Axios Philadelphia

May 20, 2026
πͺ Hi there, Wednesday!
π₯ Another hot one. Cloudy with a high around 95. Showers likely in the afternoon with possible thunderstorms.
π Situational awareness: We're still under a heat advisory until 8pm tonight, per NWS.
Today's newsletter is 1,096 words, a 4-minute read.
1 big thing: π£ Philly progressives prevail
Pennsylvania Rep. Chris Rabb won the Democratic primary for the state's 3rd Congressional District yesterday, the AP reports.
Why it matters: His victory notches a major win for Philly progressives in a competitive contest that's drawn national attention as a battle for the future of the Democratic Party.
State of play: Rabb led with 44.3% of the vote as of this morning, per unofficial election results.
- In the deep-blue district that stretches from South to Northwest Philly, Rabb's victory is all but assured in the November election.
- Republicans likely won't have a candidate on their November ticket because no candidate ran in the party's primary.
The big picture: The race for the seat held by retiring U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans is part of the larger generational shift occurring across the Democratic Party.
- Evans, who is 70, is retiring when his term ends later this year after entering Congress in 2016.
Zoom in: Rabb got a boost in the waning weeks of the campaign with an endorsement from New York's left-wing U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
- As state representative for Philly's 200th District for five terms, Rabb has been a vocal progressive, introducing legislation from reparations for slavery and police reforms to supporting recreational cannabis.
The intrigue: Rabb's victory could prove a headache for Gov. Josh Shapiro.
- Rabb has publicly pressured Shapiro to take a tougher stance against federal immigration enforcement.
- In 2022, Rabb raised eyebrows when he flirted with challenging Shapiro in that year's gubernatorial primary. Rabb ultimately didn't run.
Context: Shapiro, who's up for reelection, didn't make an endorsement for the seat.
- Yes, but: He privately weighed in on the race, disapproving of Rabb and taking steps to derail his candidacy, Axios' Holly Otterbein reported.
What we're watching: Whether the Democratic Party establishment β including Shapiro β rallies around Rabb ahead of the November election.
2. β Primary results: Top races
Tuesday's primary made it official: Gov. Josh Shapiro will take on state Treasurer Stacy Garrity in the November gubernatorial election.
Why it matters: Shapiro faces a major test for reelection this year that could sink or boost any potential presidential ambitions in 2028.
The big picture: The primary featured a handful of notable races statewide and in the Philly region, including those for lieutenant governor, and state House and Senate.
- There were also two ballot questions, which Philadelphians backed by a wide margin, per unofficial election results. They will create:
- A retirement savings program for eligible private-sector workers; and
- An office to oversee services for children placed in juvenile justice, child welfare and behavioral health residential care facilities.
By the numbers: Turnout in Philly was just under 21% with 99% of divisions reporting as of Wednesday morning.
Here's where other races stand, per the AP and unofficial state results.
- The green check mark (β ) indicates candidates candidate won their primary.
Statewide
π Governor
π΅ Democrats:
- β Shapiro (incumbent): Won uncontested
π΄ Republicans
- β Garrity: Won uncontested
π Lieutenant Governor
π΅ Democrats:
- β Austin Davis (incumbent): Won uncontested
π΄ Republicans
- John Ventre: 34.8%
- β Jason Richey: 65.6%
Philly region
π State Senate District 4
π΅ Democrats:
- Art Haywood (incumbent): 80.9%
- Mike Cogbill: 18.9%
π΄ Republicans
- β Todd Johnson: Won uncontested
π State Senate District 8
π΅ Democrats:
- Anthony Hardy Williams (incumbent): 87.9%
- David Goldsmith Jr.: 11.6%
π΄ Republicans:
- No candidates
π State House District 192
π΅ Democrats:
- Morgan Cephas (incumbent): 86.4%
- D'Angelo Virgo: 13.3%
π΄ Republicans
- β Tiffany Vann Brown: Won uncontested
3. News Market: FIFA "legacy" payout
π° Philly is still waiting for its $1 million "legacy" payout from FIFA for hosting last year's Club World Cup.
- The soccer governing body had pledged to pay $11 million in total to the host cities, but only an "undisclosed fraction" has been paid out to date. (Inquirer)
π The Philadelphia School District is phasing out a special education program that puts students who are significantly behind academically into separate classrooms.
- District officials say students enrolled in Intensive Learning Support will transition into general education classrooms while continuing to receive additional services throughout the school day. (Chalkbeat)
βοΈ Some court-appointed lawyers in Philly undermined their own clients' chances at freedom, per a joint investigation by ProPublica and The Inquirer.
- The outlets reviewed 50 overturned convictions and sentences and found lawyers frequently missed β or rejected β appeal arguments that later proved successful.
4. π¬ Lemon Hill braces for Fan Festival
Construction for the massive FIFA Fan Festival taking over Fairmount Park is slated to begin next week β and residents are split over whether the spectacle is worth the disruptions headed their way.
Why it matters: The sprawling festival is expected to draw up to 20,000 daily visitors for 39 days, alongside noise, traffic and parking restrictions.
Driving the news: More than 300 people attended a neighborhood public meeting on Monday, with some skeptical and others excited about the free FIFA watch party.
- City officials unveiled a plan to manage logistical headaches, which included adding public transit options and creating "geofenced" rideshare boundaries to ease congestion around Lemon Hill.
Zoom in: To encourage people to walk, bike or use public transportation to get to the festival, city officials are:
- Closing roads along Sedgley, Poplar and Lemon Hill drives between May 26 and July 19, plus certain lanes of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, starting on Memorial Day and lasting through Sept. 7
- Increasing buses running to the festival
- Setting up a temporary Indego bike hub near the festival with 100 docks
- Establishing a "geofenced" area for rideshares with designated pick-up and drop-off spots
- Ramping up police patrols around the festival, deploying officers on bikes and on foot to monitor crowds and enforce parking restrictions
5. 1 fun thing to go: π§Spray grounds activated!
π Hi, Mike here! Amid the region's first heat wave, the water has begun to flow at spray grounds in city parks.
Zoom in: I've spotted at least two splash pads that have been activated in recent days in the Northwest β at Wissahickon Neighbors Park in Roxborough and Houston Playground in Andorra.
- It's a welcome relief for kids and parents seeking to cool off as temps have soared into the 90s this week.
Zoom out: The Parker administration is aiming to turn on nearly all of the more than 100 spray grounds as of today, Parks and Recreation Department spokesperson Ra'Chelle Rogers tells Axios.
- The water features at Wharton Square Park in Point Breeze and Rivera Recreation Center in North Philly will remain closed for now due to mechanical issues.
π² Mike is stopping by Uptown Cyclery for some supplies to repair his 10-speed.
Have a good day!
Today's newsletter was edited by Alexa Mencia Orozco.
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