Counting on Pa.’s rural voters | Morning Newsletter
And Sixers exec tours Camden site.
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The Morning Newsletter
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Welcome to Wednesday, Philly. The region’s dry spell could extend into November — and that has something to do with Hurricanes Milton and Helene.
We’re now less than four weeks from the Nov. 5 election. Former President Donald Trump is counting on Pennsylvania’s rural voters — the second largest voting group in the state — to win. Will it be enough?
And the same day interfaith leaders hosted a news conference pushing the city to delay Sixers arena decision-making, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy gave co-owner David Adelman a private tour of the Camden site where state officials hope to lure the team.
Here’s what to know today.
— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Less than two hours from deep-blue Philadelphia, Lancaster County is largely Trump country. But supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris see opportunities to lessen Republicans’ hold.
Red but shifting: While President Joe Biden lost the county by 16 percentage points in 2020, Lancaster gained more Democratic votes compared to 2016 than it did Republican votes, even as its rural areas got redder.
A greater distance: Rural voters are the second largest voting group in Pennsylvania after suburbanites. They’re also harder to reach. The GOP is seeking to bridge that gap by targeting unregistered but likely conservative residents, as well as the Amish community.
The blue view: Dems hope to expand their 2020 gains there with efforts like last month’s “Republicans for Harris” event, which drew about 200 attendees. “Every Democrat in the Ephrata area thinks there’s nobody else, but when you see people coming out of the woodwork, it matters,” one local Harris supporter told The Inquirer.
Plus, upcoming Philly-area campaign visits:
Jill Biden will support the Harris-Walz ticket in the Philadelphia suburbs next week, while second gentleman Doug Emhoff will speak at events this weekend in Delaware and Montgomery Counties.
MAGA influencer Scott Presler will rally in Bucks County with two far-right figures Sunday.
Following Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s endorsement of the Sixers’ $1.55 billion arena proposal for East Market Street, City Council could see legislation to approve or deny the arena as soon as Oct. 24.
🏀 In the meantime, the Sixers appear to be exploring their options.
🏀 Co-owner David Adelman toured the site of a former prison in Camden Tuesday at the behest of Gov. Phil Murphy, who pitched the team to instead build their arena there. The governor has also offered up to $800 million in subsidies for the construction of both the arena and a mixed-use project nearby.
🏀 The tour happened the same day as members of POWER Interfaith, a coalition of clergy and faith leaders from across the state, called on the city to slow its decision-making process on the Center City proposal. Their concerns centered on the development’s potential negative impact on nearby residents.
What you should know today
Three women were shot on a crowded SEPTA bus late Tuesday afternoon in West Philadelphia, police said.
Police are searching for the man they say fired the shot that killed a woman in her 20s early Tuesday morning, the latest incident in which a bystander was killed.
A Warrington man disrupted a food giveaway for needy families in the Central Bucks School District, officials said Tuesday, accusing staff there of “feeding all of these illegals.”
Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court justices are weighing whether the state’s mandatory sentence of life without parole for second-degree murder is constitutional.
Some area hospitals are grappling with an IV fluid shortage after a major production plant in North Carolina was hit by Hurricane Helene.
A Philly judge was barred from the bench on Monday for refusing to stop posting political statements on Facebook.
Mayor Parker on Tuesday declared the city’s extended-day, extended-year school program an early success during a visit to one of the pilot schools, Southwark Elementary.
The Phillies fell in Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the Mets. They face elimination in New York tomorrow. P.S. We rounded up local bars and venues to watch the Phils’ playoff run. Wherever you end up watching it, consider keeping score by hand.
🧠 Trivia time
The satirical and unsanctioned musical retelling of which U.S. president’s political career is headed to Philly before Election Day?
A) George W. Bush
B) Barack Obama
C) Donald Trump
D) Joe Biden
Think you know? Check your answer.
What (and who) we’re...
💕 Watching: Patrice: The Movie, about a disabled Jersey couple’s fight for marriage equality.
✏️ Playing: This Temple grad’s mini online crosswords centered on the Black experience.
🇯🇲 Cheering: This La Salle soccer player called to Jamaica’s women’s national team.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
The largest water and wastewater utility in the U.S., based in Camden
Hint: 🇺🇸 🌊
ARCANE WARTIME
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Anne Baccari, who solved Tuesday’s anagram: Philadelphia Film Festival. The 33rd annual fest begins next week. Here’s what to know about tickets, the lineup, and more.
Photo of the day
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