PA Political Digest

PA's changing demographic kaleidoscope Welcome to our latest PPD pod, with Univ. of Pittsburgh's Chris Briem, part of their Center for Social and Urban Research, and an expert on the state's demographics. Can we still say that the Central PA - Lehigh Valley - Philly 'burbs region is the state's only true growth area, while the rest is either flat lining - or worse? Is it just easier to posit that East Coast PA is growing while mid-west PA is not? As Briem recounts, during the de-industrialization of western PA in the early 80's, tens of thousands of people left the region, taking with them their kids and their future grandchildren. It's never quite recovered. Did you know that Beaver County's unemployment rate topped 28% then, higher than it was in the Depression? What's up with the region outside Pittsburgh, what Nicholas refers to as Greater Non-Urban SW PA (GnuSWPA! The state has lost congressional members in every redistricting since 1900, and we will again in 2030, when we are on track to lose one district. That's coming, even though both Philly and Pgh's populations have rebounded somewhat…and did the state's 3 western TV markets - Erie, Johnstown-Altoona and Pittsburgh - all lose voters in the past 3 years? Will the state be forced to move a state senate seat from western PA to the eastern part of the state in 2030's state reapportionment? Can we redefine success without job growth? Did you know that the Steel City is now home to more jobs than ever before? Listen as Nicholas quizzes Briem on the state's top municipalities - Briem does pretty good but, like everyone else, cannot figure out the state's #6 largest town. Enjoy our pod and learn more about PA's politics and demographics - that's always the goal of PA Political Digest! Briem's new book, Beyond Steel: Pittsburgh and the Economics of Transformation, debuted earlier this year and is available wherever you buy your reading material.

PA Political Digest sits down with Betsy Fischer Martin as Women's History Month comes to a close Big 4 Here in PA did you know that while there are more Democratic women in the State House there are more Republican women in the State Senate. Overall the number of women in the state legislature has greatly increased during my time working in politics here. What will you learn listening to our pod? -What the other 3 states are in the Big 4 besides PA... -You'll also learn why I wear the same "uniform" each week on This Week in PA, and what the 'time' deficit is that women have to deal with. -Speaking of uniforms, will GOP gubernatorial nominee Stacy Garrity's extensive military background help her bridge the toughness gap in the gov race that women must often deal with? -And how many women are there now in the U.S. House, U.S. Senate and serving as Governors. Background: PA Dems, in the modern era, have never nominated a woman as their gubernatorial candidate, while the PA GOP has never nominated a woman as their U.S. Senate standard-bearer. This year the PA GOP has nominated State Treasurer Garrity as their candidate for Governor, the second time they have set on a female candidate for that office...way back in 1990 was the first time. That sets up a contest between her and Josh Shapiro...what are the special challenges for each as they battle a candidate of the opposite gender? As Women's History Month comes to a close today (3-31-26), it seemed like the perfect time to do a deep dive on this, and that's why I talked late last week with Betsy Fischer Martin, the head of American University's Women & Politics Institute. She was also the long-time Exec. Producer of Meet the Press with Tim Russert. Thanks again to Betsy...and enjoy!

Confused about all the economic stats you hear during campaign season? What does GDP really mean? Does lessening inflation mean prices at the grocery store are going down, or just increasing more slowly. Are we entering an era where there's lots of money for algorithms and machines, but not as much for people? What's the vibecession and the K-Shaped economy? PA Political Digest sat with Heather Long, Rhodes Scholar, former Wash Post/CNN economics correspondent and now Chief Economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, to find out. Our goal: demystify some of the economic jargon politicians throw at us during campaign season.

Join PA Political Digest publisher, GOP political consultant Christopher Nicholas, as he talks about PA's 4 hottest 2026 congressional races with Kyle Kondik, Managing Editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball. The pod takes a deep dive into PA-1,7,8 and 10, all Republican re-election races (Congs. Fitzpatrick, Mackenzie, Bresnahan and Perry). Sabato's Crystal Ball is one of the better-known non-partisan, campaign analysis/rating publications. Pa-7 begins at 01:30 (the 1-minute 30-second mark) - how will the Dems' wide open primary affect the general election? PA-8 begins at 08:35 - might the Dems have a brewing primary here...will Dem St. Sen. Marty Flynn of Scranton get into the congressional primary against Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti? PA-10 begins at 19:00 - as of now both parties appear to have primaries here PA-1 begins at 34:00 - will GOP Cong. Brian Fitzpatrick, the only Republican who voted against the OBBB, get his usual MAGA-style primary opponent in 2026? This is Episode 2 of our 2026 Look Ahead series, which dropped 12/30/25...Episode 1, a 2026 Look Ahead that examines PA's gubernatorial and state legislative races, is also available and dropped 12/5/25. Thanks for listening.

The PA Political Digest newsletter decided to do an Election '25 preview pod, with host Christopher Nicholas, a veteran GOP political consultant. His guest is one of his TV sparring partners. Democratic consultant Brittany Crampsie. Join them as they talk through the big races on the ballot in November 2025, especially the Retention races of 3 PA Supreme Court justices, which is garnering national attention. Enjoy.

Pa Political Digest bonus Episode 6 brings you behind the scenes of three top PA political corruption cases -- those involving Sen. Vince Fumo, Treasurer Rob McCord & Attorney General Ernie Preate -- from the U.S. Attorneys who prosecuted them. Veteran political journalists John Baer and Brad Bumsted were given the day off, and GOP political consultant and producer/host Christopher Nicholas sat down with 3 former U.S. Attorneys with first-hand knowledge and experience prosecuting political corruption cases: Pat Meehan, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern DIstrict (Bush 43), Dave Freed, former U.S. Attorney for the Middle District (Trump), and David Barasch, another former U.S. Attorney for the Middle DIstrict (Clinton).

In the final episode of the PA Political Digest's pod, A Stroll through the annals of Pa. Political Corruption, we re-visit the horrific Cash for Kids scandal that rocked Luzerne County, look at a Republican Attorney General who had to resign -- and run through some oddities concerning a witch in the PA House, prostitutes and a serial per diem abuser. Thanks to Feedspot.com for ranking us as the #4 political pod in Pa. And thanks to all of our listeners for their support throughout our 5-episode jaunt through Pa political corruption. Enjoy our final episode...

Pa. Treasurer Budd Dwyer killed himself during a press conference the day before he was to be sentenced on his bribery conviction. That way his wife, his widow, could still get his $1 million+ state pension. Plus in Episode 4 we examine three other state "Row Officers" got in trouble for what they did in office and out: Treasuers Rob McCord, who went from Harvard to teaching yoga, and Barbara "The Hafe" Hafer who lied to the Feds, plus Auditor General Al Benedict. Lost in all the controversy about Dwyer's guilt was the fact that he was quite an acommplished politician. Hailing from tiny Crawford County in the "great NW" part of the state, voters elected him to state-wide office when he was just 41. And he had already served 3 terms in the state House and was in his third term in the state Senate...

Episode 3 first focuses on former S. Philly state Sen. Vince Fumo, dubbed the "Vince of Darkness," who had a penchant for using OPM (Other People's Money) -- his mantra for how to acquire, steal or confiscate money from someplace else to pay for all his eccentricities and luxuries. That's the main focus; our secondary focus is the trials and tribulations of so many Democratic congressmen from Phiily -- from ABSCAM to Chaka Fattah.

In Episode 2 we examine the scandal "cousins" Bonus-gate & Computer-gate, that roiled the Legislature and how 2 ex-House Speakers ended up as cell mates for a time. Plus, it’s the Ories vs. the Zappalas in a western PA grudge match; Porn-gate takes down 2 Supreme Court justices, and Philly’s Traffic Court gets expunged.

A wide-ranging review of the meteoric rise & fall of Pennsylvania's first Democratic Attorney General. Plus, our beautiful state Capitol building itself was christened with a huge construction scandal that in today's money would equal nearly half a billion dollars. Could that be part of the reason why the Keystone State has suffered through so much political corruption over the years?