Good morning politicos, here’s the buzz. The Pa. Supreme Court heard arguments Thursday on the state’s new Voter ID law as well as redistricting, and court watchers say it’s likely neither will be overturned. Meanwhile, we have new TV ads and some national endorsements for two Dem congressional challengers.

And don’t forget to check back later for this week’s Ups & Downs.

Top 5 PA Senate Races: The Pa. Senate has been a place where conservative legislation goes to simmer and moderate. Will Democratic gains make the chamber even more centrist? Here are the top 5 seats in play this year.

Obama PA Surrogates Say Education a Top Priority: Thursday at noon, PA Democratic officials joined together on a conference call to discuss President Obama’s plan for education in both Pennsylvania and across the U.S.

MoveOn.org Endorses Trivedi: He may not be the top challenger in PA, but Manan Trivedi remains the darling of national progressives. This week he scored an endorsement from MoveOn.org in his bid to unseat Rep. Jim Gerlach.

Matt Smith Ad: The Future is Built Here (Watch Video): Matt Smith is out with his second ad of the campaign season, showing voters what he fights for from the position of a father of three. PoliticsPA also has the ads of his Republican opponent, D. Raja, whose campaign ad strategy is a little bit less happy-go-lucky.

Former Prez Hopeful General Wesley Clark Steps Up For Maggi: Larry Maggi received some help in his quest for PA-18: a fundraising email from former presidential hopeful and Army General Wesley Clark, who goes on the offensive for the candidate.

Romney Holds Tele-Town Hall, Announces PA Leadership: Mitt Romney is making his best push for Pennsylvania, by holding a telephone town hall and announcing his PA campaign leadership.

Rothfus Responds to Outside Attacks in New Ad (Watch Video): The Rothfus campaign has released its first negative ad, which the campaign said was needed to “set the record straight” and counter attacks against him made by outside groups supporting his opponent Mark Critz.

New Smith Ad Aims at Policy (Also Casey). Watch Video: Senate hopeful Tom Smith is a man of substance. That’s the message of a new television ad his campaign today released Thursday, which lays out three of the Republican’s broader policy positions.

Legislative Election Updates

Lancaster races: Tom Murse has the rundown of upcoming debates.

SD-13: Former U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak will endorse Democratic state Senate hopeful Tom O’Brien at a fundraiser this weekend. O’Brien, who is challenging first-term Republican state Sen. Lloyd Smucker in the Nov. 6 election, will pick up Sestak’s endorsement at a Saturday fundraiser at the Lancaster Arts Hotel, the Democratic Party here said today.

SD-17: GOP candidate Charles Gehret announced the co-chairs of his Gehret Campaign Veterans Coalition: veterans David A. Christian and Dr. Edwin P. Camiel. The coalition is to be comprised of local leaders who will work to secure Gehret the veterans’ vote this November. Both men said Sen. Daylin Leach (D-Montco) does not put enough effort into helping vets, and they believe Gehret will do better. According to a Gehret press release, the rate of unemployment for vets in 2011 was 13 percent – 4 percent higher than the national rate. That number is 30 percent for vets aged 20 to 24. Gehret said “Sen. Leach has done far more for sharks at sea than he has to help jobless veterans at home. I look forward to working with them to do our duty for the veterans of the Commonwealth.”

SD-37: Matt Smith is out with his second ad of the campaign season, showing voters what he fights for from the position of a father of three. PoliticsPA also has the ads of his Republican opponent, D. Raja, whose campaign ad strategy is a little bit less happy-go-lucky.

HD-41: Dem candidate Marcy Dubroff talked yesterday about women’s rights – specifically in contrast with her opponent Rep. Ryan Aument (R-Lancaster). She said his co-sponsorship of the “Women’s Right to Know” bill is a full-out assault on reproductive rights that degrades women by forcing them to watch an ultrasound before an abortion. She also said a bill to defund Planned Parenthood, also co-sponsored by Aument, would cut funding to an organization that provides a high quality of care to individuals of all backgrounds. “This sort of proposed legislation belittles women by treating them as second-class citizens and is ultimately aimed at taking away their right to safe, affordable health care, as well as their right to determine what happens to their own bodies.”

HD-174: Rep. John Sabatina may have a clever solution to the problem of Voter ID scarcity. He’s planning to introduce a bill that would allow legislators’ offices to distribute the new PennDOT ID cards. “My district offices are conveniently located to make it easy for constituents to visit. The regional PennDot office is not.” Sabatina added, “by allowing the house and senate district offices issue voter ID cards, we are ensuring that every registered voter has the opportunity to obtain the proper identification for the general election.”

National
Slate: Victory Lab: Pa. Democrats shift GOTV efforts to get ID for Obama supporters
Politico: Pennsylvania court hears voter ID appeal

Statewide
PA Independent: Challenge to voter ID law is case of contradictions
PA Independent: State races may grab feature spot as presidential ad interest wanes |
PA Independent: Redistricting commission concedes Holt’s map is better; says it shouldn’t matter
Capitol Ideas: What the Web said about today’s PA Supreme Court hearing on Voter ID
Capitol Ideas: For The Supreme Court: Some tough issues on Voter ID
Capitol Ideas: PA Supreme Court takes up redistricting challenges
Capitol Ideas: PA Supreme Court hears Voter ID arguments
State Impact PA: A Company’s Chemical-Free Fracking Laced With Myth
State Impact PA: Pennsylvania Collects An Additional $4 Million In Impact Fee Revenue
State Impact PA: Poll Shows Some Growing Support For Fracking
State Impact PA: Drill Bits: Sealed Settlements, PUC on Drilling Ordinances, and Future Floodwaters
Capitolwire: Off the floor: Big decisions forthcoming from Justice Castille
Capitolwire: Off the floor: Justices and lawyers aim arguments at Chief Justice Castille
Capitolwire: Off the floor: Redistricting decision comes down to Holt v. Legislative Reapportionment Commission

Philadelphia
PhillyClout: Report: Republican group complains to Ethics Board about Nutter’s convention travel
Daily News: Report: Council overrides Nutter’s veto of Finnigan’s wake expansion
Inquirer: Report: Property-tax overhaul not certain this year
Daily News: Report: Council and COLAS, at least one more member taking the cash
Daily News: Report: City Council ready for home opener
Phillynow.com: Report: ACT UP Keeps Pressure on Gov. Corbett Over Cuts to General Assistance Programs
ABC Philadelphia: Video: Pa. high court takes hard look at voter ID law
KYW Newsradio: Report: As Pa. Supreme Court Considers Voter ID Appeal, Hundreds Rally to Overturn Law
WHYY Newsworks: Report: Pa. Supreme Court weighs voter ID law

SEPA
Phillyburbs.com: Report: Supreme court scrutinizes voter ID, justice labels it ‘unconstitutional’
Delco Daily Times: Report: Chester City Council appoints Lentz to CWA

South Central
Chambersburg Public Opinion: Clean energy lobby labels Shuster a villain
Patriot News: Opponents, proponents of voter ID law face off before Pennsylvania Supreme Court
Patriot News: ‘Serious problems still exist’ with redistricting maps, attorney tells Pennsylvania Supreme Court
Patriot News: Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justices hearing redistricting arguments
York Daily Record: 4th Congressional District candidates weigh in on violence in Middle East
York Dispatch: 4th District debate sounds familiar notes on economy, Libya
Lebanon Daily News: 6th Congressional District candidate Manan Trivedi earns MoveOn.org endorsement

Pittsburgh
Tribune Review: Cracker plant backers plan meeting on jobs, economic effects
Tribune Review: Allegheny County’s 90% voter rate draws scrutiny from D.C. group
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Pennsylvania secretary says voter ID law will boost Election Day turnout
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Mandatory life sentences challenged by juvenile offenders
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh Public Schools released wrong PSSA scores
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: State legislative boundaries still unfair, critics tell Supreme Court
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Voter ID argued before Supremes
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: New Smith ad dings Casey
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Rothfus swings back on China
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Matt Smith on air again
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Voter ID hearing behind paywall
KDKA: Pa. Supreme Court Hears Arguments On Voter ID Law

Southwest:
AP: Pa. high court takes hard look at voter ID law
Observer-Reporter: Resident asks PUC for review of Cecil Township drilling ordinance
Observer-Reporter: Court hears newspapers’ arguments to unseal Hallowich gas settlement
Indiana Gazette: INDIANA COUNTY: Comprehensive plan approved
Indiana Gazette: Town hall meeting to be held
Somerset Daily American: County to apply for $500K grant to help fund Bakersville water project
Somerset Daily American: Salisbury school to hold fundraisers during town’s sesquicentennial
Altoona Mirror: AG wants Sandusky hearing
WJAC: Repairs on East Branch Dam to cost $280M
WTAE: No decision made on Ten Commandments plaque at school
Tribune Review: Connellsville delays decision on Ten Commandments monument

Opinion:
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: He’s no Grinch: Fitzgerald is just prioritizing county spending
Patriot News Op-Ed: Obama has made progress
Lancaster Intelligencer/Era: Here’s a roundup of election season debates