Can a progressive replace Fetterman? | Morning Newsletter

Hi everyone! Happy Monday. The warm weather persists with highs nearing 80 degrees today.

Some Democrats who watched Chris Rabb notch one of the left’s biggest wins in Pennsylvania see an opportunity to boost a progressive in the 2028 Senate primary. Others say that’s a tall task in the swing state.

A Philly grandmother says $600 of her EBT benefits were stolen in a skimming scheme. A solution for the state might be on the horizon.

Plus, a local a cappella group went viral for their wholesome renditions of popular songs, and more news of the day.

— Sam Stewart (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

The euphoria at Chris Rabb’s election night party last month hadn’t even started to wane before the democratic socialist and his supporters — dancing and hugging after capturing a rarely open Philadelphia seat in Congress — spoke of setting their sights even higher.

With the 2026 Pennsylvania Democratic primary in the rearview mirror, that conversation has broadly and quickly turned to the next biggest prize in the state: The U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat John Fetterman.

The senator has not said whether he will run for a second six-year term in 2028. But in an unusual situation for an high-profile elected official, a robust intraparty competition to replace him is expected to start either way in the next year as Fetterman increasingly sides with Republicans and as polls show that his support among Democratic voters has nose-dived.

In a district packed with Democratic voters, Rabb’s ability to turn out progressive voters should draw the attention of anyone looking to win the state’s Democratic Senate primary in 2028, a strategist said. But campaigning on a far-left — or a far-right — platform doesn’t often equate to success on a statewide level in a swing state like Pennsylvania, some experts say.

The Inquirer’s Sam Janesch has the full breakdown.

Keenya Banks lives in Philadelphia with her husband and the two grandchildren they care for. She has never been to Fishkill in New York’s Hudson Valley.

Yet, that’s where someone spent more than $650 in food assistance benefits for her family at a Sam’s Club in April in an alleged case of EBT skimming, just one of the more than 5,100 cases reported in Pennsylvania between the start of the year and May.

It’s likely Banks used her EBT card in a point-of-sale machine rigged with a device designed to copy her card information and PIN. Someone then applied her EBT information to a different physical card and drained her monthly benefits the next day.

Last May, Pennsylvania launched ConnectEBT, an app that allows people to lock their cards until they are at the checkout line, ready to use them. Some state officials are also eyeing chip EBT cards as a possible way to curb skimming.

The Tonics is a viral, Philly-based a cappella group made up of middle-aged guys in khaki slacks and sensible loafers.

Who did the Sixers just promote to executive vice president of basketball operations?

A) Mike Gansey

B) Jameer Nelson

C) Elton Brand

D) Prosper Karangwa

Think you know? Check your answer.

🤔 Considering: Did A.J. Brown betray Philadelphia and his Eagles teammates? Columnist Marcus Hayes thinks so.

❤️ Loving: Philly! We asked residents what made them fall in love with the city, and their answers are heartwarming.

🥤 Dying to try: Smoothies down the Shore made by James Develin, who faced the Eagles in Super Bowl LII.

Hint: A leading liberal arts undergraduate college outside Philadelphia.

ADHERE GOLF VELCRO

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Noreen Gloninger, who solved Sunday’s anagram: Spirit Halloween. A case of the summer scaries hit the Wildwood boardwalk on Friday, courtesy of the folks at Spirit Halloween. Things got weirder than usual.

Think back to the night that changed your life that could only happen in Philly, a true example of the Philly spirit, the time you finally felt like you belonged in Philly if you’re not a lifer, something that made you fall in love with Philly all over again — or proud to be from here if you are. Then email it to us for a chance to be featured in the Monday edition of this newsletter.

This “only in Philly” story comes from reader Ann Hess, who describes the kindness of Philadelphians:

Never underestimate the kindness of Philly strangers…

On a recent Saturday, I was babysitting my 9-year-old grandson, Gabe. We were about to walk to the Fumo Family Library, when I mentioned that I saw the little boy across the street picking up trash in front of his house.

Gabe announced, “I want to pick up trash!” He went down to the basement and came back with a reacher.

Walking back to his house, Gabe was collecting trash and depositing it in a bag using his reacher. A woman was parked along the street, rolled down her window, and asked him, “Are you picking up trash?”

We answered “yes” and she said it was a great idea and thanked him for doing it, “because there’s a lot of trash in the city and we need all the help we can get!“

She said she wanted to give him something for his hard work and asked him to come over to the car window. Gabe walked over and said ”Thank you” to the woman. She said, ”I wanted to thank you for doing this — go buy yourself a water ice!”

It turned out this appreciative stranger had handed him $5!

What an amazing, generous, and kind gesture this stranger offered to another stranger. This is how you Philly.

Gabe collected and filled two small bags of trash from Broad Street to South Warnock on the walk home.

👋 Bye all! Have a great week.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.