Dems play blame game | Morning Newsletter
And how Trump won Pa.
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The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Good morning. After Wednesday’s record high, today’s temps will top out around 75.
In the Philly region, the mixture of celebration and trepidation in response to former President Donald Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris appeared to parallel the divisions between the two major parties.
Pennsylvania Democrats have begun self-reflecting — and finger-pointing — on the reasons for Harris’ defeat and other losses in the state. Our lead story examines party leaders’ perspectives on what went wrong against Trump, and where they go from here.
— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Democrats in Pennsylvania are soul-searching after losses up and down the ballot in the state.
Between the economy, flat messaging, an electorate that wanted change, and many more hard-to-compute factors, party leaders are trying to piece together why voters rejected a Democratic return to the White House — not just in Pennsylvania, but in every single swing state.
Notable quote: “Clearly, America wasn’t buying what we were selling,” Pa. Democratic strategist Eric Stern said. “So I think it’s a question of did we not sell it hard enough? Should we be selling something else? Should we burn the store down?”
As party leaders evaluate their core messaging and face intense disapproval over their failure to secure votes from the working class, they are also playing the blame game with one another. Long-simmering tensions between Bob Brady, Philadelphia’s Democratic Party chair, and Harris’ campaign erupted in public Wednesday.
Dive into this full report with Julia Terruso and Anna Orso.
In other election news:
You can use our new interactive map to see how every Philadelphia precinct voted in the 2024 presidential election.
What did students want to talk about the day after the election? Philly-area teachers made room for all of the questions and feelings and sought to harness sometimes conflicting currents of fear and excitement.
Is New Jersey becoming a swing state? A closer-than-predicted margin for Kamala Harris has Jersey’s Trump supporters saying, “we told you so.”
Pennsylvania showed up for President-elect Donald Trump, who received more votes than any statewide Republican candidate in history.
Among some of the ways Trump swung the commonwealth:
🔴 He stemmed his losses in Philadelphia
🔴 He won over working-class voters, especially in Latino and Rust Belt communities
🔴 He cut into Democratic advantages in Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties
🔴 He carried down-ballot Republicans with him, and ushered a red wave
Anna Orso, Julia Terruso, and John Duchneskie have the story on Trump’s path to victory in the Keystone State and the presidency.
What you should know today
Contract talks between SEPTA and its largest labor union are intensifying ahead of a possible Friday morning work stoppage, with a clear pressure point: Transit agency officials say there’s no money. Union leaders do not believe them.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia School District is preparing in case a deal is not reached by Thursday night. Some 55,000 students rely on SEPTA bus, subway, and trolley services to get to class daily.
Bond investors have moved to take over financially troubled Beech International Village, a four-story building with room for 200 students, plus ground-floor stores, near Temple University.
A former New Jersey corrections officer has been sentenced to 20 months behind bars for failing to intervene as one inmate was beaten by a group of prisoners at Bayside State Prison and another was beaten by a colleague, prosecutors said.
Philadelphia tenants who sued one of the city’s leading managers of subsidized housing over apartment conditions have reached a settlement with the city-based nonprofit.
Devon Seafood Grill at Rittenhouse Square will close after 25 years. Its prime space — between posh eateries Rouge and Parc — won’t go unclaimed for long.
Obamacare health insurance marketplaces in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are now open for enrollment for 2025 plans.
🧠 Trivia time
The hot chicken scene emerged in Philadelphia in 2022, but it’s originally from which city?
A) Kentucky
B) Chicago
C) Nashville
D) Memphis
Think you know? Check your answer.
What (and who) we’re...
🥁 Anticipating: A week of compelling shows at venues around Philly.
🖥️ Curious about: A virtual checkout process that lets patients skip the line.
🎓 Wondering: What will happen to student loan forgiveness under a Trump presidency.
🏀 Congratulating: Retired Inquirer sportswriter Mike Jensen, honored in this year’s Big 5 Hall of Fame class.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: This South African anti-apartheid activist was awarded the Liberty Medal in Philadelphia on July 4, 1993.
ELLEN MADONNAS
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Nicole Caprario who solved Wednesday’s anagram: Phoenixville. The Chester County borough known for its busy Main Street and many festivals is also home to one of the top suburban coffee shops in the region.
Photo of the day
👋🏽 That should do it for now. Take care and have a great Thursday.
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