Pennsylvania
Kamala Harris invigorates Democrats in swing state Pennsylvania
In the US state of Pennsylvania, the Democratic Party’s switch to Kamala Harris as its presumptive nominee for president has re-energized its campaign for the White House in a key battleground state, grassroots party activists say.
“I believe we’re going to have a blue landslide,” said Bill Leiner, a volunteer with the Democratic presidential campaign in Allentown, a city of about 125,000 residents.
“People are energized,” he added.
In an unprecedented development in modern US electoral history, President Joe Biden on Sunday announced he was dropping his bid for reelection, and endorsed Vice President Harris’s candidacy in the November poll.
In Allentown, 70-year-old Leiner said he wasted little time in amending his existing Biden/Harris sign to show his support for the vice president.
“The minute I heard Harris is going to be the person, I cut it off, and then kind of taped it up, and I got the first Harris sign in my town,” he said.
Leiner, who works as a nurse, is “optimistic” about the Democratic Party’s odds now that Harris is headlining the ticket.
“It has to be Kamala Harris because if we don’t pick Kamala Harris, we will lose,” he said.
Leiner believes Harris has the right tools to take on Republican Party nominee Donald Trump, especially in light of Biden’s disastrous debate performance in June.
“She’s going to carve him up,” Leiner said.
A few yards away, in his garden shed, dozens of signs from previous election and social awareness campaigns pile up.
Unlike Leiner, some Allentown Democrats found the change in ticket harder to swallow.
Jimmy Spang Jr, a 66-year-old retired security officer, came to know Biden personally over the years, referring to him as “Uncle Joe.”
“I’ve picked him up several times at the airport when he was a senator,” he told AFP. “I consider him a friend.”
Biden was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, about 75 miles north of Allentown, earning him the nickname “Scranton Joe.”
“Joe is a good man,” Spang said, his throat tightening before he burst into tears.
“I’m upset… because this man did nothing wrong,” Spang continued. “He didn’t deserve how he was treated.”
Although “Uncle Joe” has bowed out of the race, Spang plans to continue to support the Democratic cause.
One way he does so is by overseeing event security for the local Democratic Party chapter.
“If Joe supports Kamala, I will support Kamala,” he told AFP.
Spang said he is fearful of a second Trump presidency.
“If Trump wins, I think the country is in deep trouble because of the divisiveness the people that control his campaign,” he said.
Although both Democratic Party workers approached the change at the top of the ticket differently, they share the same pick for Harris’s running mate: Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
The Democrat was elected in 2022 over a far-right candidate backed by Donald Trump, proving he can sway voters in the purple state.
A “Kamala and Josh” ticket is a “marriage made in heaven,” said Spang.
Even Democrats who are not actively involved in local outreach appear enthusiastic about the shift.
“With the news that came out yesterday, I’m very hopeful and excited,” said J. Marc Rittle, the executive director of New Bethany, a nonprofit that assists residents facing economic and social hardship.
“I’m personally for Harris… I really believe that a Harris administration will get us far,” he said.
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Tomorrow’s front looks weaker with just a few showers early in the morning…
EVENING: Increasing clouds, summer-like. Temps near 80.
TONIGHT: Mostly cloudy and warm. Low 68.
THURSDAY: Scattered showers between 6-10am. Clearing, windy and warm for the afternoon. High 88.
Wednesday felt a little more like summer as temperatures reach 85 degrees. The humidity still remains tolerable this evening as clouds increase from an approaching front.
The cold front arrives Thursday morning, leading to a broken line of scattered showers between 6-10am. Once the front clears, gusty winds between 20-30mph will develops with afternoon temperatures near 88 degrees. A little unusual for a post cold front!
The upcoming weekend will be dry with low humidity and lots of sunshine. It should be a great weekend to spend with Dad! We’ll keep you posted, but the next chance for rain will be another front next Monday.
– Meteorologist Eric Finkenbinder
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A bipartisan package of bills would eliminate certain online gambling deposit methods, limit promotions, and strengthen protections for self-excluded gamblers.
Pennsylvania iGaming operators pulled in a record $2.78 billion in revenue last year, but some lawmakers want more responsible gaming consumer protections. State Reps. Tarik Khan (D-Phila) and Jamie Flick (R-Lycoming/Union) have introduced bipartisan legislation to provide better safeguards for PA online gamblers. Their series of bills seeks to add more protections, such as reduced deposit periods and limits on iGaming marketing.
Restrictions on push notifications, text marketing, credit cards & more
Dubbed Protecting Public Health in Online Gambling, Flick’s and Khan’s legislation breaks down into the following three parts:
- Pennsylvania Online Consumer Protection Act – Would establish “reasonable limits” on the frequency of deposits into online gambling accounts. It would also limit text message solicitations and push notifications involving sportsbook and casino bonus codes, while protecting against youth-targeted gambling ads and expanding responsible gaming programs.
- Prohibiting Funding of Online Gambling – Seeks to prohibit credits from being used to fund accounts at PA online casinos, sportsbooks, and poker sites.
- Strengthening Self-Exclusion Protections – Would ban online gambling operators from sending promotions, advertisements, or bonuses (e.g., free spins) to gamblers who’ve self-excluded from Pennsylvania’s gambling market.
Protecting young people and problem gamblers
Khan, who’s been a certified nurse practitioner since 2011, views Pennsylvania’s growing online gambling habit as a potential health challenge.
“As a nurse practitioner, I believe we should address problem gambling the same way we address other public health challenges: with prevention, education, treatment and commonsense safeguards,” Khan stated via his website.
“Our bipartisan bill package will help protect young people, individuals and families while supporting responsible gaming.”
Flick is primarily concerned with the number of young Pennsylvanians who are being exposed to ads involving sports betting, poker, and online casino games for real money.
“Too many young people are being exposed to online gambling through constant advertising and unprecedented access from their phones and devices,” said Flick. “These bills are about putting reasonable safeguards in place, promoting responsible gaming and helping ensure that young people and families are protected from gambling-related harm.”
New Pennsylvania online casino revenue record
The amount of revenue that Pennsylvania gambling sites are raking in continues to increase year after year. The $2.78 billion iGaming revenue figure from 2025 was up 27.22% from the previous year, when PA online casinos netted $2.18 billion.
While the Keystone State doesn’t break its iGaming revenue numbers down by game type, we can reasonably assume that the bulk of it comes from real money online slots.
Sports betting also experienced a record year, hitting $602.5 million, up 17.97% from 2025. The vast majority of this amount came via online sports gambling.
While this revenue increase is good for some of the best online casinos and sportsbooks in the state, it can also spell potential underlying problems. Khan and Flick are seeking to reduce some issues through their bills.
Responsible gambling
Bettors must be 21 years or older and otherwise eligible to register and place wagers at online casinos. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please seek assistance from trained professionals such as the Problem Gambling Help Network at 1-800-MY-RESET.
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