Jeffrey Yass’ political spending stretches coast to coast

May 12, 2026

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What does a ballot referendum in Alaska have to do with a gubernatorial election in Ohio? And what to do either have to do with Pennsylvania?

The answer is Jeffrey Yass. In today’s newsletter, we’re going to take a look at Yass’ political spending at the federal level, and here’s a spoiler alert: he’s spent a lot.

We’re also going to discuss what energy alternatives Democrats in the Pennsylvania legislature are pursuing as the Iran War continues to drag on and energy costs continue to rise.

Sean Kitchen

Political Correspondent, The Keystone

(Sean Kitchen / The Keystone)

As President Donald Trump’s war in Iran is nearing its third month and prices continue to rise, Democrats in the Pennsylvania House and Senate are looking at expanding solar power to alleviate the costs.

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget includes $25 million for the Solar for Schools program, which was created in July 2024 and helps fund solar installations on or near school buildings around the commonwealth. Democrats are also looking to pass “Solar for Warehouses,” a program to convert empty warehouse roofs into solar arrays.

Pennsylvania has over 16,000 warehouses that cover 516 million square feet, and advocates believe that could help power over 800,000 homes.

“One aspect of [the Iran War] that we’re seeing is how dependent all of our systems are on fossil fuels, and we hear a lot of talk about energy independence on both sides of the aisle,” State Sen. Nikil Saval (D-Philadelphia) said in an interview.

Pennsylvania billionaire Jeffrey Yass is the third highest billionaire spender in this year’s midterm elections, according to a recent report.

Yass, whose net worth clocks in at over $84 billion, has spent over $82 million in the 2026 elections, placing him behind only Democratic donor George Soros and Elon Musk, the owner of X.

Some of that money is supporting Vivek Ramaswamy’s bid to become the next governor of Ohio and to help repeal ranked choice voting and dark money reporting requirements in Alaska.

“Building on strategies developed and tested in Pennsylvania, Yass is extending his reach and spending millions states like Ohio, West Virginia, Texas, and more – indicating an accelerating national effort that we expect to see grow in scale as we get deeper into the 2026 midterm cycle,” Aly Shaw, a research assistant with LittleSis, said in a statement.

READ more about Yass’ spending here

With gas and food costs soaring thanks to the war in Iran, advocates look at how wind and solar can lower your bills, per The Keystone’s Jessica Simmons.
Where does Pennsylvania rank in per pupil education spending? USA Today examines where the commonwealth ranks among its peers.
A Republican-funded super PAC, Lean Left, is throwing over $500,000 behind attack ads and mailers going after Bob Brooks and Ryan Crosswell, while promoting Lamont McClure ahead of the Democratic primary in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District, per Lehigh Valley Live.

(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Even though there aren’t any competitive races at the top of the ticket this year, we’re one week away from an exciting primary election here in Pennsylvania.

Democrats have competitive races in some congressional primaries across the state and voters will be tasked with selecting their candidates for state house and senate seats across the commonwealth.

One race that everyone is keeping an eye on is for Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District, where Democrats will be voting for US House Rep. Dwight Evans’ (D-Philadelphia) replacement as Evans is stepping aside at the end of this term.

CLICK here to watch Boyle’s remarks on rising gas prices