Written in the stars: What astrology can tell us about 2026 races

With the new year almost upon us, City & State touched base with our go-to astrologer, Astrology Zone’s Susan Miller, to see what the stars have in store for the commonwealth in 2026.

With the midterms and a closely watched gubernatorial election set for November, Miller, the founder of AstrologyZone.com and author of 14 astrological tomes, looked through the birth charts of several high-profile Pennsylvania politicos to provide us with some cosmological context about the year ahead.

While there’s room for the current field to change, in the 2026 Pennsylvania gubernatorial race, Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Gemini, is expected to face off against Treasurer Stacy Garrity, a Republican and Taurus who has earned the endorsement of the Pennsylvania Republican Party. Additionally, Miller reviewed the chart of U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, who has carved out a maverick-like role, willing to buck his own party.

Miller has consistently cautioned that astrology alone doesn’t shape outcomes. “Astrology is not destiny,” she told City & State last year. But it can offer a window into a person’s – or in this case, candidate’s – traits and circumstances. 

Below, Miller speaks with City & State about the candidates, their charts and their chances in 2026. 

The following conversation has been edited and condensed for length and clarity. 

What can you tell us about Gov. Josh Shapiro’s chart?

He has Saturn conjunct the Sun. He is a magnet for responsibility. I understand why he entered politics. He has the Moon in Aquarius. They want to make the world a better place, and he has it in the house of government in the ninth house, and it's right next to Jupiter. So the public really likes him.

He's got Gemini rising, and he has Saturn and the Sun in Gemini. This is why he's so articulate. He could be inspiring in the way that the late governor of New York, Mario Cuomo, was. 

He's also born with a golden triangle … these golden triangles are so nice. He's got the Sun and Saturn on one point of the triangle. Uranus, the planet of unexpected developments, in perfect harmony with the other two, because it's on the second point of the triangle. And the top point of the triangle is the moon in Aquarius and that's his public image. And Jupiter, the giver of luck, is so close to it. The public really does like him.

He has Mars in Pisces, in the 10th house. I have it there too, in the house of shame and honors. When you have Mars in Pisces, people misjudge your will, your determination, your aggression. It's very subtle, but it's there. He will go to the mat to make sure his reputation is good.

Jupiter is currently transiting his money house. Oh yeah, he's gonna get a big advance for a book – you don't make any money in government. He has until June of next year to get that advance.

Saturn has been in this house of career and reputation for two years, since March 2023, which means he was being tested. The test will be over Feb. 13 – and when you get through a Saturn test … Saturn always leaves a gift by the door as thanks for dealing with his challenges and tests. Saturn can be a hard drill sergeant. He's had to get used to a new level on the world stage, and he's graduating in February; in March comes the present. We need to watch the new moon in March for any development or good news for him.

What can you tell us about Treasurer Stacy Garrity’s chart?

She has four planets in Taurus. Taurus is one of the financial signs, so what she has in her favor is understanding how to build a budget and how to pay for things. That's definitely something in her favor.

Pluto's right on Midheaven. Oh my gosh. That's very good for a career. Pluto has just landed where the 12 is on the clock at the top of her chart. 

She does have a good chance. People will be impressed by her fiscal responsibility and focus. She is definitely not easily distracted. 

She would have made a good psychiatrist, too. She understands people's motivations, what makes them tick, what they'll probably do next. Strategy – she's good with that. She's quiet, whereas the other person, Shapiro, has a silver tongue. She's gonna have to step up on that and get better at it, because there's a part of her that's a little shy.

This is a person who just likes to work and do the job. They're both that way. They're both hard workers.

With all this Taurus – Taurus is very conservative. Tauruses usually go into insurance and, you know, Aries starts the business and then doesn't know what to do with it, so Taurus comes in with his little suitcase and says, “Don't worry, I'll give your business the four legs of a table, and stabilize it, and figure out payroll, and do a budget and an estimate” – that's Taurus. Taurus – they're builders, and that's her strong suit.

She has four planets in Taurus. When you have even three, we call that a stellium, a crown of stars that makes you prominent. This is going to be an interesting race because I think Shapiro can inspire people, and she will talk about money and about bringing order and stability to the government.

She's gonna be a formidable opponent. 

What can you tell us about Sen. John Fetterman’s chart?

We do a progress chart, and progress means where the person's mind is at this year in his life, where he's evolved to. He has Uranus conjunct the moon. It's getting closer. It's within four degrees, now, out of 365, so that makes him unpredictable. This is not part of his permanent personality, but it is right now. I think he wants to do the right thing, definitely.

He has definite opinions and beliefs, and that's what brought him into government. He's going to exercise that. He has so many planets close, all bunched together, which is only in the progress chart, not in the normal birth chart. That's giving him a lot of, like, “The Little Engine That Could” energy – it's giving him confidence. He’s saying it's now or never. He's really saying that to himself, like, “I have to go for it now, and I have to stand up for what I believe in. Even if the party gets mad at me, I have to do it.” I'm sure people respect him for that.

He is a late Leo, and late Leos, they're crawling through a straw right now. Uranus, the planet of all things unexpected, is in his house of health. He didn't see any of this coming, and it's an angry angle to Leo.

All the Leos born late … that last part of Leo, they're all feeling Uranus, because Uranus is in the last degrees of Taurus, and that's in what we call a square, meaning difficulties, challenges. And it's coming from the house of health. But Uranus moves in July, and he'll never have this again.