🎶 Friday, Friday. Gotta Get Down on Friday. Remember that Monday is the last day to register for the PA primary.

PA Weather
☂️ Pittsburgh | Scattered showers, 44
☁️ Harrisburg | Mostly Cloudy, 49
☁️ Philadelphia | Mostly Cloudy, 49

PA Sports
🏀 Sixers (42-35) | Miami 109-105 | Sat vs. Memphis | Sun vs. San Antonio
🏒 Flyers (36-29-11) | Fri vs. Buffalo
🏒 Penguins (35-30-11) | Washington 4-1 | Sat vs. Tampa Bay
⚾ Pirates (6-1) | Washington 7-4 | Fri-Sun vs. Baltimore
⚾ Phillies (2-3) | Fri-Sun vs. Washington

What We’re Hearing
“Yass is more likely to support, as he has, fellow data maven Andrew Yang or fellow Libertarian Rand Paul than a blob of ego like Donald Trump.” – Larry Platt

Happy Birthday
Cake and candles for Sen. Michele Brooks (belated), Rep. Brad Roae and Sen. Lisa Boscola (Sat.) and Rep. Abigail Salisbury (Sun.)

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Top Story

1. Cracking Into McCormick’s Mail Ballots Mystery

“During his 2022 primary against Mehmet Oz, GOP Senate candidate Dave McCormick wanted so badly to count “undated” Pennsylvania mail ballots that he turned to the courts for help — and won.

Two years later, McCormick is mounting another Senate run. This time, now that he’s cleared the Republican field as Sen. Bob Casey’s (D-Pa.) likely challenger this fall, counting mail ballots would hurt him, not help him.

And it just so happens that he’s gone quiet about whether he’s changed his mind.” (POLITICO)

Related

Casey and McCormick Each Raise More Than $5 Million in Q1. “Both campaigns pointed to their first quarter hauls as proof that momentum is on their candidate’s side in what is shaping up to be one of the most expensive Senate races in the nation.” (Penn Capital-Star)

Nearly 9,000 Votes Already Cast in PA Primary. “Nineteen days prior to the 2024 Pennsylvania presidential primary, nearly 9,000 Keystone State registrants have already cast their votes via absentee or no-excuse mail ballot.” (PoliticsPA)

Biden to Make Second Attempt at Large-Scale Student Loan Forgiveness. “The regulations, which are set to be issued as soon as next week, come after the Supreme Court last year overturned the administration’s first debt cancellation plan, which would have wiped away up to $20,000 in student debt for borrowers making less than $125,000 a year.” (Wall Street Journal)

Is Jeff Yass The Last, Best Hope For Free Speech? “The much-vilified Bala Cynwyd-based billionaire, political donor, part TikTok owner may be the only person left who doesn’t want to shut everybody else up.” (Philadelphia Citizen)

State

2. ‘Pink Slime’ Sites Masquerade As Real News. There Are 65 In Pennsylvania Alone

“At first glance, it seems that State Sen. Tracy Pennycuick is the most indispensable person in Montgomery County.

That’s because there’s nearly an entire newspaper dedicated to the Republican, who represents parts of Montgomery and Berks Counties.

To explain: The April 3 online edition of the West Montgomery Times presents 18 stories on its home page. Fourteen of them — essentially one-sided news releases, many of them repeated — focus exclusively on the accomplishments of Pennycuick. The stories are accompanied by 11 headshots of the senator, all of them the same.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Related

PA-12: Lee, Patel Differ On Presidential Politics, Israel-Hamas War In Democratic Congressional Debate. “Summer Lee and Bhavini Patel spent roughly 30 minutes on Thursday verbally sparring on several political issues — including presidential politics, the Israel-Hamas War, and economic development.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

PA-07: Republican Candidates Discuss The $34.4 Trillion National Debt. “The resulting conversations with Kevin Dellicker, an economic adviser to former Gov. Tom Ridge; state Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh; and Maria Montero, a member of former Gov. Tom Corbett’s administration, delved into cutting spending, balanced budget amendments and tariffs.” (LehighValleyNews.com)

State Rep. Kevin Boyle Lost Access To PA Capitol After Outburst At Montco Bar. “Boyle’s security access revocation is the latest sign that House Democrats have fears about his fitness for office, due to concerns for his mental health.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Democrats Should Be Jittery About PA Voter Registration Trends

“If you are a longtime resident of Pennsylvania, it still is a bit of a jolt to the senses to drive through what was once coal country and see an oversized, cheery, red billboard sitting along U.S. 30 reading “VOTE REPUBLICAN.”

However, it is a reminder of how much the people who live in these old industrial and coal-rich counties have shed the local Democratic politics of their upbringing. Voter registration numbers, as we shall see, show as much.” (Washington Examiner)

Related

PA House Primary Preview: Allegheny County. “In the third of our series, PoliticsPA will take a look at two races in Allegheny County in the 34th and 38th districts.” (PoliticsPA)

Why Donald Trump’s Impeachment Lawyers Are Fundraising For Sean Dougherty, A Northeast Philly Democrat. “Plus, a look at the agenda for Pennsylvania’s own CPAC taking place this weekend outside Harrisburg, featuring bongs, books, and Vivek Ramaswamy.” (Philadelphia Inquirer Clout)

Pennsylvania Pro-Palestinian And Progressive Groups Launch A Protest-Vote Campaign Against Biden. “Perhaps there is no more time-honored tradition in American democracy than being disenchanted with the candidates you are given.” (WESA Politics)

State Senate/House Primary Previews

• SD-15: Balance Of Power In State Senate Could Ride On Crowded 15th Senate District Race. (PennLive)
• HD-63: Candidates Vying for 63rd District’s Open Seat Answer Your Questions. (ExploreClarion)
• HD-103: 5 Democrats Vying For Rep. Kim’s House Seat Name Voters’ Top Issues. (PennLive)

Editorial

4. What’s On Your Mind

• Reschenthaler Raises The Bar For Trump Sycophants. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• A Word In Favor Of Pittsburghers Who Like Trump. (David Mills)
• The Self-Defeating Myth of ‘White Rural Rage’ (Nicholas F. Jacobs)
• Be An Astute Consumer Of Election Information. (Al Schmidt)
• PA Will Probably Lose An Electoral Vote, While Texas Will Gain Four. (Sean Trende)
• The Problem With Democrats. (Dana Rollins)
• How Lawmakers Make Rules — Then Shield Themselves From Following Them. (Matthew J. Brouillette)

1 Thing

5. The Eclipse Economy

With the eclipse approaching in less than a week, over half of U.S. cities along the eclipse’s path are fully booked for the night of April 7th according to data from @airdna pic.twitter.com/SLVpyKu2Oe

— Jamie Lane (@Jamie_Lane) April 2, 2024

Airbnbs are booked solid in and around the path of totality for Monday’s total solar eclipse.

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