Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania's 46th Senate District, a coal- and gas-reliant region, independent candidate Jodi Borello is challenging Republican incumbent Camera Bartolotta after the Democratic nominee withdrew, leaving Borello as the sole challenger. Borello, a former organizer for the Center for Coalfield Justice who campaigned against fracking, now runs as a "Trump-voting" small-business owner opposed to corporations and data centers, without emphasizing her anti-fossil-fuel record. Her former employer's political arm, Coalfield Justice Action, has spent at least $10,500 on ads against Bartolotta and was pitched to national climate donors as a $300,050 "Investing in Elections for Climate" project. No coordination with Borello's campaign has been proven, but the funding sources behind the messaging remain largely undisclosed ahead of the November 3 election.

Houston and local philanthropic partners have launched Pathways to Independence, a three-year, $48 million initiative aimed at expanding how the city responds to homelessness. So far $34 million has been committed. Rather than funding permanent housing directly, the money will support "rapid resolutions" — short-term stabilization, behavioral health coordination and other quick interventions for people who don't qualify for or need long-term housing programs. Officials set a 90-day goal for resolving new cases of homelessness. A philanthropic-led committee, not the city, will decide how funds are distributed, and the effort is meant to complement rather than replace Houston's existing system, which has housed more than 38,000 people through The Way Home.

The plan comes as residents near the 419 Emancipation shelter, which opened in May, raise safety concerns about homelessness persisting in surrounding parks and trails. Of 423 people served there, 124 moved into permanent housing while 147 exited without a documented placement. Mayor John Whitmire called the facility important but said more "exit doors" are needed. Officials have not projected how many people the new funding will help.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D) and State Treasurer Stacy Garrity (R) faced off on October 7 in their only scheduled debate of the campaign, the first gubernatorial debate in the state in eight years. Hosted by Nexstar Media Group at abc27's Harrisburg studio and broadcast across five Nexstar stations plus WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh, the debate was moderated by abc27's Dennis Owens and WPXI's Lisa Sylvester.

Shapiro, the state's first-term governor and a frequently mentioned potential 2028 presidential contender, has campaigned on increased education funding, business investment, and the expedited rebuild of a collapsed I-95 section in Philadelphia. Garrity, twice elected treasurer and the record-holder for most votes by a statewide candidate in 2024, has focused on unclaimed property reform, returning military artifacts, and boosting Israeli bond investments. Both candidates fielded questions on data centers and AI growth, rising consumer costs, and the prospect of governing alongside a divided legislature.

Gov. Josh Shapiro and Republican challenger Stacy Garrity met Wednesday night in the only scheduled televised debate of the Pennsylvania governor's race, ahead of the Nov. 3 election. The hourlong forum, hosted by abc27 and moderated by anchor Dennis Owens, aired across several Nexstar-owned stations statewide and streamed online. Libertarian candidate Ken Krawchuk was not invited.

Shapiro, a popular incumbent and potential 2028 presidential contender, enters the race with a large fundraising and polling lead, touting first-term accomplishments including infrastructure repairs, business recruitment, and utility cost caps. Garrity, the state treasurer and Trump-endorsed Republican seeking to become Pennsylvania's first female governor, used the debate to raise her profile and press Shapiro on affordability, school choice, and his handling of a sexual harassment settlement involving a former aide. Both candidates have faced scrutiny over shifting positions on data center development, a contentious issue with bipartisan voter opposition. Shapiro's campaign has sought to tie Garrity closely to Trump, while she has pushed back on characterizations of her 2020 election comments. Analysts note debates rarely shift outcomes in races with such a wide polling gap.

Control of Pennsylvania's state Senate could hinge on three Philadelphia suburban districts, as Democrats aim to flip the chamber for the first time in 33 years. Republicans currently hold 27 of 50 seats; Democrats need to flip at least two and retain the governor's office to take the majority via the lieutenant governor's tie-breaking vote.

Democratic challengers Eileen Hartnett Albillar (6th District, Bucks County), Mark Pinsley (16th District, Bucks/Lehigh), and Chris Thomas (24th District, Montgomery/Berks) are challenging GOP incumbents Frank Farry, Jarrett Coleman, and Tracy Pennycuick, respectively. All three districts favor Republicans in voter registration, though Gov. Josh Shapiro has endorsed the Democratic candidates and his own reelection bid is on the same ballot.

Both parties are centering campaigns on affordability, with Democrats tying races to dissatisfaction with President Trump's handling of the economy and gas prices, while Republicans emphasize fiscal restraint and bipartisan legislative wins. A Democratic trifecta would open the door to priorities like a minimum wage increase and transportation funding previously blocked by the GOP-controlled Senate.

Pennsylvania Democrats see an opportunity this November to flip control of the U.S. House and the state Senate, with Gov. Josh Shapiro leading the ticket as he seeks reelection against Republican state Treasurer Stacy Garrity. Recent polling shows Shapiro with a substantial lead, and a strong win could bolster speculation about a 2028 presidential run. Garrity, endorsed by President Trump, faces a significant fundraising gap and lower name recognition.

Both parties are targeting four eastern Pennsylvania U.S. House districts held by Republican incumbents Brian Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mackenzie, Rob Bresnahan, and Scott Perry, each facing well-funded Democratic challengers amid discontent with Trump. Democrats also see a longer-shot opportunity in a fifth district held by Dan Meuser. In Harrisburg, Democrats need a net gain of two state Senate seats plus the governorship to seize a legislative trifecta and advance priorities like abortion protections, minimum wage increases, and transit funding. Election Day is Nov. 3, with an Oct. 19 voter registration deadline.

Gov. Josh Shapiro says his executive order gives Pennsylvania "the strictest guardrails in the nation" for data center development, though that claim holds mainly if outright moratoriums elsewhere are excluded. Signed Tuesday, the order requires developers to sign a binding consent agreement covering energy generation, water use, workforce hiring, transparency and community benefits before receiving state permits; projects that refuse face indefinite delays. It marks a reversal from Shapiro's earlier courting of investment, including Amazon's $20 billion data center commitment in Bucks and Luzerne counties.

States are diverging sharply in their approach as data centers become politically unpopular over energy costs and local impacts. New York has imposed the country's first statewide moratorium, pending new rules; Texas paused future projects for an audit. New Jersey and Kentucky passed consumer-cost protections via legislation and executive order, respectively, while Maryland and Virginia leave moratorium decisions to local governments. Ohio continues welcoming development but now requires large facilities to pay for most of their electricity capacity. Pennsylvania's legislature has broad support for ending data center tax breaks but has not passed a bill.