Since the passage of the state budget in early July, legislative activity in Harrisburg has been relatively quiet. However, the political landscape is intensifying at the Federal and State level as we approach the November General Election. Below is an overview of recent developments.
RFK Suspends Campaign
Over the past week, speculation arose regarding Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign viability after failing to secure a spot on the Pennsylvania ballot. On Friday, Kennedy officially suspended his independent campaign, opting to endorse former President Donald Trump. However, due to ballot deadlines, his name will remain on the ballot in key battleground states such as Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin.
Vice President Harris’s Economic Plan
Vice President Kamala Harris began rolling out portions of her economic plan, with further details expected in the coming weeks. This marks the beginning of her broader policy agenda for the campaign trail.
Former President Trump’s Campaign Trail
Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to make an appearance in Johnstown this Friday at the Cambria County War Memorial. This visit underscores the Republican strategy, as Trump and other leading candidates indicated Pennsylvania will be a primary focus in their campaign efforts.
Presidential Debate Schedule
Vice President Harris and former President Trump are scheduled to face off in their first debate as opponents on September 10, 2024, at 9 p.m. The debate will take place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and will be hosted by ABC News, with Linsey Davis and David Muir serving as moderators. According to VP Harris’ campaign team, the two face off again in October, however, nothing has been confirmed yet.
Vice Presidential Debate Scheduled
The much-anticipated Vice Presidential debate between Ohio Senator J.D. Vance (R) and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) is set for October 1 in New York City. The debate, hosted by CBS News, will be the first official face-off between the two military veterans.
U.S. Senate Race Debate Stalemate
In the high-profile U.S. Senate race between Senator Bob Casey (D) and former hedge fund manager Dave McCormick (R), there has been little progress on scheduling debates. McCormick’s campaign accepted invitations from ABC27 in Harrisburg and WPXI in Pittsburgh, but no further updates have been provided since June.
Voter Registration Trends
A recent report from Politics PA highlights the latest voter registration figures in Pennsylvania. Democrats continue to hold a registration edge, with 3.9 million registrants compared to 3.5 million Republicans. Nonaffiliated voters account for just over one million, while registrants from other parties total just under 345,000.
Retirement of Rep. Mike Sturla
Democratic Representative and Chair of the Housing & Community Development Committee Mike Sturla withdrew his candidacy for reelection on Monday, August 12, 2024. That same week, the Lancaster County Democratic Committee nominated the President of Manheim Township’s School Board, Nikki Rivera. She will take on Eric Beezer (R), who recently switched parties and is running on a pro-legalization of cannabis agenda.
House Special Elections
During the week of July 15, two Philadelphia-area state representatives resigned. Rep. Donna Bullock was named CEO of anti-homelessness nonprofit Project HOME and Rep. Stephen Kinsey (D) took a job at CareRing Health as Vice President of Government Advocacy & Director of Community Engagement.
Before the resignations, Democrats held a 102-101 seat majority. Now, the Republicans technically have a 101-100 seat majority. However, the Special Elections in the Democratic-controlled seats will take place September 17, before the House returns to session on September 23. So once the new members are sworn in, the Democrats will be back to a 102-101 seat majority.
The PA Senate’s first day back in session for the fall will be Monday, September 16, 2024. The Senate’s Fall calendar can be found here.
The PA House returns on Monday, September 23, 2024 for a nonvoting session week then Monday, September 30, 2024 begins a voting session week. The House’s Fall calendar can be found here.

























