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What We’re Hearing
“I hope the good Lord answers Democrats’ prayers and tells Mastriano to run. Regardless of the GOP opponent, I think Casey is well-positioned and should be considered the favorite.” – Rep. Brendan Boyle

Happy Birthday
Cake and candles for Rep. Brad Roae and Sen. Lisa Boscola.

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Top Story

1. Casey Takes Significant Steps Towards A Reelection Bid

“Senate Democrats are staring down a brutal electoral map in 2024 that puts them on defense in 23 states. But it appears virtually certain that at least one battle-tested senator is getting back in the saddle in a critical swing state: Bob Casey.

The Pennsylvania lawmaker has not yet announced whether he will seek a fourth term, but he has done everything short of that. Casey is quietly putting together a fully operating campaign-in-waiting. He is in deep discussions about who will serve as his national finance director and has settled on Tiernan Donohue to be his campaign manager. Donohue is an alum of Arizona Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly’s campaign and served as campaign manager for Pennsylvania Democrat Val Arkoosh’s unsuccessful bid for the Senate in 2022.” (POLITICO)

Related

Democrats Eyeing GOP Rep. Scott Perry’s Seat To Help Them Recapture U.S. House In 2024. “A central campaign arm for congressional Democratic candidates is targeting U.S. Rep. Scott Perry and another Pennsylvania Republican in next year’s House races.” (PennLive)

Conservatives Plan To Amend The Constitution. Why It’s Not As Far-Fetched As You Think. “The first time Rick Santorum researched the Convention of States movement, he felt like an atheist reading the Bible.” (PhillyBurbs.com)

Clarence Thomas And The Billionaire. “For more than two decades, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has accepted luxury trips virtually every year from the Dallas businessman Harlan Crow without disclosing them, documents and interviews show. The extent and frequency of Crow’s apparent gifts to Thomas have no known precedent in the modern history of the U.S. Supreme Court.” (ProPublica)

Ashley Ehasz Is Running For Congress Again, Setting Up A 2024 Rematch With Brian Fitzpatrick. “Less than six months after losing her election, Ashley Ehasz is gearing up for a rematch in Bucks County.” (Inquirer)

Harrisburg

2. Shapiro Stumps For More Funding For Safer Communities

Continuing his barnstorming tour, Gov. Josh Shapiro stopped in Lancaster on Wednesday to share his plans to create safer communities by investing $36 million for firefighters and EMS providers and another $50 million for county 9-1-1 systems.

“Every Pennsylvanian deserves to be safe and feel safe in their community, and creating safer communities across the Commonwealth starts by investing in the first responders and law enforcement personnel who always have our backs – which is a top priority for my Administration,” said Shapiro.

Related

Poll Results Show 3 In 4 Favor Move To Open Primaries. “In our unscientific readers poll, nearly three in four respondents believe that Pennsylvania should adopt an open primary system to elect nominees for office in a general election.” (PoliticsPA)

Stars Align For Agriculture In PA Politics. “Pennsylvania is stocked with an experienced and ag-friendly slate of elected officials, raising the possibility that the state could address long-standing farmer concerns.” (Lancaster Farming)

Budget Talks Halftime: Spend Money To Make Money. “Halfway through the state’s annual budget talks, the governor’s administration appears unified around a single strategy: spend money to make money.” (The Center Square)

Aument Assembles Commission To Overhaul ‘Broken’ Education System. “Kindergarten through 12th grade education in Pennsylvania may see a significant overhaul if state Sen. Ryan Aument’s recently assembled commission on education is successful in creating a reform plan.” (LNP)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Capitol Rioter Reflects On Being ‘Brainwashed’ By Trump

photo by Amanda Hrycyna

“Two years ago, Annie Howell was such an ardent supporter of then-President Donald Trump that when his reelection began slipping from his grasp she climbed through a broken window at the U.S. Capitol and recorded a video in a trashed conference room shouting, “Whose house? Our house!”” (Times-Tribune)

Related

‘Game-Changing’ Tool To Fight Gun Violence Unveiled By Officials. “District attorneys from Montgomery, Chester, Delaware and Bucks counties announced the acquisition of technology they maintain will be a “game-changer” in solving gun crimes.” (Times Herald)

Commissioner Charged After Greene Candidates Cry Foul Over Ballot Placement. “Greene County Commissioner Mike Belding and county attorney Robert Eugene Grimm have been charged with multiple misdemeanors over how the county’s Board of Elections handled the ballot placement selection for candidates in the upcoming primary election.” (Observer-Reporter)

Eight Contenders Run For Montgomery County Commissioner In May. “Three Republicans and five Democrats will be on the primary election ballot on May 16, seeking two slots for each party for the November race to fill the three-seat Montgomery County Commissioners Board.” (Delaware Valley Journal)

Philly Mayor’s Race: Domb, Gym With Deep Pockets Entering April. “The Q1 campaign finance reports are in for the City of Philadelphia mayoral race and two candidates appear to have deeper pockets at this juncture than the others.” (PoliticsPA)

Anonymous ‘Dark Money’ Donors Are Spending Millions In Philly Mayor’s Race To Support Jeff Brown. “A super PAC that has spent $2.8 million trying to get Jeff Brown elected mayor of Philadelphia has injected mystery into this year’s Democratic primary, with most of its funding coming from undisclosed “dark money” donors.” (Inquirer)

Philly’s Powerful Electricians Union Has Endorsed Parker For Mayor. “Philadelphia’s politically powerful electricians union has endorsed former City Councilmember Cherelle Parker for mayor, pulling one of the biggest spenders in Pennsylvania politics off the sidelines as the crowded race for the Democratic primary enters the homestretch.” (Inquirer)

Gym’s First TV Ad Is About Public Safety And Her Record On City Council. “Mayoral candidate Helen Gym pledges to issue a state of emergency to address crime and fix Philadelphia’s 911 system in her campaign’s first television commercial, set to start airing this week.” (Inquirer)

Paper Ballots Are Back For Spring Primary In Luzerne County. “The primary election is a little more than a month away, and when voters in Luzerne County go to the polls on May 16, they will vote using paper ballots, all in hopes of avoiding another election day debacle.” (WNEP)

Editorial

4. What They’re Saying

A glance around the Keystone State at editorials and opinions.

• Rep. Scott Perry Needs To Stop Playing Politics With Our Livelihood. This Is Why. (Laura Packard)
• Dems Are Determined To Stop Voter ID Even If It Comes At The Expense Of Their Top Legislative Goal. (Nathan Benefield)
• As Religion, Patriotism and Tolerance Decline, Think Public Policy Gets Better? (John Baer)
• When You Stand Up For A Teacher Or A Librarian, You’re Standing Up For Democracy. (Jill Sunday Bartoli)
• Hyper-Individualism Is Source Of Gun Problem. (Michael Leppert)
• Shapiro And PA’s Divided Legislature Can Work Together To Reduce Energy Costs. (Stephen Bloom)
• America First Is Making U.S. Farmers Fall Behind. (Adam Minter)

1 Thing

5. Hot Dogs Benched For Opening Day In Pittsburgh

Baseball and hot dogs go together like peanuts and Cracker Jack — except when it comes to Good Friday.

Catholics attending the Pirates’ home opener on Friday — one of the holiest days of the year for Catholics — still must abstain from eating meat, according to the Pittsburgh Diocese. Good Friday is the day Catholics observe the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. (Tribune-Review)

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