The Latest Breaking News from Malcolm Kenyatta

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The empty podium at stage right took a lot of hits on Sunday.

Democratic Senate candidates from both ends of Pennsylvania accused the front-runner, Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman, of flip-flopping on energy issues in the first televised debate in one of the nation’s most-watched campaigns of the year.

Welcome to The Heart of the Primaries, Democratic Edition

PHILADELPHIA — Democrats running for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania spend a lot of time talking about why they're the candidate who can win the state in a general election. They also tout such policy priorities as voting rights and helping working families. But there's significantly less discussion of policy differences.

PHILADELPHIA — Malcolm Kenyatta asks a version of the same question in almost every campaign speech: "Do you want someone who says, 'Vote for me because you have no choice'? Or, 'Vote for me because I understand your life'?"

PHILADELPHIA — Since entering the Democratic Senate primary in Pennsylvania, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman has consistently enjoyed a huge leg up in fund-raising. He's already known for his online small-dollar money machine, a Pennsylvania-size version of the repeat donor model pioneered by the likes of Bernie Sanders.

PHILADELPHIA — Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh, a physician and the lone woman in the top tier of Pennsylvania's Democratic Senate primary candidates, is dropping out of the race.