PA-10 debate turns fiery. This is the PoliticsPA Playbook.
Good Morning. Have you registered to vote? Just 4 days left
Your Morning Pick Me Up. Ain’t Too Proud to Beg. The Temptations
PA Weather
Connellsville | Mostly Cloudy, 71
Williamsport | Decreasing Clouds, 64 Tamaqua | Mostly Sunny, 64
PA Sports 
Union (13W, 6D, 10L) | Chicago 3-1 | Sat vs. Charlotte
Flyers (0-5-3) | Thu at Detroit Penguins (3-3-1) | Fri at Colorado
What We’re Listening To. In this episode of Voices of Reason, PoliticsPA’s Steve Ulrich talks with Erin Covey of The Cook Political Report about the four key congressional races in the Keystone State and their impact on the national scene.
What We’re Seeing. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick is launching his final ad of the race, a bio spot where he speaks about his late brother, former Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick, who died after a battle with cancer.
Tips. PoliticsPA is Pennsylvania’s premier source for nonpartisan political news and analysis. Tips or press releases can be sent to steve@politicspa.com.
The PoliticsPA Playbook is compiled by Steve Ulrich. For the web version, click here. Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe here.
Top Story
“U.S. Rep. Scott Perry and challenger Janelle Stelson clashed early in their 10th District Congressional debate Wednesday night, and they never really stopped.
The verbal punches started early and continued late. Here’s a look at some of the sharpest contrasts between the two.” | PennLive
Elsewhere
PA-10 Debate Night: Perry and Stelson Spar Over the Economy, the Iran War and Elections. “Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Perry and Democratic challenger Janelle Stelson went toe-to-toe on the debate stage Wednesday night at a debate hosted by WHTM ABC27 News in Harrisburg, where the two faced off in a fiery meeting that saw the two candidates spar over the economy, foreign policy, healthcare and how they would represent the 10th Congressional District.” | City & State
PA-08: Where Bresnahan, Cognetti Stand On Campaign Finance Reform, Anti-Corruption Policies. “While campaign finance reform is a key issue on Paige Cognetti’s platform, Rob Bresnahan has not taken a public stance on the issue, and his campaign did not respond to an inquiry about his positions. The candidates align most on anti-corruption issues, both favoring banning stock trading and imposing term limits for members of Congress.” | Spotlight PA
PA-01: Election Day Is 3 Weeks Away. How Close Is the Fitzpatrick-Harvie Race. “According to the most recent Cook Political Report rating, updated Oct. 9, Brian Fitzpatrick is favored over Bob Harvie, but the gap has narrowed. The independent nonpartisan tracker, which previously rated the race as “likely Republican,” has shifted its rating to “leaning Republican” as of last week.” | Bucks County Courier Times
Dems Reverse Trend on Voter Registration in PA, Widen Gap Over GOP. “A lot can change over the course of a year, and when it comes to voter registration in Pennsylvania, change has been good to state Democrats.” | New Castle News
State
“On Nov. 3, Bradford County’s nearly 39,000 registered voters will have the chance to cast a ballot for one of their own, Republican state Treasurer Stacy Garrity, in her campaign to become Pennsylvania’s 49th governor.
Garrity, 62, is among roughly 60,000 residents of the county that borders New York and ranks second among Pennsylvania counties for annual natural gas production. She still lives there and commutes ― about 2½ hours one way ― at least once a week to her office in Harrisburg.” | USA Today Network
Elsewhere
Layoffs and Business Closures Loom As Tens of Thousands of Skill Games Become Illegal. “Joe Rocca’s business effectively ended Wednesday as the enforcement of Pennsylvania’s skill games ban began.” | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
State Police Give Some Businesses More Time to Remove Skill Games As Enforcement Starts. “The Pennsylvania State Police has extended a grace period to certain operators and distributors of now-illegal ‘skill games’ who are in the process of removing and disposing of the machines, the agency announced Wednesday.” | PennLive
Watch: WGAL’s 36th Senate District Debate With Candidates Malone, Jones. “Democrat James Malone and Republican Tom Jones will meet today for a televised debate before the race for Lancaster County’s 36th Senate District. WGAL will air the candidate debate at approximately 12:30 p.m. Oct. 15 during the station’s “News 8 at Noon” show.” | LNP
HD-12: Dukes-Timko Debate Canceled Following Withdrawal of Availability. “A debate planned for Thursday, Oct. 15, between Democratic state Rep. Brandon Dukes and Republican candidate Scott Timko was canceled earlier this week after a representative from Timko’s campaign reached out to “withdraw the campaign’s availability” to participate, according to the Butler County Chamber of Commerce’s president.” | Butler Eagle
SD-22: In Forum, Flynn, Soltis Sparano Agree On A Lot, Despite Party Differences. “A state Senate forum between incumbent Sen. Marty Flynn and challenger Sharon Soltis Sparano produced only mild conflict Wednesday and a lot of agreement on many issues.” | WVIA
Around The Commonwealth
“Pennsylvania is home to nearly 300 colleges, universities, and technical schools. If you are one of the hundreds of thousands of students who attend any of these institutions and are eligible to vote, you have options for doing so in the upcoming Nov. 3 general election.
Whether you are voting for the first time, choosing to vote by mail, or simply updating your registration, here’s everything you need to know about how to cast a ballot as a college student in Pennsylvania.” | Spotlight PA
Elsewhere
Pinball Machines Were Considered Magnets For Gambling and Crime in PA, Decades Before Skill Games. “While pinball machines are viewed today as retro arcade games, in the mid-20th century they were a main focus for Philadelphia’s vice squad.” | Philadelphia Inquirer
Philly Voters Care About Local Issues, But Election Integrity Fears Make Them Wonder If Their Vote Matters. “Less than 30 days ahead of the 2026 midterms and almost nobody I talk to in Philadelphia is excited. Not my neighbors. Not my students or colleagues at Temple University, where I research and teach political communication and public opinion. Not even my politically engaged friends.” | The Conversation
What Is On-Demand Mail Ballot Voting? “While Pennsylvania does not allow early voting as it exists in some other states, voters do have an opportunity between now and Oct. 27 to cast ballots in-person before election day.” | Penn Capital-Star
Young People in Pennsylvania Face Uncertain Future As Farm Bill Expires. “As Congress delays a new Farm Bill, young SNAP recipients and aspiring farmers face cuts, fewer opportunities and growing uncertainty about their future.” | WHYY
Editorial
1 Thing
“Fall is garden cleanup time, but that doesn’t mean you should turn your property into a barren wasteland.
Leaving certain perennials standing over winter can be beneficial. Others, however, need to go. Similarly, some shrubs should be pruned as they wind down, while cutting others back now could adversely affect their performance next year.
Knowing the appropriate end-of-season care for each plant type in your garden is important for overall plant health, disease prevention and bloom maximization.” | AP
Thank you for starting your day with us.
Have a great day. See you tomorrow to close out the week.
