With about one month before the election, incumbent Democratic Sen. Bob Casey faces GOP businessman Dave McCormick Thursday in their first debate.
Casey is seeking his fourth term.
This is McCormick’s second run for a U.S. Senate seat. He lost in the 2022 Republican primary to Mehmet Oz, who went on to lose to Democrat John Fetterman in the fall.
— Despite the candidates’ many ideological differences, they seemed to agree on a lot. Here are some examples. Plus, they shook hands — more than once.
— The two sparred over issues including immigration, abortion, the economy and January 6. At one point, their mics were muted after Vance didn’t stop talking. He also criticized the moderators for fact checking some of his claims about climate change and immigration.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance of Ohio are meeting Tuesday for their first and only scheduled vice presidential debate.
The 90-minute CBS 2024 Vice Presidential Debate will air at 9 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, Oct. 1. PBS News coverage starts with the News Hour at 6 p.m. EDT, then stay tuned for special analysis following the debate.
Vice presidential candidates Ohio Sen. JD Vance (R) and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) will face off in a debate Tuesday for the 2024 election cycle.
This will be the only time the candidates meet on stage and simultaneously present their policy positions to the broader American public, which may be less familiar with them than with their partners on the presidential ticket.
The two hold similar roles in their respective campaigns: to appeal to working-class voters in the “Blue Wall” states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin this fall.
A coalition of voting rights advocates is trying again to get the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to conclusively decide whether voters need to date their mail ballot return envelope in order for their vote to be counted, likely the last chance to settle the question before the November election.
After the court rebuffed the plaintiffs on jurisdictional grounds in a decision earlier this month, the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania and the Public Interest Law Center asked the high court to exercise its authority to bypass the lower courts to directly address pressing legal matters.
This article is made possible through Spotlight PA’s collaboration with Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization covering local election administration and voting. Sign up for Votebeat’s free newsletters here.
HARRISBURG — Thanks in large part to Pennsylvania’s richest person, TV ad spending for the Republican candidate for state attorney general is flooding the race.
The wave of spending for Dave Sunday has sparked allegations from his Democratic opponent, Eugene DePasquale, that the Republican is trying to shield those dollars from public view to avoid association with the donor, billionaire Wall Street trader Jeff Yass.
Well, that was different from the June 27 debate between President Biden and Donald Trump.
If that June debate was a five-alarm fire for Democrats that eventually forced Biden from the race, after Tuesday’s debate between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump’s proponents should probably check the temperature in their own house.
What happened — and what could it mean going forward?
Here are 5 takeaways…
HARRISBURG — This year, all Pennsylvania House representatives and half of state senators will be on the ballot.
These races receive less media attention than top-of-the-ballot ones, such as those for president and U.S. Senate. That’s why Spotlight PA has compiled this guide to help you evaluate which candidates you want to send to or keep in Harrisburg.
Taylor Swift is entering her 2024 election era.
The mega pop star has thrown her support behind Vice President Harris, just under two months out from the election.
“I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos,” she wrote in a post to her more than 280 million followers on Instagram.
The presidential race is as unbelievably close. Latest polls show it being neck and neck.
The two candidates have a single major national event together on the calendar before Election Day: 90 minutes of debate Tuesday night, hosted by ABC in Philadelphia.
Let’s look at the dynamics here, with four things to watch.
Vice President Harris and former President Donald Trump debate for the first time tonight, and NPR will offer live special coverage, including live updates online.
The ABC News Presidential Debate will air at 9 p.m. ET for 90 minutes.
Click on the play button above to tune in to hear the debate, as well as for NPR analysis afterward. You can also find it on many public radio stations and in the NPR app.
Four years ago, millions more voters in the U.S. became familiar with voting by mail.
But a new exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum opens Saturday as a reminder that earlier generations of voters used the postal service to cast absentee ballots decades before the COVID-19 pandemic upended the 2020 election.
“It was sort of presented during the pandemic as a new concept for a lot of folks who may have never encountered it before,” says Carrie Villar, director of curatorial affairs at the Washington, D.C., museum that is open free to the public. “We thought with this presidential election coming up in 2024, there could be no better place than the National Postal Museum to have an exhibit where we talk about voting by mail and how it’s not a new thing. It’s been around for over 160 years in various forms.”
Updated August 23, 2024 at 16:28 PM ET
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is suspending his long-shot independent presidential candidacy. He announced Friday that he is seeking to remove his name from ballots in battleground states, and is instead asking supporters to back Republican nominee Donald Trump.
Kennedy — a scion of a famous American political family who is now known broadly as an anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist — vowed to upend the two-party system but failed to gain the traction needed to compete in the race.
The NPR Network will be reporting live from Chicago throughout the week bringing you the latest on the Democratic National Convention. For a daily update from the convention make sure to subscribe to the NPR Politics Podcast or head to NPR’s full coverage of Election 2024.
Barack and Michelle Obama, Chicago’s favorite power couple, declared “hope is making a comeback” with Vice President Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, at the top of the Democratic presidential ticket
The former president and first lady headlined the second night of the Democratic National Convention, delivering a message of exhilaration at the possibility of electing the first woman in history to the White House – and the critical importance, they added, of preventing former President Donald Trump from securing a second term.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ list of economic policies received a welcome reception from the crowd at United Center, but it was his call for an end to the war in Gaza that received a big response from the audience.
Sanders called for the Israeli hostages held by Hamas to be released and for a ceasefire to be reached to end the attacks in Gaza that — according to the Gaza Health Ministry — have killed more than 40,000 Palestinians since Israel launched its offensive in response to the attack on Israel by Hamas-led militants on Oct. 7. Around 1,200 people were killed in the attack, according to Israel.
CHICAGO — When President Biden dropped out of his race for a second term, Vice President Harris was hunkered down at her residence in Washington, D.C., with her closest advisers and some family members.
But her husband — second gentleman Doug Emhoff — was running down the street in Los Angeles, with his Secret Service agents close behind. A friend had just told Emhoff the news, but he had left his own phone in the car.
On the first night of the Democratic National Convention, speakers took moments to acknowledge the past – President Biden’s “lifetime of achievement,” and what many described as his heroic decision to pass the torch to Vice President Harris and bow out of the 2024 presidential race.
Harris even made an unannounced appearance on stage to celebrate Biden’s “lifetime of service to our nation.”
CHICAGO—This was supposed to be President Biden’s convention. Instead, this week he finds himself the opening night speaker at his party’s coronation of Vice President Harris.
Biden, 81, did something last month that few presidents before him have ever done. He stepped aside when he had one more race to run.
Former President Donald Trump and billionaire X owner Elon Musk said a lot but made little news in a meandering interview marred by a lengthy technical delay on Monday night.
Overwhelmingly, Trump’s comments followed the contours of one of his rally speeches: he blasted undocumented immigrants as dangerous, he bragged about his relationships with leaders of U.S. adversaries like Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin and he insulted his political opponents, particularly President Biden and Vice President Harris.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A legal challenge filed Thursday seeks to have third-party presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. kept off Pennsylvania’s fall ballot, an effort with ramifications for the hotly contested swing-state battle between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris.
The petition argues the nominating papers filed by Kennedy and his running mate “demonstrate, at best, a fundamental disregard” of state law and the process by which signatures are gathered.
SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Tim Walz, the second-term Minnesota governor with a folksy demeanor, has gained a spot on the Democratic ticket as Kamala Harris’ vice presidential choice.
The former high school geography teacher and National Guard veteran helped green-light a slate of progressive policy priorities in Minnesota.
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has not been tapped to run for vice president on the Democratic ticket with Kamala Harris, according to the Associated Press.
Shapiro, 51, a centrist Democrat, was passed over for Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, the AP reported citing multiple sources.
Harris’ decision ends weeks of intense vetting and speculation, and comes shortly before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. There, Harris will take President Joe Biden’s place as the Democratic presidential nominee following Biden’s momentous decision to drop out of the race and forgo a potential second term in the White House.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris, a daughter of immigrants who rose through the California political and law enforcement ranks to become the first female vice president in U.S. history, formally secured the Democratic presidential nomination on Monday — becoming the first woman of color to lead a major party ticket.
A confident young girl. A tough boss. An empathetic prosecutor. At times, slow to make decisions. A “consummate college student” with a wry sense of humor.
These are some of the ways the people in Vice President Kamala Harris’ life remember her before she became a household name in Washington — people who shared many laughs, lunches, conversations and school bus rides with the likely Democratic nominee for president of the United States.
For more on the 2024 election, head to the NPR Network’s live updates page.
Vice President Kamala Harris responded to former President Donald Trump after he posted on social media about switching the date and format of the next televised presidential debate, saying she’d see him at the event “he already agreed to.” Then Trump doubled down.
Not long after announcing he was dropping out of the 2024 presidential contest, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party nominee.
“My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made,” Biden said.
REHOBOTH BEACH, Del./WASHINGTON — More Democratic lawmakers on Friday publicly called for President Biden to drop out of the 2024 race, including New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich, who is running for reelection is what is supposed to be a safe seat for the party.
But Biden is planning to be back on the trail next week, the chair of his campaign said, making the case that party leaders should look at strong grassroots support for his candidacy and resolve their doubts over whether he should stay in the race for a second term.
The 2024 Republican National Convention wrapped up on Thursday night in Milwaukee with former President Donald Trump’s address to the delegates. Trump’s speech marked the first major public remarks he delivered following the assassination attempt against him less than a week ago.
It was also the first in-person Republican convention since the COVID pandemic prompted cancellation of most events surrounding the 2020 RNC. The final evening featured a wide range of speakers, from the retired professional wrestler Hulk Hogan to the evangelical leader Franklin Graham, culminating in Trump’s speech, which capped off a week of events and speeches in support of the former president’s vision of the country. Here’s what you need to know from the 2024 Republican convention.
In his first major speech since a failed assassination attempt, former President Donald Trump accepted the Republican Party’s presidential nomination for the third time and told a boisterous crowd he would “usher in the rich and wonderful tomorrows that our people truly deserve.”
Trump vowed he would secure that future for all Americans, “citizens of every race, religion, color and creed.”
“I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America,” Trump said, “because there is no victory in winning for half of America.”
“So tonight, with faith and devotion, I proudly accept your nomination for president of the United States,” he added.
On the final evening of the Republican National Convention, a night themed “Make America Great Once Again” — a play on his well-known campaign slogan — Trump said it was time to rescue America from the “failed leadership” of President Biden and Democrats.
The Pennsylvania Department of State is hoping another change to mail ballot return envelopes will eliminate the chance of ballots being rejected this November because of voters failing to write in the year completely.
In a directive earlier this month, the Department of State told counties that they should now preprint ballot return envelopes with the full, four-digit year in the date field, leaving voters to fill in just the month and day alongside their signature.
Jim Sweetland, a retired doctor from DuBois, was in the stands at the Trump rally Saturday in Butler when, what first sounded like firecrackers to him, started. Sweetland then realized it was gunfire.
A man, later identified as Corey Comperatore, had been shot down. Sweetland saw that former President Donald Trump was surrounded by Secret Service members. Sweetland then heard a woman calling out: He’s been shot. He’s down.
Just a few hours after Donald Trump announced his choice of vice president, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance made his way through the crowd at the Republican National Convention to thunderous applause and chants of “J.D.”
Among those showing their support for Vance was Pennsylvania delegate and former U.S. Congressman Fred Keller, who said he thought Vance exemplifies what’s possible in America.
BUTLER, Pa. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump called for unity and resilience Sunday after an attempt on his life added fresh uncertainty to an already tumultuous presidential campaign and raised sharp questions about how a gunman was able to open fire from a rooftop near a Pennsylvania campaign rally.
A full day after the shooting, the gunman’s motive was still a mystery, and investigators said they believe he acted alone before being fatally shot by Secret Service agents. President Joe Biden ordered an independent security review of the attack, which killed a bystander and critically wounded two others. The FBI was investigating the shooting as a potential act of domestic terrorism.
The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, as the suspected gunman involved in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally Saturday in Butler County.
In a news conference hours after the shooting, federal and state investigators said they didn’t believe there was another threat in addition to the shooter at the rally. The Pennsylvania State Police did not rule out that the shooter could have received assistance but said they had found no evidence so far.
Donald Trump’s rally in Butler County came to a shocking end Saturday when shots were fired at Trump in front of thousands of supporters a few minutes into his speech at the Farm Show grounds.
The former president was “fine” after the shooting at 6:11 p.m., according to a campaign spokesman. But Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger told The Associated Press that the suspected gunman was dead and at least one rallygoer was killed during the gunfire. At least two other people were critically injured, according to the U.S. Secret Service.
President Biden and former President Donald Trump will face off in the first presidential debate of the 2024 general election tonight in Atlanta.
It begins a new phase of the presidential race, less than five months out from Nov. 5, Election Day, as the matchup remains extremely tight. Biden and Trump stand virtually tied, according to the latest NPR/PBS News/Marist poll, which echoes a months-long trend of recent national surveys.
The debate also breaks with campaign tradition, occurring months earlier than usual and with a new set of rules both candidates have agreed to, including no live audience. It’s also the first debate either candidate has participated in this campaign season. Biden largely ran unopposed, and Trump notably skipped the GOP primary debates.
Here’s what you need to know about this first debate.
Results to watch include Pennsylvania attorney general, Pennsylvania treasurer, and Pennsylvania auditor general. Results will begin to show after 8 p.m. on April 23.
Results for races can also be found on the Department of State website.
For complete coverage of the 2024 primary election, visit Spotlight PA’s Election Center.
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters.
HARRISBURG — This year, all Pennsylvania House representatives and half of state senators will be on the ballot.
Heather McGhee made her career in pushing for economic policy changes at the think tank Demos. But she couldn’t help but feel that something was missing from her work. So she embarked on a cross-country road trip to understand what’s at the heart of what ails America’s economy and our democracy. The result is her book “The Sum of Us,” which she joins us to talk about in this episode
Elections 101 from Spotlight PA protects you against election misinformation and empowers you to make informed decisions. This story is made possible through a collaboration with Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization covering local election administration and voting.
You may be one of the hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians who plan to vote by mail during the 2024 election. Or maybe it’s an option you’ve considered but haven’t pursued because you distrust the process or have concerns about fraud.
This article is made possible through Spotlight PA’s collaboration with Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization covering local election administration and voting. Sign up for Votebeat’s free newsletters here.
After a court defeat, Pennsylvania voting rights organizations are trying to convince a larger group of federal appellate judges that the state shouldn’t be allowed to reject mail ballots that lack a proper date on their return envelopes.
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters.
HARRISBURG — Millions of voters are expected to cast ballots during Pennsylvania’s April 23 primary, choosing candidates to represent the Democratic and Republican parties in November.
Ahead of the April 23 primary, Pennsylvania’s top election official answered your questions about misinformation, voting machine security, and more.
Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt joined Spotlight PA’s Kate Huangpu and Votebeat’s Carter Walker in March for a live event about building trust in elections. If you missed it, you can watch the conversation here.
Mail-in and absentee voters will soon get a chance to see the new designs for ballot materials, if they haven’t arrived already.
With the colorful envelopes and highlighted sections, the layout is intended to help voters correctly fill out the return envelope and remember to put the ballot in the secrecy sleeve.
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters.
Pennsylvania’s April 23 primary election is fast approaching, and Democrats and Republicans will soon have to decide which attorney general candidate they want to send to the general election.
HARRISBURG — On April 23, Democrats and Republicans in Pennsylvania will vote for their parties’ candidates for president, U.S. House and Senate, state row offices (attorney general, auditor general, and treasurer), and the legislature.
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