🙏🏽 It’s Monday. September 11, Never Forget.

PA Weather
🌤️ Shanksville | Mostly Sunny, 72
☁️ Harrisburg | Mostly Cloudy, 80
⛈️ Allentown | Mostly Cloudy, T-storms possible, 82

PA Sports
⚾ Phillies (78-64) | Miami 4-5 | Mon-Wed vs. Atlanta
⚾ Pirates (66-77) | Atlanta 2-5 | Mon-Wed vs. NY Yankees
🏈 Penn State (2-0) | Delaware 63-7 | Sat vs. Illinois
🏈 Pitt (1-1) | Cincinnati 21-27 | Sat vs. West Virginia
🏈 Temple (1-1) | Rutgers 7-36 | Sat vs. Norfolk State
🏈 Eagles (1-0) | New England 25-20 | Thu vs. Minnesota
🏈 Steelers (0-1) | San Francisco 7-30 | Mon vs. Cleveland

What We’re Hearing
State Rep. Jared Solomon will announce his candidacy for state Attorney General on Tuesday morning.

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Top Story

1. Pennsylvania Republicans Have The Candidate They Want For US Senate. They Just Need Him To Run

“Republicans trying to recapture the U.S. Senate majority have the candidate they want in Pennsylvania. Now they just need David McCormick to run.

Almost since the moment he lost last year’s Senate GOP primary, McCormick has floated the possibility that he would again seek the party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate, this time to challenge three-term Democratic Sen. Bob Casey.

McCormick has shown up at local party events, raised money for Republican candidates, hired staff, done a publicity tour for his new book and made the rounds of conservative podcasts. In short, everything a candidate might do — except announce his candidacy.” (AP)

Related

McCormick Is Taking Fire Even Before He Launches A PA Senate Campaign Against Bob Casey. “Even before he launches an anticipated second campaign for the U.S. Senate, Republican David McCormick has faced a steady stream of attacks from Democrats and other critics.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

The GOP Is Losing The Doctor Vote In PA. How Will That Impact 2024? “Hershey, Pa. was once a one-party town – Republican. Like other communities in the country, the change to its voter composition toward the left has coincided with the growth of the health system headquartered there, according to POLITICO.” (PoliticsPA)

House Schedules Vote On EV, Wildfire Response Bills. “The Rules Committee will meet Tuesday to set parameters for debate on Pennsylvania Republican Rep. John Joyce’s “Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act,” H.R. 1435, to block California and other states from setting their own vehicle emissions standards by limiting EPA’s ability to grant waivers.” (POLITICO)

State

2. Work Begins On Finding A PA School Funding Formula That Passes Constitutional Muster

“Work gets underway this week on crafting a funding formula for Pennsylvania’s public schools that addresses shortcomings in the current funding system that the courts found to be unconstitutional.

The 15-member Basic Education Funding Commission will begin a series of 10 hearings to begin collecting input from education experts and advocates about ways to fix the flaws the court found in the current funding system.” (PennLive)

Related

A PA Supreme Court Race This Fall Could Have Big Implications For The 2024 Presidential Election. “Judges Carolyn Carluccio and Dan McCaffery are running to fill a vacancy on the state Supreme Court, and the winner could become the deciding vote in important election cases.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Special Election In Western PA To Determine If Democrats Or GOP Take Control Of The House. “Majority control of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives will again come down to a special election later this month, when Republican voters attempt to flip power back to their caucus while facing a strongly Democratic lean in a Pittsburgh district.” (AP)

• Extended Hours For 21st District Special Election Ballot Drop Offs Begin This Week. (WESA)

Argall To Co-Host Webinar On Moving PA’s Primary. “Set from 10 to 11 a.m. on Monday, the webinar will cover topics including the potential impact of moving the primary date and the importance of educating voters on why the date needs to be adjusted.” (CNHI News)

In The Face Of A Call To Ban Skill Games, PA’s Biggest Player Is Pushing Back Hard. “As a call to ban skill games in the General Assembly has become stronger, Pace-O-Matic has pushed back aggressively, suing the law firm and lobbyists the company alleges influenced state lawmakers and officials to take positions against the company’s business.” (PA Capital-Star)

PA House GOP Prepares To Get Tough On Prison Escapes. “Convicted murderer Danelo Cavalcante’s escape from the Chester County Prison has people increasingly concerned about security at county jails.” (DV Journal)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Lehigh Valley Republican Rivals Team Up To Neutralize Democrats’ Mail-In Ballot Edge

“Two Republican rivals whose clashes helped define Lehigh County politics for more than a decade have joined forces in an effort to wipe out the advantage Democrats have enjoyed in mail-in ballots over the past three years.

Former Lehigh County commissioners Dean Browning and Lisa Scheller have teamed up to create the Win Again PAC, a conservative political action committee to encourage irregular GOP voters to adopt mail-in ballots.” (LehighValleyNews.com)

Related

Heroes Walk Dedicates Flight 93 Overlook, Launches New Efforts. “Standing in the newly enhanced Western Overlook on Saturday at Flight 93 National Memorial, Ken Nacke remembered his first visit to the very spot, just above the Flight 93 crash site.” (Johnstown Tribune-Democrat)

• Visitors Attend ‘First View’ Of A Sacred Space At Flight 93 National Memorial. (Somerset Daily American)

Sources Allege Falls Township In Bucks Co. Allowed Union Corruption To Flourish, Colluded With Unions. “A union PAC gave hundreds of thousands in political donations to township supervisors who were never in any real election jeopardy.” (Broad + Liberty)

Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s Top Planner Leaves For Job In London. “David Huffaker, who led the development of Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s 25-year plan for the future, has left the agency for a job overseas.” (Pittsburgh Union Progress)

Pittsburgh Region Abounds With Hidden Histories Of Atomic Age. “J. Robert Oppenheimer’s brilliant mind belonged to the atom, his loyalty to the United States, his passion to the New Mexico desert. But the beating heart of the American Prometheus belonged to a woman who grew up in Aspinwall. Yes, Aspinwall, childhood home of the great physicist’s wife, Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer.” (Tribune-Review)

Greene County Looking To Hire New Elections Director. “Jason Mihal, who started as the Greene County elections director in January, notified the commissioners last week that he is taking a new job elsewhere in the country, although he agreed to remain in his current position until after the Nov. 7 general election.” (Observer-Reporter)

Perk Valley To Vote On Policy Banning Trans Students From Certain Bathrooms. “A 5-4 vote of the school board Tuesday will put a more restrictive school bathroom policy on the table for a final vote of the board at Monday night’s business meeting.” (Norristown Times-Herald)

Editorial

4. What They’re Saying

• We Grieve Together. (Tribune-Review)
• Twenty-Two Years Later, It’s Time To Teach 9/11 In PA Schools. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• PA School Funding Is ‘Unconstitutional.’ Here Are Four Steps To Fix It. (Laura Boyce)
• Josh Shapiro and Camera Bartolotta Do What Politicians Should Do: Show Up. (Salena Zito)
• No Hoax: It’s Too Darn Hot. (PennLive)
• The Farm Bill Is Vital To World Peace. (William Lambers)
• Joe Biden Needs Opponents. (Shanin Specter)
• Politicians’ Brains Are A Nonpartisan Issue. (Michael Reagan)
• State Lawmakers Must Release School Funding Without Delay. (Kristen Haase)

1 Thing

5. Not Just Lawn Ornaments Anymore

“Pink flamingos have been spotted significantly farther north than what is considered normal.

And no, we’re not talking about plastic flamingos to decorate your summer lawn.

Flamingos – blown off course by Hurricane Idalia – have been seen in central PA, specifically: Franklin County.” (Morning Call)

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