Good Wednesday Morning. Democrats won all three special House elections last night, giving them the majority for the first time since 2010

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What We’re Hearing
“This is an earthquake that will reverberate for the children of Pennsylvania.”

Happy Birthday
Cake and candles for U.S. Rep. John Joyce.
Belated wishes to Rep. Kevin Boyle.

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Top Story

1. Dems Sweep Special Elections; Move Into Majority in PA House

For the first time since 2010, there’s a new sheriff in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Democratic candidates won all three special elections for seats in Allegheny County to give the party an insurmountable 102-100 advantage in the chamber.

Joe McAndrew (HD-32), Abigail Salisbury (HD-34) and Matthew Gergely (HD-35) all posted substantial wins in the primarily Democratic districts around Pittsburgh. (PoliticsPA)

Related

Sweep in 3 Special Elections Give Democrats Control of PA House. “Democrats swept three special elections in solidly blue House districts in western Pennsylvania on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press, putting the party in the majority by a single seat and breaking a Republican legislative monopoly that has recently focused on election restrictions and anti-abortion bills.” (New York Times)

Democrats Win Control of PA House, End GOP Rule. “Democrats won control of the Pennsylvania House in special elections Tuesday, wresting partial power from Republicans for the first time in a dozen years in the competitive swing state.” (AP)

Reader Poll: Who Will Be Speaker of the House on February 28? Take part in our reader poll. Closes Thursday at midnight. (PoliticsPA)

• Democrats Sweep Special Elections, Affirming First PA House Majority In 12 Years. (Spotlight PA) 
• Democrats Sweep All 3 State House Special Elections, Party to Control Chamber. (Tribune-Review)
• PA Democrats Win 3 Special Elections – And Control of State House. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• McAndrew Captures 32nd District House Seat. (PoliticsPA)
• Salisbury Wins HD-34 Seat. (PoliticsPA)
• Gergely Heads to Harrisburg After Winning HD-35 Special Election. (PoliticsPA)

Harrisburg

2. State’s School Funding System Found Unconstitutional

“Pennsylvania schools don’t have the resources to adequately educate all students, and the gaps between the haves and have-nots render the system unconstitutional, a Commonwealth Court judge ruled Tuesday, delivering a long-awaited decision in a landmark case that could reshape education across the state.

The ruling, which comes nearly a year after the trial concluded, and close to a decade after the lawsuit was first filed by advocacy groups, several parents, and six school districts — including Delaware County’s William Penn — directs lawmakers and the governor’s office to ensure that Pennsylvania’s schools provide all students with an education that meets constitutional standards.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Related

Poorer Districts Win Challenge to PA Public School Funding. “A Pennsylvania judge ruled Tuesday that the state’s system of funding public schools falls woefully short and violates students’ constitutional rights, siding with poorer districts in a lawsuit launched nearly a decade ago in pursuit of billions of dollars in additional annual aid.” (AP)

Court Ruling Declares PA’s School Funding System Unconstitutional. “In her 786-page ruling in the lawsuit filed nine years ago, Judge Renee Cohn Jubelirer said she reached her decision “after careful thought and thorough deliberation of the law and the volumes of evidence presented” at the months’ long trial that centered around the state constitutional mandate that a “thorough and efficient system of public education” be maintained and supported and its equal protection clause.“(PennLive)

• ‘Our Kids Win Today.’ (Allentown Morning Call)

Around The Commonwealth

3. 48 PA Elected Officials Say U.S. Supreme Court Should Expand By Four

“In the wake of a series of U.S. Supreme Court rulings that have alarmed Democrats concerned about the justices’ rightward shift, dozens of elected officials in Pennsylvania have endorsed expanding the court in an effort to restore balance.” (Billy Penn)

Related

PA Voting Officials Are Still Fighting Election Deniers. “Pennsylvania is still grappling with the legacy of the 2020 election more than two years later. Recent contests in the swing state have become hotbeds for election deniers and misinformation.” (NPR)

Scott Perry Acknowledges Effort to Prevent DOJ Investigators From Accessing His Phone. “U.S. House Representative Scott Perry (R-10) acknowledged his effort to prevent DOJ investigators from access to materials on his phone earlier today in an interview.” (PoliticsPA)

First-Time Candidate Jeff Brown Got a $1.2M Education in Philly Politics Before Launching Mayoral Bid. “Philly Progress PAC, a political committee that Brown’s campaign manager says existed to edify Brown on issues of policy and politics, raised and spent more than $1.2 million in 2021 and 2022.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

PA Lawmaker Wants To Expand Solar Energy Options. “Sen. Rosemary Brown, R-East Stroudsburg, plans on introducing legislation that creates a pathway for low- and moderate-income residents to benefit from the cost savings of solar energy without requiring large investments or system installations on their property.” (The Center Square)

Who’s Running Upper Darby? The Answer Depends on Who You Ask. “In the days after Upper Darby Mayor Barbarann Keffer’s arrest for driving under the influence in late January, she issued an apology that also served as an announcement regarding who would temporarily carry out her duties.” (WHYY)

• Upper Darby Council President Says His Duty Is To Step In As Interim Mayor. (Delco Times)

Editorial

4. What They’re Saying

A glance around the Keystone State at editorials and opinions.

• More Vindication For Voter ID. (Wall Street Journal)
• Capitalism Saving The Earth? GOP Won’t Allow It. (Will Bunch, Philadelphia Inquirer)
• A Bureaucratic Reform Could Transform PA Government. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• Experience Is Education. PA Is Right to Recognize It and Elevate It. (Heather MacDonald, PA Capital-Star)
• Dog, Pony Show Already Costs $1M-Plus. (Times-Tribune)
• Gov. Shapiro’s Plan to Make Government Accountable Is a Model For Others. (Paul Muschick, Morning Call)

1 Thing

5. Staying In Style

Here are the best 10 hotels in Pennsylvania, according to U.S. News. The publication ranks the best hotels in Pennsylvania based on an analysis of industry awards, hotel star ratings and user ratings.

1. Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia
2. The Lodge at Woodloch (Hawley)
3. The Hotel Hershey
4. The Rittenhouse (Philadelphia)
5. Nemacolin (Farmington)
6. Omni Bedford Springs
7. Kimpton Hotel Monaco Pittsburgh
8. Falling Rock at Nemacolin (Farmington)
9. Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia
10. The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia

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