🌄 Friday, Friday. To those who celebrate, Happy Easter. 

PA Weather
Erie | Sunny, 38
Mercersburg | Mostly Cloudy, 58
Wilkes-Barre | Increasing Clouds, 55

PA Sports
Phillies (1-5) | FRI-SAT-SUN vs. Cincinnati
Pirates (4-2) | FRI-SAT-SUN vs. White Sox
76ers (52-28) | Miami 101-129 | FRI vs. Atlanta
Flyers (29-36-13) | Dallas 1-4 | SAT vs. NY Islanders
Penguins (39-30-10) | Minnesota 4-1 | SAT vs. Detroit

What We’re Hearing
“That two Black men were expelled for standing up against the murder of children – but not their white counterpart – says it all.” – Rep. Summer Lee

Happy Birthday
Cake and candles for U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler and former Rep. Robert Brady.

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Top Story

1. The Stubborn Sexism Of American Politics

“Sending threatening text messages to a female colleague. Making fun of another woman by mimicking her on the air. Asking a co-anchor if, perhaps, she was having trouble remembering a statistic in the newscast because she had “mommy brain.”

Don Lemon is far from the first male pundit, however, to lob misogynist insults at women who have the audacity to run for office. Whether it’s cracks about their clothes, face, body, or even parenting, sexist comments are pretty much a rite of passage for any woman in American politics today.” (VOX)

Related

Abortion, Trump and Swing Voters. “Democrats are happily watching from the sidelines as the Republican Party continues to be defined by two issues that turn off swing voters: Donald Trump and abortion.” (Cook Political Report)

U.S. Looks To Bar Full Ban On Trans Athletes But Allow Exceptions. “Schools and colleges across the U.S. would be forbidden from enacting outright bans on transgender athletes under a proposal released Thursday from the Biden administration, but teams could create some limits in certain cases — for example, to ensure fairness.” (AP)

• Supreme Court Declines To Intervene To Enforce West Virginia Transgender Athlete Ban. (The Hill)
• Title IX Changes Seek To ‘Minimize Harm’ To Transgender Athletes. (Roll Call)

Tennessee Expels Lawmakers For ‘Disorderly’ Floor Behavior. Could It Happen In PA? It Has. “In the Pennsylvania legislature’s 341-year history, more than a dozen lawmakers have been expelled for offenses ranging from “contemptible language” to federal crimes.” (PennLive)

State

2. Poll: Shapiro Viewed Favorably After Early Months On Job

Fifty-six percent of respondents view Gov. Josh Shapiro in a favorable light in a new poll from The Commonwealth Foundation.

The group released its first “The Common Ground in the Commonwealth Poll,” conducted March 24-29, designed as a series of quarterly surveys taking the pulse of voters on the “state of the state” and tracking insights, opinions, and attitudes on key issues facing Pennsylvanians. (PoliticsPA)

Related

Who Are The Most Popular/Unpopular State Officials In PA? New Poll Breaks It Down. “One of Pennsylvania’s newest top officials may also be its most well respected.” (PhillyBurbs.com)

Survey: Despite Economic Pessimism, Hope Abounds. “The first of a new series of quarterly surveys found that Pennsylvanians think the state has “gotten off on the wrong track.”” (The Center Square)

PA Reps. Wild, Meuser Partner On Bill Aiding Rural Hospitals. “A bill backed by two members of Pennsylvania’s U.S. House delegation would send badly needed assistance to rural teaching hospitals in the commonwealth and beyond, helping to ensure those institutions are there to train the next generation of medical professionals.” (Pennsylvania Capital-Star)

PA Pair On CODEL Trip To Taiwan. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul is leading an eight-person delegation to Taiwan that includes Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-14) and Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-04). The group plans to meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen once she travels back to the island from her trip to the U.S. (POLITICO)

Perry Touts House Freedom Caucus Agenda On Federal Debt Ceiling And House Rules. “U.S. Rep. Scott Perry used an appearance before the Carlisle Rotary Club Thursday to explain the House Freedom Caucus’s effort to use looming Congressional action on the national debt ceiling to make a play for what it considers better budgeting in Washington.” (PennLive)

PA-01: Ehasz Running For Congress Again. “Democrat Ashley Ehasz, who ran an unsuccessful campaign against Republican Brian Fitzpatrick in 2022, is preparing for another shot at the 1st Congressional District seat in Bucks County.” (PoliticsPA)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Running For Office Under Indictment? New For Trump And The Nation, But Not So For Philly

“Our fair city’s long list of politicians who have been convicted for corrupt schemes includes at least eight who sought reelection with a verdict either looming or already decided. Four won and four lost.” (Inquirer)

Related

Big Money Is Flooding Into The Philly Mayor’s Election. “Big money is flooding Philadelphia’s mayoral race. And it’s coming from a small number of people with deep pockets.” (Inquirer) 

Why Ethics Matter In The Mayor’s Race. “Jeff Brown may be under investigation by the Ethics Board. Others have their issues. Which candidate represents the cleanest, least purely transactional style of governing?” (Philadelphia Citizen)

Philly Mayoral Candidate Helen Gym’s Education Plan Includes A $10.5B ‘Green New Deal’ For Schools. “Philadelphia mayoral candidate Helen Gym on Thursday unveiled an education proposal that includes guaranteed jobs for teenagers, free SEPTA passes for all city students, and a $10 billion plan to modernize school buildings.” (Inquirer)

Ups and Downs. “It’s been a busier than usual holiday week in the Commonwealth, as Passover began at sundown on Wednesday night and Easter dawns on Sunday morning. Baseball season in the state sees home openers at The Bank and PNC Park on Friday, while for many, golf season begins in earnest with the playing of the Masters. So we’ll get an early start on the weekend with our Ups and Downs.” (PoliticsPA)

As Allegheny County DA Primary Heats Up, Attack Ads Begin. “And spring, my friends, is here. Thanks to our district attorney’s race, we’ve seen the first negative advertising in any local race that I’m aware of — and the early sprinkle of what could be an April shower of money from George Soros, a super-funder of progressive causes.” (WESA)

‘Judge Us On Our Actions’: Gainey Touts Efforts To Make Downtown Cleaner and Safer. “Mayor Ed Gainey touted his administration’s efforts to make Downtown safer and cleaner Thursday, even as he conceded that more work needed to be done to combat concerns about crime, homelessness, drug dealing and unruly behavior.” (Post-Gazette)

Marino Remains On Ballot For DA After State Court Quashes Appeal. “Commonwealth Court has dismissed as untimely the appeal of the ruling that allowed former U.S. Rep. Thomas H. Marino to remain a Republican candidate for district attorney in Lycoming County.” (PennLive)

Cambria County GOP Backs Hunt, Rager For Commissioner In Rare Primary Endorsements. “In a sudden shift, the Cambria County Republican Committee is weighing in on the 2023 primary elections, endorsing two of the four candidates on the GOP ticket for Cambria County commissioner.” (Tribune-Democrat)

Editorial

4. What They’re Saying

A glance around the Keystone State at editorials and opinions.

• Parental Rights Must Be Fortified In PA. (Sen. Doug Mastriano)
• After Nashville Shooting, We Need To Rethink Our Strategy For Changing Gun Safety Laws. (Ed Rendell)
• Clarence Thomas’ Luxury Life Shows That Congress Must Tighten Conduct Rules For Justices. (Post-Gazette)
• How Nuclear Power Saved Christmas. (Rep. Tom Mehaffie)
• Lift Shade On Community Solar Power. (Times-Tribune)
• Answer A Must In Swatting Crisis. (Tribune-Democrat)
• The GOP’s Abortion Flop. (Kimberley A. Strassel)
• The Abortion Ban Backlash Is Starting To Freak Out Republicans. (Michelle Goldberg) 
• Don’t Let The Zabel Scandal Get Swept Under The Rug. (Olivia DeMarco)
• 1 Thing

1 Thing

5. Get Your Easter Candy Fix On

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups reign supreme in Pennsylvania Easter candy baskets.
That’s according to Instacart, which crunched customer data to find the top selling candies in each state.

The big picture: Across the country, Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs, Kinder toy-filled chocolate eggs and Starburst Easter Jellybeans were the top three selling candies in the first half of April 2022, per Instacart.

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