April 13th Playbook

Trump slams McSwain. Corman does a 360. Ad Watch. House passes “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act.” Here is the Playbook.

 

PA Weather
Homer City | Partly Sunny, chance of showers, 76
Huntingdon | Chance of showers and thunderstorms, 81
Horsham | Increasing Clouds, 79

 

PA Sports
Flyers | lost to Washington, 9-2; today vs. NY Rangers; SAT at Buffalo
Penguins | lost to NY Islanders, 5-4; THU vs. NY Islanders; SAT at Boston
Pirates | lost to Chicago Cubs, 2-1; today vs. Cubs; THU vs. Nats
Phillies | lost to NY Mets, 2-0; today vs. NY Mets

 

News

Exclusive: PoliticsPA has learned that the dean of the Pennsylvania Republican delegation, and ranking member on the House Committee on Agriculture, GT Thompson, will endorse Dave McCormick for Senate on Thursday. More to follow.

PA Governor Race: Corman Reverses Course; Stays in Governor Race: Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman (R-Centre) did a 360 today. The only question is will he hit the landing.

  • Trump: “I Will Not Be Endorsing McSwain”: In a turn of events that could be even more damning than an endorsement, former president Donald Trump released a statement earlier today that he would not endorse Bill McSwain for governor.
  • PennLive: Pa. gubernatorial candidates offer their take on career politicians, term limits
  • AP: Trump intervenes in Pennsylvania GOP gubernatorial primary
  • Inquirer: Trump denounces Bill McSwain as a ‘coward,’ dashing the Pa. Republican’s hopes for an endorsement 
  • Inquirer: Trump is sowing chaos in the Pennsylvania governor’s race
  • Inquirer: Trump sows chaos in GOP race for Pa. governor | Morning Newsletter
  • PennLive: Trump encourages Jake Corman to remain in the governor’s race – and so he is
  • City & State PA: UPDATE: Jake Corman files petition to quit governor’s race, then decides to stay after talks with Trump, according to report
  • Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: GOP’s White campaigns for governor in Johnstown

 

PA Senate Race: Ad Watch: Senate Edition 4/12: The money allocated for TV/digital media ad buys for the open Pennsylvania U.S. Senate seat is now past $60 million.

  • Fox News: Following Trump endorsement, Oz and McCormick trade jabs in Pennsylvania GOP Senate primary battle
  • PennLive: Pa.’s Senate Dem primary has everything: Differences in style, substance and strategy
  • Beaver County Times: Battle-tested U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb looking to move up to the Senate
  • ABC27: abc27 to host Pennsylvania Republican Primary Senate Debate
  • Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: PHOTO GALLERY | In Somerset stop, Senate candidate McCormick says he’s still the one to further Trump’s ‘America First’ agenda 

 

‘‘Unions move our nation forward,’ Vice President Kamala Harris tells workers in South Philly’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “standing in front of dozens of laborers in bright T-shirts bearing their locals, Vice President Kamala Harris told a South Philadelphia crowd Tuesday that economic prosperity for blue-collar workers depends on the strength of unions, which she said “move our nation forward.””

‘Pa. House passes bill banning transgender females from competing in women’s sports’: PennLive reports that “a bill to ban transgender females from competing in girls and women’s sports passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on Tuesday.” 

‘Bill would change plans for lieutenant governor’s residence’: The Associated Press reports that “a Pennsylvania government agency would get more flexibility about what to do with the former official residence of the lieutenant governor, located on a military facility, under a bill passed unanimously Tuesday by the state House.”

‘Lawmakers Laughlin and Collett are vouching for independent voters’ voices in primary elections’: City & State PA reports that “there’s at least one election-related issue that has maintained bipartisan support through the last couple of years: open primaries. But despite lawmakers’ and advocates’ best efforts, independent voters will still be blocked from the upcoming May primary.”

‘Lease or reimburse? Pa. House lawmakers chose the latter for their state-sponsored travel’: The Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports that “Pennsylvania lawmakers could have access to one less perk of the job under legislation that passed the state House on Tuesday.”

‘EMILY’s List poll: Progressive candidate opens big lead in Pennsylvania House primary’: POLITICO reports that “progressives are finding themselves in an unusual position in the primary for an open blue seat near Pittsburgh, according to a new survey from an allied group: backing the frontrunner.”

‘Sen. Toomey holds opioid roundtable with Lancaster health, public officials’: LNP | LancasterOnline reports that “U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey came to Lancaster County on Monday to listen to, and learn from public health experts and elected officials about the ongoing opioid epidemic.”

‘Bill would give Legislature faster access to public records’: LNP | LancasterOnline reports that “already exempt from most of the state’s open-records law, Pennsylvania state legislators would get what critics call an “E‑ZPass” to obtain records and shorten appeals.” 

‘Pa. House GOP Twitter account back after several hour suspension’: PennLive reports that “there has been no public acknowledgment or reasoning for the suspension by Twitter as of Tuesday night.”

‘Pa. pharmacists want to keep vaccinating kids, although doctors are against it’: PennLive reports that “doctors say vaccinations are best done in their offices; pharmacists say people sometimes lack access.”

‘Pennsylvania could see huge benefits if it goes all in on semiconductor chip production’: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “Pennsylvania stands to “benefit disproportionately” from investment in semiconductor production and advanced tech because of its leading research universities and manufacturing facilities, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said Tuesday to state reporters.”

‘State to allow more race/ethnicity data to promote health equity’: The Pittsburgh Business Times reports that “the Pennsylvania Insurance Department is changing its policy to allow health insurers to ask for race and ethnicity data from customers in an initiative that could help with efforts to enhance equity.”

‘Thousands of Pennsylvanians have applied for mortgage aid, but few have received help so far’: WESA reports that “a mortgage assistance fund to help Pennsylvanians hit by COVID-related hardships is off to a slow start; it has approved and paid out less than 10% of applications for aid in the more than two months it has been open, according to numbers the state released this week.”

 

Legislative Election Updates

‘Several Lehigh Valley region candidates ruled off primary election ballots’: The Allentown Morning Call reports that “three announced candidates for seats in the Legislature have been ruled off the May 17 primary election ballot in the Lehigh Valley region following challenges to their nominating petitions.”

 

Regional Spotlight: Southwest
City Paper: Pittsburgh City Council passes resolution supporting trans student athletes 
WESA: Pittsburgh City Council passes bill to ban single-use plastic bags in the city
WESA: Allegheny County Council won’t censure member
WESA: Unlike Philly, Allegheny County has no current plans for a mask mandate
WESA: Pittsburgh City Council created a COVID racial equity task force in 2020. It has never met
WESA: Critics worry Allegheny County Jail lockdown may have violated ban on solitary confinement
Post-Gazette: With COVID-19 waivers set to expire, Pitt and Duquesne pharmacy students tell Pa. lawmakers: Let us keep offering vaccines
Post-Gazette: Second public hearing on Pittsburgh’s potential annexation Wilkinsburg is set for Thursday
Post-Gazette: Program dispatching social workers rather than police gains traction in Pittsburgh 
Post-Gazette: Port Authority to get $84 million from infrastructure bill
Post-Gazette: Advocates at Pittsburgh anti-violence rally call for funding, gun laws as city sees spike in shootings 
Post-Gazette: ‘A beacon of hope’: Pittsburgh’s Black leaders celebrate Supreme Court confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson
Pittsburgh Business Times: Allegheny County chief exec details changes in local economy
Tribune Review: Westmoreland’s plan for $105 million in covid relief funds remains elusive
StateImpactPA: Allegheny County’s last coal-fired power plant is closing
KDKA: Port Authority Taking Safety Precautions In Wake Of NYC Subway Attack
KDKA: Allegheny County Council Divided Over Appointments To Allegheny County Sanitary Authority
Observer-Reporter: Bartolotta, Women Work to host career building open house 
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Cambria County judge appointed to state ethics board
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Council approves purchase agreement for sewer, raises rates in exchange for 6-year rate freeze
Altoona Mirror: Routch running for GOP State Committee

 

Opinion  
Nancy Patton Mills: Pennsylvania Democrats are working to lower costs while Republicans push tax hikes
Ernest Owens: Democratic U.S. Senate Candidate Conor Lamb Is Running Like a Republican
Paul Muschick: Gun control that everyone except felons and domestic abusers can support
Sarah Clark Stuart: This Pa. bill would make the roads safer for bicyclists and motorists alike 
Jenny DeHuff: Editor’s Note: Some thoughts on Conor Lamb
Dawn Plummer: As prices rise, Pittsburgh needs a transportation policy for everyone
John L. Micek: Paid time off to vote? Pa. Rep. Cartwright wants to make it happen | Tuesday Morning Coffee
LNP | LancasterOnline Editorial Board: Use slot machine tax dollars for college scholarships, rather than to prop up the Pennsylvania horse racing industry 
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Let health experts accompany cops, police and reformers agree
Sally C. Pipes: States are striking out on single payer
Michael Coard: Slavery never really ended because the 13th Amendment still allows it 
Gene Collier: Of human nature, and the Angels of Winter

6 Responses

  1. People in Lehigh not getting nominating petitions right? There is no excuse for that. Amateur hour. The Gov race for R’s is chaotic. Candidates running and then not and then running with weeks left.

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    • No. I've already decided on how to cast my vote. (81%)
    • Yes. Anxious to hear from both candidates (19%)

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