The Gen Zers who back Trump | Morning Newsletter

Happy Friday, Philly. The region may — may — see some drops tonight after a long rainless spell. Even if we do, though, the precipitation wouldn’t be enough to alleviate Jersey’s dangerously dry conditions.

Many young supporters of former President Donald Trump are first-time voters but longtime fans. Our lead story explores why these local voters have been sold on the candidate since childhood.

And Philadelphians have strong connections to their breads. For half a century, Conshohocken Italian Bakery has supplied rolls for cheesesteaks, hoagies, and that hyperlocal specialty, the zep. As the business prepares to close, eaters are forced to consider: Is a sandwich by any other roll just as iconic?

Here’s what to know to close the week strong.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

P.S. Friday also means we have two new games for you. The latest Bird Box challenges you to name Eagles players past and present. And The Inquirer’s weekly news quiz has questions on giant pumpkins, Saquon Barkley, and eight more. Good luck!

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For young Republicans casting their first-ever votes this election cycle, the candidate they’re backing first caught their attention when they were as young as 10 years old. It’s a “surreal” moment for some.

Gaining popularity: Republicans are making inroads among Pennsylvania’s youngest voters. Eight years ago, about a third of registered 18-year-olds were Republicans, while 45% were Democrats. As of this week, both parties claim a 38% share.

The appeal: Young Trump supporters say they like his brash behavior, his conservative policies, or both. “He made politics entertaining,” said the now-20-year-old chair of the Temple University College Republicans who remembers being impressed by the candidate’s 2016 debate performances.

On campus: Trump is planning to rally in Penn State this Saturday, just 10 days before the election — a sign that his campaign knows how essential the youth vote is. Yet there’s a stark voter gender gap, with Trump finding reliable support among young men, and Vice President Kamala Harris finding substantial backing from young women.

Politics reporter Fallon Roth spoke to young Trump supporters about how he’s held their attention since, in some cases, their childhood.

In other election news:

The historic Conshohocken Italian Bakery announced earlier this month that after 51 years in business, owner Dom Gambone is retiring.

🥖 But another casualty — at least existentially — may be the zep. Conshy is the main bread source for the sandwich that’s “sort of like the South Philly hoagie’s Norristown cousin,” as The Inquirer’s Craig LaBan put it.

🥖 The zep is more than just the bread that structures it, of course, with its distinctive, lettuce-less array of meat and cheese. Even so: Can the local delicacy survive the change?

🥖 “Their rolls are a big part of what makes our sandwiches so good,” said Anthony Mashett of Norristown-based Eve’s Lunch, one of the so-called epicenters of zep culture.

Want to experience a zep on a classic Conshy roll one last time? Better hurry: The bakery closes this weekend. Food reporter Mike Klein has the story on the zep’s next step.

Welcome back to Curious Philly Friday. We’ll feature both new and timeless stories from our forum for readers to ask about the city’s quirks.

This week, we’re resurfacing an explainer from reporter Michelle Myers on why commuters and day trippers riding through the region need to hold it, at least until they get to a designated SEPTA station.

The main barriers to building bathrooms on board are travel distance requirements — specifically, not meeting the minimum distance for the facilities to be required — and potentially expensive logistics. Here’s the full explanation.

Have your own burning question about Philadelphia, its local oddities, or how the region works? Submit it here and you might find the answer featured in this space.

The Philadelphia Zoo announced a $20 million exhibit expansion — including heated pools and digging pits — for which animals?

A) Meerkats

B) Bears

C) Flamingos

D) Hippos

Think you know? Check your answer.

🪩 Booking: A stay at this Taylor Swift-inspired Jersey Shore Airbnb.

🫣 Watching: The true-crime Oxygen series Philly Homicide.

⚾ Remembering: When the A’s, not the Phillies, brought home the city’s first World Series title.

The Campbell Soup Co.-owned snack that just got a (temporary) rebrand

FIG HOLDS

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Mary Donofrio, who solved Thursday’s anagram: Elfreth’s Alley. Take a peek inside one of the meticulously preserved homes on what’s known as the oldest continuously inhabited residential street in the United States.

🍁 One last autumn thing: We’ve officially reached peak fall foliage in Philadelphia! Our experts recommend peeping the oranges and yellows from West Fairmount Park or Haddonfield’s Hopkins Pond.

Hope you have a great weekend. I’ll be back with you Monday.

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