Allan Smith

Josh Shapiro to unveil plan for managing the data center boom in Pennsylvania The Democratic governor and potential presidential candidate is among those wading into new AI-adjacent political issues confronting both parties.

“We’ve seen how much interest there is in Pennsylvania from developers,” a senior Shapiro aide said of what’s driving his proposal. “And I think you’ve also seen folks in local communities be skeptical, to say the least, especially in northeast PA.”

www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

Josh Shapiro to unveil plan for managing the data center boom in Pennsylvania The Democratic governor and potential presidential candidate is among those wading into new AI-adjacent political issues confronting both parties.

Shapiro has encouraged the rapid proliferation of data centers in his state.

A senior aide says the governor has noticed the pushback to the developments at the grassroots level, though

www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

Josh Shapiro to unveil plan for managing the data center boom in Pennsylvania The Democratic governor and potential presidential candidate is among those wading into new AI-adjacent political issues confronting both parties.

A potential 2028 contender, Shapiro is planting a flag on a key AI issue as leaders on both sides find their footing

“I know Pennsylvanians have real concerns about these data centers ...” Shapiro will say, per his prepared remarks. “And so do I.”

www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

Josh Shapiro to unveil plan for managing the data center boom in Pennsylvania The Democratic governor and potential presidential candidate is among those wading into new AI-adjacent political issues confronting both parties.

Scoop: Josh Shapiro to unveil a set of principles for the data center boom in PA during his budget address today

Will say developers must pay for their own power, hire locally, and meet transparency + water-conservation standards to qualify for benefits

www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

Josh Shapiro grapples with Pennsylvania's divided government ahead of a possible 2028 bid The Pennsylvania governor is just now emerging from a contentious four-month budget impasse that tested his ability to “get stuff done” in the pivotal battleground.

New: Josh Shapiro grapples with one big factor separating him from other possible 2028 Dems: A divided state Legislature that necessitates tricky compromises

“He’s right, it’s very hard,” a PA Dem said. "It’s certainly different than a Wes Moore or a [Gavin] Newsom"

www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

The fight for young men intensifies ahead of the 2026 midterm elections Democrats believe they're making progress after Trump's gains with young men helped him win in 2024. Republicans say they're focused on ensuring those inconsistent voters turn out.

New: The battle for young men has been a defining political fight of 2025. And it is intensifying.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

DOJ weighs novel federal hate crimes case against Charlie Kirk's alleged killer The effort to bring federal charges has been met with resistance by some career prosecutors who argue the crime doesn’t appear to fall under any federal statutes.

SCOOP: Trump DOJ weighs novel hate crimes charge against Charlie Kirk's assassin, which could require them to equate Christianity with anti-trans views. A theoretical federal case could impact what looks like a slam dunk state case.

With @allansmith.bsky.social:

www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...

DOJ weighs novel federal hate crime case against Charlie Kirk's alleged killer The effort to bring federal charges has been met with resistance by some career prosecutors who argue the crime doesn’t appear to fall under any federal statutes.

New: DOJ weighs a novel hate crimes case against Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer

“They are trying to shove a square peg into a round hole,” said a person familiar w/ the probe

Meanwhile, a change was just made atop the Utah US Attorney’s office

W/ @ryanjreilly.com

www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...

'I love an underdog': Trump-Zohran Mamdani voters are at the center of an unexpected relationship NBC News exit polling from the November vote found that about 1 in 10 Trump voters who showed up to the polls backed Mamdani.

Separately, asked Mamdani about the memes that followed Trump walking the White House grounds wearing a red scarf and black overcoat after their meeting

"We did not discuss style," Mamdani said. "We kept our conversation to cost of living, by and large."

www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

'I love an underdog': Trump-Zohran Mamdani voters are at the center of an unexpected relationship NBC News exit polling from the November vote found that about 1 in 10 Trump voters who showed up to the polls backed Mamdani.

New: Trump/Mamdani voters are at the center of a surprise relationship between the president & new mayor

Mamdani brought up exit polling w/ Trump showing how many had supported both in NYC. Voters who backed both told me they're not "joking or trolling."

www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

AI becomes a political wedge issue, creating odd bedfellows across parties MAGA media personality Steve Bannon described the fight on the right as one between populists and "broligarchs" in the tech industry.

New: AI is becoming a wedge issue within both parties

As the tech rapidly advances while the Trump admin favors few guardrails, the issue may define 26 + 28

DeSantis, AOC, Newsom, Shapiro, Vance + more pave lanes

w/ @henryjgomez.bsky.social @jonallendc.bsky.social

www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

Passan's MLB offseason preview: Every signing or trade we could see this winter From the big-name signing to the could-be trade, Jeff Passan breaks down the winter to come.

"And yet the Pirates were primed to spend more than twice that on Josh Naylor before he re-upped with Seattle for five years and $92.5 million ... and they're considering other possibilities to supplement Paul Skenes"

www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/...

Affordability worries and GOP infighting hover over the early race to succeed Trump As 2028 talk heats up, Vice President JD Vance, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and others are navigating the aftermath of Republican losses in last week’s elections.

President Donald Trump has 38 months left in office and — as his occasional pining about an unconstitutional third term attests — is loath to be a lame duck anytime soon.

But the quacking from others has begun.

w/ @allansmith.bsky.social www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

Trump defends his MAGA bona fides amid backlash from his base After GOP election losses and an interview with Fox News, some of Trump's supporters have expressed concerns that the president's priorities aren't aligned enough with his base.

NEW: Trump defends his MAGA bona fides as right-wing base criticizes him on the economy, China and H-1B visas

“America First is experiencing a hijacking right now," said Paul Dans. "[Trump’s] getting bad advice & is being kept in a bubble.”

w/ Matt Dixon

www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

Jack Schlossberg, member of Kennedy political dynasty, is running for Congress The 32-year-old said he will run as a Democrat for the New York City seat of U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler, who announced he's retiring.

Next 30-something candidate in New York City just announced

www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...

The new batch of Epstein emails comes as Trump is already facing headwinds from MAGA over a host of other policy moves

www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

Inside the rift that could define the future of Pennsylvania politics A dispute between Sen. John Fetterman and Gov. Josh Shapiro spilled into the open during Kamala Harris' VP search. It could roil state and Democratic politics for years.

However, Fetterman says in his book he "sincerely" wishes Shapiro "the best"

"He is a credit to the state and may one day be a credit to the country. I remember fondly the days when we were nobodies trying to climb the ladder. Even if we no longer speak"

www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

Inside the rift that could define the future of Pennsylvania politics A dispute between Sen. John Fetterman and Gov. Josh Shapiro spilled into the open during Kamala Harris' VP search. It could roil state and Democratic politics for years.

John Fetterman details in his new book his falling out with Gov. Josh Shapiro, pointing to disagreements on the pardon board and saying the governor is driven by "political ambition."

As I reported last year, there's more to the story

www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

Affordability worries and GOP infighting hover over the early race to succeed Trump As 2028 talk heats up, Vice President JD Vance, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and others are navigating the aftermath of Republican losses in last week’s elections.

NEW: Affordability + infighting mark the early race to succeed Trump & define the right

“I think urgency in the WH is just starting to set in,” Steve Bannon told me of the challenges facing the GOP. “Less so sure it’s fully set in”

w/
@henryjgomez.bsky.social

www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

To influence Trump on Colombia, Sen. Bernie Moreno brought a fake image of the country's president The president of Colombia recalled his ambassador from the U.S. when the image was spotted a White House photo, intensifying a growing rift between the two countries.

NEW: Sen. Bernie Moreno hoped to influence Trump on Colombia policy at a WH lunch

So he brought a policy memo. It included a fake image of Petro in an orange jumpsuit

Now, the image is making waves in Colombia. And the Trump admin moved forward w/ key suggestions

www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

Graham Platner says he's no John Fetterman. But he gets the concerns. The Democratic Senate candidate said he understands why some may compare him to the Pennsylvania senator, but he told NBC News he's different — and wants to earn voters' trust.

Graham Platner insists he won't be like John Fetterman — but he gets the concern.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/202... by @allansmith.bsky.social @sahilkapur.bsky.social

Zohran Mamdani details how he'd combat Trump — and where they could work together The New York mayoral hopeful declined to express confidence in Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and talked about speeding up housing construction.

Today @allansmith.bsky.social interviewed Zohran Mamdani about Trump, Schumer, ICE, the World Cup — and then Mamdani asks Allan if he's single

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Zohran Mamdani details how he'd combat Trump — and where they could work together The New York mayoral hopeful declined to express confidence in Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and talked about speeding up housing construction.

New: I interviewed Zohran

— He explained how he would handle ICE raids
— Declined to express confidence in Schumer's leadership
— On hiring DSA members: "I will hire people no matter who they are members of"
— Asked about 'singles tax' + World Cup, too

www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

Inside Zohran Mamdani's private influencer briefing NBC News sat in as New York City's mayoral front-runner took questions from dozens of content creators, highlighting his media strategy and the shifting pressures of modern politics.

Question at Zohran Mamdani's influencer briefing “In your time as mayor, are you planning on providing bisexual girlfriends to everyone in New York City?”

Fun piece from @allansmith.bsky.social who attended: www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

Inside Zohran Mamdani's private influencer briefing NBC News sat in as New York City's mayoral front-runner took questions from dozens of content creators, highlighting his media strategy and the shifting pressures of modern politics.

Inside Zohran Mamdani's private influencer briefing

@allansmith.bsky.social: www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

The sleeper issue that could play a huge role in Virginia and New Jersey — and the midterms Data centers are spreading across the country and contributing to rising electricity bills. It’s becoming a political issue as lawmakers are still workshopping their response.

New: Data centers demand a ton of power. As electricity bills rise, their spread is becoming a political issue in VA/NJ w/ midterms on the horizon

“People are now looking at this, going, ‘What the hell is going on?’” GOP Virginia Sen. Richard Stuart said

www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

The New York City divide shaping its contentious mayoral race The newer voters are to the city, the likelier they are to support Zohran Mamdani. The split has shaped the race — and highlighted a potential strain on a Mamdani mayoralty.

New: NYC's mayoral race surfaces a divide bubbling for years: A split between NYC lifers and recent transplants

Bill de Blasio: “it is unprecedented in the last quarter century or so ... to have [young professionals] attached to one candidate so deeply"

www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

Pod man out: Trump's support among influential podcasters is waning Some of the podcasters who hosted Trump ahead of last year's election are breaking with him now on key issues like deportations and the war in Gaza.

"An all-star lineup of podcasters & YouTube impresarios has taken Trump to task in recent months on everything from immigration & Israel to free speech & Jeffrey Epstein. The list includes Joe Rogan, Theo Von, Andrew Schulz & Shawn Ryan ..."

www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

With a Democratic Party leadership vacuum, Obama steps up his criticism of Trump Obama's recent public comments came after private conversations with allies about whether he should speak out more, according to people familiar with the discussions.

"It is an intensification that Democrats welcome at a moment when they lack party leadership, even as some say his trademark caution is still getting the better of him."

via @natashakorecki.bsky.social @jonallendc.bsky.social and @carolelee.bsky.social

www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

U.S. companies shed 32,000 jobs in September in latest sign of labor market weakness ADP may be the only jobs data reported this week. The government shutdown means that the Bureau of Labor Statistics is closed and unable to publish the official government jobs report.

"U.S. companies shed 32,000 jobs in September, according to the payroll processing company ADP, a surprising decline that adds to growing concerns about the rapidly weakening labor market."

www.nbcnews.com/business/eco...