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What’s Happening
Former President Donald Trump will address NRA members as the keynote speaker at the NRA Presidential Forum at the Farm Show Arena at 6 p.m. in Harrisburg.

What We’re Hearing
“2024 is the opportunity for Republicans to truly break through and win if not a majority, then a large plurality of the Latino vote.” – Charlie Gerow

Happy Birthday
Cake and candles for Rep. Dan Miller (Fri.), Rep. Dan Meuser, Rep. David Rowe and Rep. Jack Rader (Sat.).

Political News? Yes, Please
The PoliticsPA Playbook gives you all today’s PA political headlines in an easy-to-read email format. All by 8 AM. And it’s free. Subscribe now.

Top Story

1. Trump Is Back, And It Feels Like Presidential Campaign Season In PA Again

“When former President Donald Trump jets into Harrisburg Friday, it kind of feels like the race for Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral college votes – the 5th-biggest batch in the nation – is on.

Technically, Trump’s visit to the Great American Outdoor Show at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex is not a campaign appearance; he’s being brought in Friday as a closing-weekend headliner to the show sponsored by the National Rifle Association.

But Trump’s day job these days is running for president so, if the shoe fits…” (PennLive)

Related

PA Ranks 6th In Trump Campaign Donations And Supporters Say They’re Happy To Pay His Legal Fees. “Pennsylvania donors gave $9.2 million to Trump’s campaign fundraising committees in the last three years. A smaller amount of nearly $520,000 from the state went to Trump-aligned PACs,” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

DNC Billboard In Harrisburg Will Feature Comment Trump Made After School Shooting. “Ahead of former President Trump’s Friday visit to Harrisburg to speak at the National Rifle Association’s annual gathering, the Democratic National Committee is putting up a billboard at the intersection of S. Second and Mulberry streets that includes some of the former president’s own words.” (Penn Capital-Star)

Reschenthaler Calls For Biden’s Resignation After Special Counsel’s Report. “The congressman’s comments followed the release of a 345-page report by Special Counsel Robert Hur on the classified documents improperly stored at Mr. Biden’s home.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

The Ominous News for Democrats in Pennsylvania’s ‘Latino Belt’. “In a state that’s poised to play a central role in the 2024 elections, there are growing signs that traditional voting habits are fraying.” (POLITICO)

Who Is On The Ballot In 2024? “As we close in on the final days of nomination petition signing season, here is a list of who has completed the task and is on the ballot for the 2024 primary on April 23.” (PoliticsPA)

State

2. Shapiro Seeks School-Funding Boost To Help Poorer Districts, But Republicans Remain Wary

“Gov. Josh Shapiro is taking the first step in what is shaping up to be a complicated, yearslong process to respond to a court decision that found that Pennsylvania’s system of public school funding violates the constitutional rights of students in the poorest districts.

A dominant feature of Shapiro’s budget plan released Tuesday seeks a $1.1 billion boost for public school operations and instruction. The 14% increase reflects recommendations produced last month by Shapiro appointees and Democratic lawmakers to fix the state’s system of school funding.” (AP)

Related

Ward Says Shapiro’s Numbers “Don’t Add Up” and “He’s Angling For Something Nationally.” “Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward was critical of Gov. Josh Shapiro‘s 2024-25 budget proposal during a conversation on the KDKA Radio Morning Show on Thursday.” (PoliticsPA)

The States Where Democrats Are Stuck. “The story is similar in Pennsylvania, where a resignation in December deprived state House Democrats of their majority. This happened repeatedly last year. Democrats won a single-seat majority back in 2022, but a death and a series of resignations have cost them that majority several times.” (Governing.com)

Will Gov. Shapiro’s Budding Plans To Legalize Marijuana In PA Get Skunked? “We are about to enter budget season in Harrisburg, with Republicans in control of the state Senate and Shapiro’s legislative ground game still untested. So all this could all go up in smoke.” (WESA Politics)

The Ghost Of Vince Fumo’s Political Career Has Entered Shapiro’s Lexicon. “As Gov. Josh Shapiro works to sell the ambitious, $48.3 billion budget proposal he unveiled this week, Clout wanted to dig into his administration’s mantra: Get S– Done.” (Philadelphia Inquirer Clout)

Legislature Ended 2023 Sitting On A Nearly $300 Million Surplus. “According to an audit released this week by a House-Senate panel, the legislative accounts grew by more than $37 million last year over the prior year’s balance of nearly $261.5 million.” (PennLive)

Whole-Home Repairs Program Resuscitated In Shapiro’s Pennsylvania Budget Proposal. “The program gives grants to low- and moderate-income homeowners for energy efficiency upgrades, like climate-friendly heat pumps and insulation, as well as basic home repairs.” (WHYY)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Identity Politics Dogs Patel Campaign For 12th District House Seat

“Bhavini Patel, an Edgewood Borough Council member, entered the race for District 12’s House seat in October, challenging Rep. Summer Lee in the Democratic primary. Since then, she says she has been targeted by some of Lee’s backers, in part because of her support for Israel.

The rhetoric and actions against her are amping up, she said, and may have contributed to the decision to cancel her appearance at an event at the University of Pittsburgh.” (Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle)

Related

How The ‘Squad’ Is Fighting Back Against Pro-Israel PACs With Record Fundraising. “They were warned that criticism of Israel’s conduct during its war on Hamas in Gaza could cost them politically. But in the four months since Israel’s blistering offensive was ignited by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, progressives in Congress who have called for a cease-fire are seeing record fundraising dollars as they fight to remain in office.” (AP)

PA Could Wipe Out Up To $400M In Medical Debt Under Proposal From Gov. Josh Shapiro. “The Democrat’s pitch calls for $4 million in taxpayer money to be used to buy up obligations accrued by people who couldn’t afford necessary care such as MRIs and ambulance trips, and to forgive those unpaid bills.” (Spotlight PA)

Lawsuit Filed Against All 67 Counties Requesting That Mail-In Absentee Ballots Be Returned To Local Precincts To Be Counted. “The lawsuit, initiated by State Representatives David Zimmerman and Kathy Rapp, requests that all absentee votes be delivered to and canvassed at the local polling place or precinct of each absentee voter, protocol outlined in Article 7 Section 14 of the Pennsylvania Constitution.” (WaynePikeNews)

PRT Observers, Officials Say Additional State Funds Should Be Used To Maintain System. “When Gov. Josh Shapiro unveiled his proposed budget for Pennsylvania earlier this week, Pittsburgh Regional Transit officials got some welcome news — the agency could receive roughly $40 million in additional funding this year. That money may not show up.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Editorial

4. What’s On Your Mind

• Shapiro’s Budget Offers A Chance To Show That Compromise Works. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• Shapiro Plan For Higher Education Could Help Make It More Affordable. (Uniontown Herald-Standard)
• Landslide For ‘None of These Candidates’ Exposes Our Broken Presidential Elections. (Will Bunch)
• Former President Donald Trump Poses An Extreme Danger To American Democracy. (H. James Hulton III)
• This Gun Owner Could Never Support Donald Trump. (Donald Gaffney)
• Why Trump’s Appeal Endures. (Peter Morici)
• Time For A Full Stop On Marijuana Arrests In Pennsylvania. (Chris Goldstein, Jeff Riedy)

1 Thing

5. The Ultimate Super Bowl Food? Chicken Wings

“Chicken wings, the ultimate Super Bowl food, cost less than they did last year, offering consumers welcome relief.

What’s happening: Americans are expected to eat 1.45 billion wings during the game, the same amount as 2023, according to the National Chicken Council.

Consumers are expected to spend $17.3 billion on food, drinks, clothes and other purchases, beating the 2020 record of $17.2 billion, NRF data shows.” (Axios)

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