prompting Shapiro to accuse Kennedy of covering up the deaths while Kennedy accuses Shapiro of blocking CDC help as the outbreak grows to about 700 cases across 38 counties.
RFK Jr. publicly acknowledged that a measles infection caused an infant’s death in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, amid a contested claim about two measles-related infant deaths; the coroner later said only one death was measles-related (the other involved a newborn with Amish lethal microcephaly and a ruptured spleen), prompting Kennedy to challenge CDC reporting and seek removal of measles data from dashboards, while Governor Josh Shapiro criticizes him as measles cases rise nationwide.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent vaccine skeptic, suggested on X that Pennsylvania’s two measles deaths may have been fabricated by Gov. Josh Shapiro’s team; PA Health Secretary Debra Bogen confirmed the deaths and defended the epidemiological findings amid a broader rise in measles cases, with 2,777 cases reported nationwide in 2026 so far.
Governor Josh Shapiro signed an executive order to sharply curb data-center development in Pennsylvania by requiring local approvals, imposing stringent environmental, land-use, and energy requirements (including bringing their own power and a 10% clean-energy target), and ending the data-center “fast-track” program, signaling tougher scrutiny for roughly 100 proposed projects and reflecting growing concerns over energy and water usage.
Gov. Josh Shapiro signed Senate Bill 45, a bipartisan reform that eliminates the felony enhancement tied to an HIV diagnosis in sex-work cases, reclassifies most prostitution offenses, and aims to reduce stigma and public-health barriers by ensuring an HIV diagnosis alone is not a felony trigger. The measure passed both chambers without dissent, and supporters including LGBTQ lawmakers and public-health officials framed it as modernizing outdated laws in line with advances in HIV treatment.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro criticized New York Democratic socialist Darializa Avila Chevalier, saying the Democratic Party must undergo a healthy, ideological debate over its direction after Chevalier’s primary win in NY-13. Chevalier’s far-left positions and inflammatory comments contrast with Shapiro’s more moderate stance, signaling a party-wide identity clash that could shape upcoming elections, including the 2028 presidential race.
Four Pennsylvania battlegrounds (PA-1, PA-7, PA-8, PA-10) could determine control of the House, with Gov. Josh Shapiro signaling deep involvement and funding to back targeted seats and amplify his 2028 ambitions, while Trump’s role remains a variable in a challenging national climate; incumbents Fitzpatrick, Mackenzie, Bresnahan and Perry face challengers as both parties race to capitalize on a limited map and voters’ concerns about the economy and corruption.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is backing firefighter union leader Bob Brooks to run for a House seat in a high-stakes battleground, aiming to flip up to four Pennsylvania seats and prove his political clout extends beyond his own race; Brooks has benefited from Shapiro’s endorsement and outside money, but faces a competitive field, fundraising gaps, and backlash that could test whether Shapiro’s influence translates to the federal level.
PECO pulled its proposed electric and natural gas rate increases after pressure from Governor Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania lawmakers, citing affordability concerns for about 1.7 million customers. The plan would have raised electric bills by roughly $20/month and gas by about $14.50/month (potentially starting in 2027 with 12.5% electric and 11.4% gas hikes). Critics highlighted PECO’s 2025 profits (net income up 47.7% to $814 million under Exelon) and consumer disconnections, while the utility said it will revisit investments and work with stakeholders to address high energy costs at a later date.
Alex Skopic reports that Nasrallah Abu Siyam, a 19-year-old Palestinian living in Mukhmas and a U.S. citizen born in Philadelphia, was fatally shot during a Feb. 18 raid by Israeli settlers aided by IDF forces as they tried to steal livestock; the piece catalogs a surge in West Bank violence and argues that U.S. officials, especially Pennsylvania's Governor Josh Shapiro and Senator John Fetterman, have failed to publicly condemn the killing, contrasting with comments from Rashida Tlaib and Brendan Boyle; the author accuses Shapiro and Fetterman of prioritizing support for Israel over protecting their own constituents and questions Shapiro's suitability for a future presidential run.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro will unveil the Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development Standards to govern the rapid data-center boom, requiring developers to fund their own power, hire locally, engage communities with transparency, and meet strict water-conservation rules, with the goal of codifying these criteria into law to speed permitting and secure incentives while addressing energy and environmental concerns.
Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a Proclamation of Disaster Emergency to mobilize resources and funding across state agencies ahead of a weekend winter storm, enabling pre-positioning by PEMA, PSP, and PennDOT. The 2025-26 budget doubles disaster funding from $20 million to $40 million, and residents are urged to stay off roads and follow official guidance, with 511PA available for conditions.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro recounts in his memoir how Kamala Harris’s team grilled him over his views on Israel—went so far as to ask if he’d ever been an undercover Israeli agent. He found the line of questioning offensive but says it reflected the vigor of the vetting process. He ultimately withdrew from consideration after a final meeting with Harris, who chose Tim Walz for the ticket. The memoir, Where We Keep the Light, also weaves in faith, family, and recent political events, with release set for Jan. 27.