HARRISBURG — Less than three months after wrapping up a bruising 135-day state budget standoff and facing a welter of ongoing financial concerns, Gov. Josh Shapiro will go before lawmakers Tuesday to deliver his annual budget address.

The stakes for Mr. Shapiro this year appear higher than ever. Widely seen as a potential presidential candidate – he’s made repeated national television appearances in the past week and just had a book published – the governor prides himself on “getting stuff done.” But the last budget process was a nasty 40-week political slog that went more than four months past deadline.

The state saw headlines about furloughs, schools borrowing money and counties planning layoffs. Domestic violence groups struggled. Health departments debated which services to put on hold. Beyond that, Mr. Shapiro is seeking re-election this year. It’s a midterm election cycle that could have big ramifications in Pennsylvania. ... [snip] ...

About a year ago, on Feb. 4, Mr. Shapiro unveiled a 2025-26 proposal with $51.5 billion in spending. The ensuing 40 weeks of hearings, discussions, start-and-stop progress, and accusations blew through the June 30 deadline — stopping billions of dollars in state payments — and did not end until the signing of a $50.09 billion deal Nov. 12. ... [snip] ...

Polling shows the governor is popular in Pennsylvania. The same Quinnipiac survey of more than 1,500 Pennsylvania voters showed an approval rating of 60% for Mr. Shapiro, the highest number he had earned since the poll began tracking him. And a January poll from Bravo Group, a Harrisburg-based strategic communications firm, showed 57% of Pennsylvanians said they'd vote for him for governor if the election were held that day.