By Tim Lambert | Editor-in-chief
"I don't mean to make light of this. We are in a battle for the soul of our nation ... The adversary's not in this room. The adversary's out there trying to destroy our country and take our country down." — U.S. Rep. Scott Perry to supporters at a Dauphin County rally earlier this week. He is up for reelection on Tuesday.
A good morning to you and Happy Friday. It was great to see all the trick-or-treaters in our little Cumberland County neighborhood last night. Alas, I do indeed have leftover candy — despite my best efforts to hand out extras as the 8:00 p.m. hour approached. Guess I’ll have to take one for the team and finish it off myself.
On this day in 1948, the Washington County community of Donora found itself enveloped by a deadly, heavy fog. Over the next few days, 20 people died and 5,900 others were sickened by it. The dangerous fog was formed when a front of cold air led to a temperature inversion that trapped pollutants from several steel mills and a zinc smelting plant. The 1955 Clean Air Act was passed as a result of the tragedy.
With four days left until Election Day, thanks for starting your day off with us by reading, sharing our voter guide and supporting our work. We appreciate your trust in our team. — Tim
A sign directs voters to where they can cast their ballots at Allegheny County Election office in Pittsburgh on Oct. 19, 2026. (Photo by John Beale/Pennsylvania Capital-Star)
By Peter Hall, Ian Karbal and Whitney Downard
The airwaves, streaming services and your mailbox will be politics-free after voters finish casting their ballots on Nov. 3.
With nearly 250 races across Pennsylvania that will determine party control of the governor’s office, General Assembly and, potentially, the U.S. House, the commonwealth is back in the national spotlight this election season.
The majority of state and federal legislative seats are considered to be safely Democratic or Republican. But flipping just a few in any chamber could change the balance of power, and midterm elections traditionally favor the minority party. Combined with low presidential approval ratings and economic concerns, some experts theorize there could be a “blue wave” next week.
So what are the top races to watch in the state on election night?
Rep. Scott Perry joins Pastors Bill Schutt (left) and Edel Santana (right) in prayer at an Oct. 28, 2026 rally in Dauphin County (Photo by Ian Karbal/Pennsylvania Capital-Star)
By Ian Karbal
With the November election just days away, six-term incumbent Rep. Scott Perry offered a stark message to voters at a rally with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).
“The devil is everywhere. You can see it in the things we’re talking about,” Perry told a crowd of roughly 200 supporters at an American Legion post in Linglestown, Dauphin County, Wednesday evening.
In his seven-minute speech, Perry talked about what he saw as the successes of the Trump administration — cutting Medicaid spending, sharply curbing immigration and prosecuting the war in Iran — but the devil could be found in the partisan political struggles in Washington, D.C. and the agenda of his opposition.
“The adversary’s not in this room,” he said. “The adversary’s out there trying to destroy our country and take our country down.”
This screenshot of a recent ad released by Stacy Garrity’s campaign depicts an AI-generated deepfake of Democratic incumbent Josh Shapiro. (Image from Stacy Garrity For Pennsylvania Campaign)
By Sydney Roach of WPSU
The midterm elections are less than a week away, and one recent political ad in Pennsylvania is raising questions about the legality of using AI deepfakes.
The Republican challenger for governor, Stacy Garrity, recently released an AI-generated video of her opponent, Democratic incumbent Josh Shapiro. The ad begins with what appears to be Shapiro grinning as he opens the doors to the governor’s office. There’s a desk behind him with the American and Pennsylvania flags on either side.
”Hello there. I’m Josh Shapiro, and I’ve been very busy. It started with all those sexual harassment scandals,” the AI Shapiro says in the ad.
There’s no watermark or text on the screen telling viewers that the video is artificially produced, and the AI Shapiro in the ad doesn’t disclose that he isn’t the real Josh Shapiro until about 45 seconds in.
Currently, there are no laws in Pennsylvania prohibiting deepfakes in political ads or even requiring a disclaimer.
Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles warms up prior to the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lincoln Financial Field on October 04, 2026 in Philadelphia. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
COMMENTARY
By Ali Ataya of The Conversation
Jalen Hurts is 28, a Super Bowl MVP and an elite athlete in peak physical condition. He was also recently diagnosed with blood clots in his leg and both lungs.
After a cleat to the left calf during a game against the Los Angeles Rams on Oct. 4, 2026, and after a team flight to London, the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback was given an ultrasound and diagnosed with a superficial vein thrombosis, which is a blood clot in the vein near the skin, in his left leg.
He played that Sunday. A follow-up ultrasound showed the superficial vein clot had progressed to a deeper vein, and he was diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis, or DVT. By Oct. 19, he was diagnosed with a bilateral pulmonary embolism, which means he had blood clots in both lungs.
For me, as a pulmonary vascular disease specialist who treats patients with blood clots and pulmonary embolisms, this case highlights an important teaching moment. If this can happen to an elite athlete, it can happen to anyone. And too often, it can be prevented.
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TODAY IN THE CAPITAL-STAR
In a blizzard of lawsuits, Trump’s DOJ battles over elections: The Trump administration’s sweeping efforts to combat noncitizen voting and assert authority over elections came under intense scrutiny in courtrooms across the country, as Democrats and voting rights groups alleged federal election interference.
Where are the tightest races for U.S. House control outside of Pa.?: The focus on a short list of campaigns highlights how much power voters in a small number of congressional districts have to determine whether Republicans keep control of that chamber for the next two years or Democrats take over.
College students rally against off-campus voting sites, student ID bans: Student leaders around the country are pushing to make voting more accessible to college students. Students have protested against laws and decisions from local election officials that they say could make casting ballots harder, including off-campus polling sites and bans on student IDs when voting.
Some voters with felony convictions face new rules for the midterms: A half-dozen states enacted laws this year changing voting rules for people with felony convictions, including when their rights can be restored and how they can register to vote, affecting voters in next week’s elections.
Caring for aging parents is getting more expensive: Out-of-pocket expenses are nearly 60% higher than they were just five years ago for family caregivers, who now spend an average of $11,508 a year on caregiving, according to a report released this week by AARP, a nonprofit that advocates for people aged 50 and older.
ICYMI
Healthcare costs spike for Pa. employers and employees: As millions of Pennsylvanians navigate their health insurance options during open enrollment, many could face double-digit premium increases over last year’s costs. The growth is reviving debates over universal healthcare and the government’s role in price-setting.
Rep. Scott Perry faces ethics complaint: U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, representing Pennsylvania’s 10th congressional district, is facing an ethics complaint for posting to his campaign Facebook page a video that appears to have been recorded in his congressional office.
Is Pa’s guarantees to help formerly incarcerated students falling short?: Pennsylvania lawmakers moved to ensure more students get the credits they’ve earned in classes behind bars with a 2022 law called Act 1. But, several students described encountering delays and other problems when they tried to ensure the academic progress they made in juvenile facilities carried over.
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