Potato. Pah-tah-toe. Tomato. Tah-mah-toe.

The Pennsylvania General Assembly seems to be in agreement that the state’s 2024 presidential primary date should not be April 23.

After that … not so much.

The House State Government Committee sent forward HB 1634 to the entire chamber. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D-Philadelphia), called for the 2024 primary date to be moved to the first Tuesday in April – April 2.

The same committee then discussed SB 224, sponsored by Sen. Dave Argall (R-Carbon/Luzerne/Schuylkill), that called for the 2024 date to be moved to the third Tuesday in March. That bill was defeated in committee, 18-7.

Just before you think that House Democrats won … the committee came together later in the morning and passed SB 224 by a 13-12 count.

While some watchers were left scratching their head, committee chair Rep. Scott Conklin (D-Centre) said it gives the chamber more flexibility to shift the date with two mechanisms to consider.

“Things were fluid this morning as it was going through,” he said. “Some members had some reservations about the bill the way it was written.”

After negotiation, he said, they passed it.

Although part of the rationale for changing the date is to avoid a conflict with Passover, some feel that it should be done to make Pennsylvania more important in the party selection process.

“I think at its core, people recognize that Pennsylvania is frankly the center of the political universe,” said Kenyatta. “If you want to win a national election in the United States of America, you have to win the state of Pennsylvania.”

Others who voted against both proposals cited issues facing county election officials in managing the tight timeframe.

“I think we have very, very good folks around the Commonwealth, not only at the Department of State, but in our counties, who I have a lot of faith in their ability,” said Rep. Ben Waxman, D-Philadelphia. “You know, if they can handle 2020, they can handle this.”

A deal may not be possible as the clock ticks down, given that all Republicans on the committee voted against both bills.