🗓️ It’s May Day. And it’s also the last day to register to vote in the May 16 primary.

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Pittsburgh | Showers, Breezy, 48
Harrisburg | Showers, 56
Philadelphia | Partly Sunny, 59

PA Sports
Pirates (20-9) | Washington 2-7 | Tu-Th vs. Tampa Bay
Phillies (15-14) | Houston 3-4 | M-W vs. LA Dodgers
76ers (0-0) | Mon vs. Boston
Union | Tue vs. LAFC

What We’re Hearing
“Abortion was a big issue in key states like Michigan and Pennsylvania, and so the guidance we’re going to give to our candidates is, you have to address this head-on.” – RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel

What’s Happening Today
The House convenes at noon. The Senate convenes at 2 p.m.

Happy Birthday
Cake and candles for Rep. Matt Cartwright.

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Top Story

1. Casey Starting 2024 Campaign With Big Head Start

“Sen. Bob Casey, 63, had about $3.2 million in his campaign account at the end of March, federal filings show. After raising about $440,000 over the first quarter of 2023, he’ll need to raise at least $5 million more by the end of the year to match the $8.6 million he had on hand for re-election by the start of 2018.

Gov. Josh Shapiro, U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, and several Senate colleagues quickly joined a full-court fundraising press over social media and email this month. The early effort is a sign not only of the incumbent’s strength but of the collaborative, digitally savvy campaign his team will try to unleash over the next 18 months as a Pennsylvania Senate race once again helps determine control of the Senate.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

• Senate Rankings: Here Are The 5 Seats Most Likely To Flip. (The Hill)

Related

A Top GOP Lawyer Wants To Crack Down On The College Vote. States Already Are. “A top Republican election lawyer recently caused a stir when she told GOP donors that the party should work to make it harder for college students to vote in key states.” (Pennsylvania Capital-Star)

Twitter Asks Congressional Campaigns To Pay Up For Verification. “Twitter this week notified congressional offices that while lawmakers’ official accounts will be spared from the social media platform’s recent verification purge, their campaign and personal accounts will not, according to an email obtained by The Technology 202.” (Washington Post)

Westmoreland Again Expected To Be Major Factor In 2024 Presidential Race. “Eyes could once again be on Westmoreland County as a key indicator ahead of the 2024 presidential election.” (Tribune-Review)

Harrisburg

2. Anti-Discrimination, Workers’ Rights, Second Chances All On Busy PA Legislative Docket

“The Pennsylvania General Assembly returns to session today for the second half of a two-week legislative stretch that has already produced consequential votes in committees and on the chamber floor.

Among bills advancing out of the Senate and to the House is one adding urgent care centers among eligible sites under the commonwealth’s Safe Haven Law for the surrender of newborns by parents who feel unfit to care for their child.” (Meadville Tribune)

Related

PA Legislature Appears To Have Met Tax Break It Doesn’t Like: One For Teachers, Nurses And Cops. “Harrisburg policymakers appear unlikely to embrace a signature selling point in Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s first budget: a tax credit for new police, teachers, and nurses.” (SpotlightPA)

Veterinarians Rely On Xylazine And Are Worried That Shapiro Administration Rule Could Jeopardize That In PA. “Cattle veterinarians are especially concerned with the move because xylazine is the only sedative that works on cows.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

PA Sixth Friendliest For Gambling, But Not Without Costs. “Pennsylvania’s gambling industry has seen major growth in recent years, bringing billions of dollars in tax revenue to the state budget – but also addiction problems and demands for subsidies.” (Broad + Liberty)

Study: PA State Transportation System Drops To 41st In The Country. “The overall cost-effectiveness and condition of Pennsylvania’s highway system ranks near the bottom of all U.S. states and is getting worse, according to a study of all states by the Reason Foundation.” (Pittsburgh Union Progress)

30 Years Of Work Led To Johnstown Shedding ‘Financially Distressed’ Status. “Johnstown’s economy and municipal government were in dire straits in the late 1980s and early 1990s, leading up to the decision to enter Pennsylvania’s Act 47 program for financially distressed municipalities.” (Tribune-Democrat)

• Auditor Dings Boroughs For Errors, Lauds Johnstown For Financial Recovery. (The Center Square)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Democrats Have Controlled Montco For A Decade. Primary Will Test Political Machine And Pay-to-Play Culture

“The May 16 Democratic primary for two commissioner seats will be a test of a political machine that has developed since the party flipped the three-member governing board from red to blue in 2011 — and established a model that Democrats have followed in Philadelphia’s other collar counties.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Related

Montco Commissioner Races Heat Up. “The old saying “politics ain’t beanbag” is playing out in the Montgomery County commissioners race, which is more wide open than it has been in recent memory.” (Delaware Valley Journal)

Reader Poll: Innamorato Top Choice For Allegheny County Exec. Thanks to the 232 readers who took the time to vote in our unscientific survey. (PoliticsPA)

Lamb Urges Pittsburgh To Demand More From Nonprofits In Final Financial Report As City Controller. “In what was his last annual financial report as City Controller Friday, Michael Lamb offered a sunny assessment of Pittsburgh’s finances. But he gave mixed grades to the Gainey administration’s efforts to get the region’s large nonprofits to contribute more to the city.” (WESA)

Call In The Ethics Commission? Allegheny County Panel Sees Dwindling Complaints, Takes Little Public Action. “When Allegheny County Councilman Tom Duerr wrote to the county’s Accountability, Conduct and Ethics Commission in March asking for an investigation of his colleague Bethany Hallam, he was reaching out to a panel that has not taken publicly known action against anyone for six years.” (Public Source)

Small Amount Of Mercer Co. Mail-In Election Ballots For May Primary Were Misprinted, According To Director. “Mercer County Board of Elections had a small problem with some of its absentee/mail-in ballots recently, as the ballots had no ovals for voters to fill in their choices.” (WFMJ)

A Ballot Initiative In Allentown Could Send Social Workers Instead Of Police To Some Crisis Situations. The Mayor And Police Chief Say They Are Not In Favor. “Allentown residents may have the chance to vote on an initiative that could transform the way the city responds to 911 emergencies.” (Morning Call)

Most Train Derailments In Western PA Happen Near Major Rivers, A New Study Shows. “In a report published by the Pittsburgh Collaboratory for Water Research, Education and Outreach, University of Pittsburgh researchers discovered that most train derailments in the region occur near major rivers and communities designated as environmental justice areas.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Faces Difficult Trade-Offs With Agriculture. “Rarely has the future been so clear.  At midnight on Dec. 31, 2025, the Chesapeake Bay region will miss its goal for reducing nutrient pollution in the Bay. It will be the third miss, after work toward deadlines in 2000 and 2010 also came up short.” (Chesapeake Bay Journal)

Editorial

4. What They’re Saying

A glance around the Keystone State at editorials and opinions.

Editorial

• Mayor Has Held Back Plan To Fix Open-Air Firing Range, Build Public Safety Training Campus. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• Farewell to Bud Shuster, The ‘King Of Asphalt’. (Tribune-Democrat)
• Philadelphia Mayoral Poll Highlights Importance Of Every Vote In May 16 Primary. (Philadelphia Tribune)
• Promising Bipartisan Start To House’s Work. (Tribune-Review)
• It’s Time To Pass The PA Fairness Act. (York Dispatch)

Opinion

• He Might Have Been Sleazy, But Bud Shuster Got The Roads Paved. (Tim Rowland)
• It’s A Mistake To Put Charisma Over Policy In Voting. (Rogette Harris)
• Some Voters Never ‘Lern’ (Chris Kelly)
• Bartolotta’s Disgraceful Record On Guns. (Oren Spiegler)

1 Thing

5. PA Has Lost Control Of The Senate Candy Desk

“Pat Toomey’s decision not to seek reelection last year had big political implications, setting the stage for a competitive race that played a significant role in Democrats regaining control of the Senate.

It resulted in another — albeit slightly less politically significant — change that hasn’t gotten as much attention.

After 8 years, the Senate candy desk is no longer in Pennsylvania’s hands.” (Billy Penn)

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