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Your Morning Pick-Me-Up. Get Down Tonight. Harry Casey (K.C.) and the Sunshine Band. Oh, that horn section.

PA Weather
Erie | Chance of Snow Showers, 31
State College | Mostly Sunny, Breezy, 36
Doylestown | Mostly Sunny, Breezy, 44

PA Sports
Phillies (7-2) | Tue-Thu vs. Atlanta
Pirates (4-7) | St. Louis 8-4 | Tue-Wed vs. St. Louis
Flyers (31-37-9) | Wed vs. NY Rangers
Penguins (31-35-12) | Tue vs. Chicago
Sixers (23-55) | Wed vs. Washington

PA Money | Futures (as of 7:45 a.m.)
Dow +807.00 | NASDAQ +259.50 | S&P +84.50

What’s Happening Today. The PA House convenes for a voting session at 11 AM.

Social Media. Join us on Twitter and Bluesky at @PoliticsPA

Top Story

1. Democrats Are Already Planning For 2026 and Think They Can Flip These Four PA Congressional Seats

“House Democrats have their eyes on four Pennsylvania congressional districts in 2026 — two they hope to regain and two they’ve been trying to win for years.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee told The Inquirer it is focusing its midterm attention on longtime representatives U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick and Scott Perry, and on two freshmen: U.S. Reps. Ryan Mackenzie and Rob Bresnahan.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Elsewhere

Former PPL Official to Launch Campaign For the Lehigh Valley’s Congressional Seat. “Next year’s race for Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District is expected to expand in the weeks ahead with multiple sources telling LehighValleyNews.com that a Center Valley woman will throw her hat into the ring.” (LehighValleyNews)

McCormick Weighs In On Trump’s Tariffs, Cautions to ‘Give It A Little Time’ as the Stock Market Swings. “As the stock market swung wildly in response to President Donald Trump’s trade war, Republican U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick in Braddock on Monday tried to offer reassurance that the uncertainty people were feeling would be “eliminated” in the “coming days and weeks.”” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

​​Trump vs. the Ivy League: ‘These Are Elite Institutions and Blue States’. “President Trump’s administration has taken its fight with the Ivy Leagues to new heights, detaining student activists, launching investigations, pulling hundreds of millions in funding and giving even some conservatives pause.  Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, Brown University and others are all feeling the heat over their alleged inaction over campus antisemitism and policies around transgender athletes.” (The Hill)

• PA Voters Disapproved of Trump’s Job Performance Before Tariff Turmoil: Poll. (PennLive)

From Infrastructure to Playgrounds, $264M For PA Projects This Year Vanished In Congress’ Budget Battle. “When Congress passed a continuing resolution to fund the government last month, it didn’t include earmarks for hundreds of projects across Pennsylvania.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

State

2. Bresnahan Buys, Sells Shares After Campaigning On Congressional Stock Ban

“There is the buy and hold strategy when it comes to stocks, and then there is the buy and sell camp.

U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R-08) appears to be cut from the latter cloth. And the more buying and selling, the better.

The freshman congressman from NEPA has become the most prolific stock trader in his class after his campaign for the position began with a call to ban such activity.” (PoliticsPA)

Elsewhere

New State Rep. Sworn In; PA House Now at Full Complement. “Rep. Dan Goughnour, D-Allegheny, took the oath Monday to represent the 35th Legislative District. Once installed, he returned Democrats to a 102-101 voting majority in the lower chamber.” (New Castle News)

PLC Selects Garrity as Favorite for 2026 Gubernatorial Challenge. “President Donald Trump and State Treasurer Stacy Garrity were the big winners as the annual Pennsylvania Leadership Conference (PLC) concluded its three-day run in Camp Hill on Saturday.” (PoliticsPA)

Tim DeFoor and Dave Sunday Keep Focus on Respective Offices at Conservative Conference. “A pair of statewide elected officials stayed on message about their responsibilities in an increasingly political environment, during speeches at an annual gathering of conservative activists.” (Penn Capital-Star)

• Weekend Reveals High Contrast in Pennsylvania Politics. (The Center Square)

Emails Between PA Lawmakers and Lobbyists Will Remain Hidden From the Public After Court Ruling. “The decision last month by a panel of Commonwealth Court judges means the state legislature can continue to shield from public view written interactions they have with the lobbying industry, which spends tens of millions of dollars annually to shape public policy.” (Spotlight PA)

Around The Commonwealth

3. 81 Community Projects to Receive PA ‘Main Street Matters’ Grants

“Governor Josh Shapiro announced that his Administration is investing in 81 community projects across Pennsylvania through the Main Street Matters program, fulfilling a key promise he made to help revitalize downtowns, support small businesses, and strengthen local economies.” (PoliticsPA)

Elsewhere

With PRT Service Cuts Proposed, PA Lawmakers Still Have No Deal For More Transit Money. “Even though a proposed 35% cut in Pittsburgh Regional Transit services has been put on the table, state lawmakers have not had a breakthrough in their long quest for a deal on more money for public transit and road and bridge work.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

O’Connor Wins 14th Ward Independent Democratic Club Endorsement For Pittsburgh Mayor. “Corey O’Connor’s bid to be the next mayor of Pittsburgh has won the endorsement of one of Pittsburgh’s most storied progressive groups, the 14th Ward Independent Democratic Club.” (WESA)

GOP Candidates For Lehigh County Executive to Debate on April 10. “Mike Welsh, a former Allentown School Board member, and Roger MacLean, former chief of the Allentown Police Department, will address issues facing the county.” (Armchair Lehigh Valley)

Erie Dem Mayoral Candidates Schember, Devlin, Woeger to Face Off in TV Debate. “The Democratic candidates for Erie Mayor — incumbent Joe Schember and challengers Daria Devlin and Sheila Woeger — have agreed to take part in a televised debate next week.” (Erie Times-News)

Editorial

4. Speak Your Mind

• The President Sells Snake Oil (aka Tariffs). (Jack Ochs) 
• Invest Cannabis and Skill Games Taxes in PA’s future. (Sen. Dan Laughlin)
• As the Skills Games Debate Heats Up, Lawmakers Should Follow the Pennsylvania Playbook. (John Marshall)
• Pennsylvania’s Mothers and Grandmothers Took to the Capitol to Defend Democracy, and They’ll Be Back. (Joyce Davis)
• Trump’s Trade Policies Should Look Out for All Pennsylvanians. (Vicki Lightcap McCarrick)
• It’s Time to Washington-Proof Your Health Care. (Rep. Tarik Khan)

1 Thing

5. Landmark Day For College Sports as Judge Holds Final Hearing on Major NCAA Settlement

“A multibillion-dollar legal settlement with the potential to reshape the business of college sports inched closer to its fast-approaching finish line during a federal court hearing Monday.

Judge Claudia Wilken declined to provide final approval of a deal between the NCAA and plaintiff attorneys representing past, present and future Division I athletes, but she directed lawyers to address a short list of her remaining concerns within one week.” (ESPN)

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