Good morning, and happy Tuesday.
Today, we’ve got fresh polling on key political figures in Pennsylvania, showing Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro with a wide lead in his reelection race and Democratic Sen. John Fetterman with strong support — among GOP voters.
And we explore how a wave of new bagel shops in the region is testing local demand.
Plus, Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal is due in court, and more news of the day.
— Laura Benshoff (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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The governor’s race, by the numbers
With Election Day a little over two months away, incumbent Democrat Josh Shapiro holds a 16-point lead over Republican Stacy Garrity, the state treasurer, according to a new poll by The Inquirer, the New York Times, and Siena University.
It’s not surprising that Shapiro, who has a national profile and has far out-fundraised Garrity, is ahead. But new polling sheds light on how he has maintained that edge.
📊 He appeals to some Republicans. Overall, 35% of registered Republicans approve of the job he’s doing as governor, and 27% of those who voted for President Donald Trump in 2024 do, too.
🤔 Garrity lacks name recognition. A quarter of likely Republican voters still do not know enough about Garrity to form an opinion of her, according to the poll.
🔮 But a 2028 edge is not a given. Any discussion of Shapiro’s prospects are likely to touch on speculation about a potential 2028 presidential run. Democrats overwhelmingly say they would support him in a primary, but the poll didn’t match him against other candidates.
Inquirer reporters Gillian McGoldrick and Michelle Baruchman have the full story behind the numbers.
Bagel shops rising
Since the beginning of 2025, nearly a dozen bagel shops have opened or leased space in Philadelphia and its suburbs.
There are the homegrown shops, like Kismet or Bart’s Bagels, that have sprouted new locations.
Then there are the chains. PopUp Bagels. from Connecticut, and Call Your Mother, from Washington, D.C., each have multiple locales planned in our region.
This boom begs a question: How many bagels can Philadelphians eat?
“More is not always better,” said Jacob Cohen, who started Kismet six years ago with his wife, Alexandra.
Inquirer food writer Michael Klein set out to find the answer.
What you should know today
- Democratic Sen. John Fetterman isn’t on the ballot this year, but new polling shows that while he has gained among Republicans, his favorability has plummeted among Democratic voters.
- And one more piece of polling news: President Donald Trump, who won Pennsylvania in 2024, has seen his approval rating in the state drop to 39%, according to the Inquirer/NYT/Siena Unversity poll we’ve been citing.
- Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal will appear in court Wednesday to answer for delays plaguing the sheriff-sale process.
- Abington Township will vote later this week on whether to replace Flock, a surveillance tech supplier that has drawn fire for data privacy concerns, with a different company.
- The Phillies did not obtain a required state permit before installing an artificial turf field at South Philly’s FDR Park earlier this summer.
- New Jersey removed 5,100 registered voters from state rolls, part of the ongoing fallout from a vehicle registration gaffe that registered noncitizens to vote.
- The Market Street Bridge near 30th Street Station will be closed for vehicle traffic for at least the next year, but pedestrians can still cross.
- Dom DiSandro, the Eagles’ normally shy chief of security, sat down with Pete Davidson for perhaps his only extended on-camera interview ever.
P.S. This story’s link was broken in yesterday’s newsletter, so I’m sharing it again: Local plasma donation businesses are booming, as more people turn to them to make ends meet.
Quote of the day
Jenn has staked out her side in the great “is a hot dog a sandwich” debate. Not everyone agrees, even within The Inquirer newsroom.
(Plus, we compiled the best of the best in our new dining guide, featuring some truly indulgent dogs.)
🧠 Trivia time
How tall is the newly proposed PMC apartment building at 24th and Walnut Streets?
A) 358 feet
B) 372 feet
C) 409 feet
D) 387 feet
Think you know? Check your answer here.
What we’re…
🤸♀️Taking note of. Adults in niche sporting communities like acrobatics and arm-wrestling are holding skill shares to try to attract new adherents, and to make learning a new hobby more accessible.
📺 Watching. Inquirer reporter Aubrey Whelan and her dad take us to Citizens Bank Park and break down the analog pleasures of watching a baseball game while keeping score by hand.
⚾️ Considering: Speaking of baseball, is it worth risking heartbreak to believe in the Phillies again? Sports columnist Marcus Hayes thinks so.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: This sporting event will return to Philadelphia next weekend after a 10-year hiatus.
APACHE PICCADILLY SCHILLINGS
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Congratulations to Abbe Pescatore, who correctly guessed Monday’s anagram: Luis Arraez. Since 2021, the Phillies second baseman has traveled with a portable batting setup, which he uses to practice his swing. That may help explain why Arraez has more hits than any player since 2022.
Photo of the day
Your moment of rooftop zen. With the weather holding its beautiful, highs-in-the-low-to-mid-80s streak for one more day, I’m taking inspiration from these loungers.
👋 That’s all for today! See you Wednesday.
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