The Senate race. Will Trump’s endorsement make the difference? Shapiro opposes the Philly mask mandate. The future of PA Conservatism? An “F” for air quality. Here is the Playbook.

PA Weather
Greensburg | Mostly Sunny, 68
Gettysburg | Showers Likely, then Mostly Sunny, 73
Green Lane | Scattered Showers, then Sunny, 71

PA Sports
Flyers | today at Washington
Penguins | today at NY Islanders
Pirates | today vs. Chicago Cubs
Phillies | d. Mets, 5-4; tonight vs. NY Mets

News

Debate/Forum Calendar: As we close in on 36 days remaining before the May 17 primary, there are currently six forums or debates on the calendar for voters to hear from the candidates.

PA Senate Race: Reader Poll: Will Trump Endorsement Help/Hurt Dr. Oz?: It was the big story of the weekend in the race for the GOP Senate nomination, as former president Donald Trump endorsed Mehmet Oz. What do you think of the endorsement?

• WITF: Pennsylvania’s Senate race tops the list of campaigns that are most likely to flip to the other party
• Inquirer: Pa. Democratic Senate candidates came to Philly to talk about gun violence. Here are 3 takeaways.
• Post-Gazette: Pa.’s Democratic U.S. Senate front-runners discuss ‘common-sense’ gun reforms
• PennLive: Trump endorsement could make the difference for TV doctor running to represent Pa. in U.S. Senate
• WTAJ: Democratic candidates make stop in Centre County
• Reading Eagle: Philadelphia attorney talks about his U.S. Senate campaign
• The Hill: Trump’s Oz endorsement in Pennsylvania vexes GOP allies
• CNN: The ridiculous price tag for a Senate race 
• CNN: The very simple reason why Donald Trump chose Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania
• Jewish Insider: John Fetterman says he’ll ‘lean in’ on U.S.-Israel relationship as senator
• City & State PA: Endorsements in Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race keep stacking up.

PA Governor Race: ‘Pennsylvania Democrat running for governor opposes Philadelphia’s mask mandate’: Fox News reports that “Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro came out against Philadelphia’s decision to reinstate the indoor mask mandate on Monday.”

• City & State PA: Your 2022 Pennsylvania governor’s race campaign finance cheat sheet
• WGAL: One-on-one with Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Lou Barletta
• Observer-Reporter: Democratic gubernatorial candidate Shapiro visits Washington, vows to protect voting rights

Are Coleman, Frye the Future of PA Conservatism?: It has little power and, perhaps, less influence as a position. But the lieutenant governor job has proven to be an indicator of the direction that the party is headed.

‘Ballot drop boxes might go away in Pa. along with private funding to run elections’: PennLive reports that “the Senate State Government Committee passed legislation that would bring an end to these two election practices that first came into play in Pa.’s 2020 election.”

‘Pa. lawmakers advance bills banning transgender athletes from playing women’s sports despite veto threat’: PennLive reports that “the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is poised to vote as early as Tuesday on legislation banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports in a move supporters say is necessary to protect athletic opportunities for young women in the commonwealth.”

‘Pennsylvania labor federation requests investigation into workplace harassment allegations’: The Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports that “the state AFL-CIO’s newly elected president was accused on social media of verbally abusing female staff.”

‘Wolf administration commissions study of public sector workplace protections’: The Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports that “a Pennsylvania state university is set to begin a study of the working conditions and safety standards for public sector workers in the commonwealth.”

‘The 2022 Pittsburgh Power 100’: “City & State’s Pittsburgh Power 100, developed in partnership with Pittsburgh freelance writer Jordan Snowden, recognizes the city’s movers and shakers in politics, organized labor, business, health care and other sectors – and ranks them based on their influence in the region.”

City & State PA’s Biggest Winners & Losers This Week: City & State PA highlights the three winners and losers in Pennsylvania politics last week.

‘Bucks Democratic chair cancels appearance with Fitzpatrick at the NAC’: The Bucks County Courier Times reports that “while support for Ukraine throughout Bucks County is widespread, not everyone was happy that they Democratic Party chair expected to participate in an event with Fitzpatrick, a well-funded Republican incumbent candidate the Democrats are trying to defeat, a few weeks before the primary election May 17.”

‘Steve Irwin, 12th Congressional District candidate, reports more than $600,000 in first-quarter fundraising’: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “nearly doubling the previous quarter’s fundraising amount, which was already one of the highest in district history, Pittsburgh attorney Steve Irwin’s campaign for Congress raised more than $600,000 in the first few months of 2022.”

‘Sen. Bob Casey Presses FDA For Information On Recalled Baby Formula’: KDKA reports that “Senators Bob Casey and Sherrod Brown sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration requesting information on the agency’s plans to investigate reports of illnesses and deaths linked to Abbott Nutrition’s recalled baby formula.”

‘Pennsylvania bill introduced to allow edible weed products in medical program’: Pittsburgh City Paper reports that state Senator Dan Laughlin (R-Erie) has “introduced a bill that would add food products containing THC to the roster of medical weed products sold in Pennsylvania.”

‘Cartwright introduces Time Off to Vote Act’: The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader reports that “U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Moosic, and colleagues introduced the Time Off to Vote Act on Monday, which would require employers to provide their workers with at least two hours of paid leave to vote in a federal election.”

‘Pa. attorney general, governor laud new federal rules for ‘ghost guns’’: The Express-Times reports that “President Joe Biden on Monday announced new regulations are coming to crack down on “ghost guns,” a move lauded by Pennsylvania’s attorney general, a long-time proponent of closing legal loopholes for the privately-made firearms that do not have serial numbers.”

‘Proposed bill bars domestic violence convicts from holding office’: The Williamsport Sun-Gazette reports that “Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township, will introduce a piece of legislation that would bar individuals convicted of domestic violence related crimes from holding public office in Pennsylvania, as Centre County recognizes April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.”

‘Pennsylvanians will now get a full year of Medicaid coverage after giving birth’: WESA reports that “pregnant women in Pennsylvania who are insured through Medicaid will now have coverage for a full year after giving birth, rather than just 60 days post-partum.”

‘Report: These Pa. counties received an ‘F’ for air quality | The Numbers Racket’: The Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports that “in 2021, four of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties received an “F” grade, according to the state ozone report card.”

‘Oversight of Pa. addiction recovery homes will begin soon, but operators slow to opt-in’: Spotlight PA reports that “the Wolf administration is preparing to enforce its long-awaited licensing system for addiction recovery homes, which have operated with limited oversight for years.”

‘Here are the primary candidates running to represent Berks in Congress’: The Reading Eagle reports that “there are two contested primary contests on the Republican ticket.”

‘Ken Mash elected to lead Pa. state university faculty union’: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “a leadership transition is underway atop the 5,000-member union representing faculty and coaches across the State System of Higher Education’s 14 member universities.”

‘Closing arguments set for Tuesday in Kenyatta Johnson’s federal bribery trial’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “lawyers in the federal bribery trial of Philadelphia City Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson will have their last chance to pitch their cases to jurors on Tuesday, after a day of defense testimony aimed at sowing doubt before they begin their deliberations.”

‘Philadelphia reinstates indoor mask mandate’: KYW Newsradio reports that “no other big city has done it yet, and the CDC doesn’t recommend it for Philadelphia, but the Department of Public Health says masks will be required starting next Monday.”

Legislative Election Updates

‘Some Western Pa. candidates removed from primary ballot after challenges’: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “the challenges to candidates’ nominating petitions in Western Pennsylvania races have been settled, and voters now have the clearest picture yet of what their primary ballots will look like on May 17.”

‘Here are the primary candidates running to represent Berks in Harrisburg’: The Reading Eagle reports that “there will be five contested primary contests.”

Regional Spotlight: Central
York Daily Record: 18 ask judge to disqualify York Mayor Michael Helfrich from holding office, make appointment 
PennLive: Amtrak to add trains, restore most pre-pandemic service from Harrisburg to Philadelphia and NYC
LNP | LancasterOnline: Infrastructure bill delivers $25 million to Lancaster public transit
LNP | LancasterOnline: Lancaster County Commissioners could finalize guidelines on community ARPA funding soon
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: York, Pa. students who fought book ban tell their story to U.S. House panel
Carlisle Sentinel: Newville Borough Council member resigns, borough seeks applicants for vacant seat
Lebanon Daily News: North Annville supervisors deny application for controversial solar farm
PennLive: Cumberland County makes polling place changes ahead of primary election
LNP | LancasterOnline: Democratic forum for the 96th House District [photos]

Opinion  
Torren Ecker: Legislators must protect the rights of Pennsylvania’s workers
Salena Zito: ‘What the hell was he thinking?’: Pennsylvania conservatives react to Trump’s support of Oz
David P. Hardy: Gov. Wolf Should Pick The Side Of Students 
Elizabeth Stelle: An answer for the way COVID put our children behind
David Scholnick: The case for renewing the solar tax credit
Inquirer Editorial Board: In a segregated city, race determines safety. That’s unacceptable.
Inquirer Editorial Board: Philadelphia’s police should look like Philadelphia. Waiving the residency requirement makes that harder.
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Pittsburgh’s new Guggenheim Fellows give us much to be proud of
John L. Micek: Pa. Senate bill would authorize sale of medical marijuana edibles | Monday Morning Coffee
Tony Norman: How to have an inoffensive education
Elaine Maimon: Ideas We Should Steal: Make College More Affordable 
David Heayn-Menendez: The census is undercounting Philadelphians who come from the Middle East and North Africa 
Victoria E. Elliott and Rick Seipp: Pharmacies provided most COVID shots. Why that matters
Melanie McNeal: I’m a DoorDash delivery driver. I deserve both flexibility and a safety net. 
Dick Polman: I lost my wife. I’ll decide when I’m done mourning her
Tom Buglio: Will Ukraine War change support for Trump? 
Jason Diaz: As a gay man, this phase of COVID-19 feels awfully familiar 
Will Bunch: Eric Boehlert’s tragic death came as U.S. desperately needs to hear his message