Pennsylvania
Kamala Harris’ fracking ban comes under fire in Pennsylvania as veep tries to reverse course: ‘Out of step’
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Vice President Kamala Harris’ inconsistent position on a hydraulic fracking ban is threatening to undermine her electability in oil-rich Pennsylvania.
“There’s no question I’m in favor of banning fracking,” the then-presidential candidate told a climate activist at a CNN town hall in 2019.
Senate candidate Dave McCormick and other Pennsylvania Republicans have been quick to highlight what such a ban would mean for the Keystone State as Harris attempts to change course on the issue.
“The Biden-Harris-[Sen. Bob] Casey energy agenda has essentially been to stop fossil fuels, and transition from lithium batteries and solar panels from China,” McCormick said on “Fox and Friends” Friday, adding: “It truly is out of step [with] where most Pennsylvanians are.”
A McCormick campaign ad released last week featured similar attacks on Harris’ energy record, including her support for the Green New Deal — a series of progressive policy initiatives designed to phase out fossil fuels in America.
Donald Trump Jr. and Ric Grenell are among other high-profile Republicans slamming Harris on X last week for her position on fracking.
“Kamala Harris is even more extreme than Joe Biden – She wants to ban fracking and kill countless jobs in states like PA for American workers,” Trump Jr. wrote.
“Dear Pennsylvania… take it from this Californian, don’t let Kamala Harris anywhere near your energy sources,” wrote former Director of National Intelligence Grenell.
Perhaps such attacks are driving the Harris campaign’s recent shift on the issue?
As of this weekend, Harris’ campaign claims she no longer supports a fracking ban, with a Harris campaign spokesperson telling The Hill that Donald Trump’s energy policies would “enrich oil and gas executives at the expense of the middle class.”
Trump had criticized Harris’ support for a fracking ban at his North Carolina rally last Wednesday.
Back on the left, Pennsylvania Democrat Conor Lamb — a once-promising young congressman who lost to John Fetterman in the 2022 Senate primary — praised the Harris’ pivot.
“A good leader learns in public and isn’t afraid to admit when they change their mind,” Lamb tweeted Monday morning.
With Trump set to rally in Pennsylvania’s capital this Wednesday, the former prez is likely to push the issue.
Recent polls show Harris gaining on Trump nationally when compared to outgoing President Joe Biden, though Trump maintains a narrow lead across most swing states.
Designed by Gensler and HDR, in association with Luis Vidal + Architects, the transformed Pittsburgh International Airport Terminal aims to create a more tranquil passenger experience while celebrating Western Pennsylvania’s identity. Completed in November, it is entirely powered by its own microgrid that uses natural gas and solar energy. A skybridge connects the new headhouse—which con- solidates all major airport operations into a single structure—to a modernized terminal concourse. The roof, which consists of staggered peaks that frame clere- story windows, evokes the Allegheny Mountains, while branching columns recall trees. Augmenting the many nods to the region, the team included four verdant terraces fea- turing native plants, which are sustained by rainwater-harvesting systems.
Counties that used a redesigned envelope for their provisional ballots in 2025 saw rejection rates drop by 11.3% when compared to last year, according to Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt.
The new look adopted by 85% of counties indicates which fields are for voters and which are for election workers, and highlights where voters must sign. The drop from 4.96% to 4.4% doesn’t include the nine counties that didn’t use the new design or Chester County, which had a printing error in November that omitted third-party and independent voters from pollbooks.
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The 11.3% figure is adjusted for voter turnout. More than 7 million Pennsylvanians voted in 2024 – which was a presidential election year – compared to 3.6 million in the 2025 off-year election.
“Our goal remains ensuring every registered voter in our Commonwealth can cast their vote and have it counted in every election,” Schmidt said in a release. “As with the changes to mail ballot materials two years ago, these improvements resulted in more registered voters being able to make their voices heard in November’s election.”
Two years ago, the state conducted a voter education initiative and required counties to preprint the full year of mail ballot return envelopes. Mail ballot instructions and online application materials were also redesigned.
Five counties — Philadelphia, Berks, Butler, Mercer and Greene — worked with the state to craft the new envelopes to be more user friendly for both voters and poll workers.
“The purpose in leading the redesign effort was to reduce errors and have more votes counted, which is exactly what we achieved,” said Omar Sabir, the chair of the Philadelphia City Commissioners. “An 11% decrease in ballot rejections shows the real impact that thoughtful design can have on protecting voting rights across Pennsylvania.”
The nine counties opting out of the new design were: Bedford, Bradford, Crawford, Franklin, Huntingdon, Lackawanna, Lycoming, Monroe and Wyoming.
Pennsylvania Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Tim Lambert for questions: info@penncapital-star.com.
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