Happy Friday. Yes, it’s April Fool’s Day. PA Leadership Conference begins today. The ballot order for candidates is set. Emerson Poll shows undecideds still rule. Parnell endorses McSwain. Baumlin withdraws. Here is the Playbook.

PA Weather
Erie | Chance of rain/snow, breezy, 37
State College | Chance showers, 45
West Chester | Chance showers, 53

PA Sports
76ers | lost to Detroit, 102-94; SAT vs. Charlotte
Flyers | SAT vs. Toronto; SUN vs. NY Rangers
Penguins | d. Minnesota, 4-3 (OT); SAT at Colorado
Villanova MBB | SAT vs. Kansas

News

Ballot Positions Determined: The casting of lots is complete and candidates’ position on the May 17 primary ballot has been determined. 

PA Senate Race: Oz, Fetterman, Mastriano Lead Emerson Poll: Mehmet Oz, Doug Mastriano and John Fetterman led their respective contests in the Emerson College/The Hill poll released Thursday.

• Baumlin Withdraws from Dem Senate Race: Dr. Kevin Baumlin, a long shot candidate from Philadelphia, has withdrawn from the 2022 race for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.
• Morning Call: Fetterman skipping U.S. Senate debate at Muhlenberg College; Lamb, Kenyatta expected to attend
• USA Today: Senate candidate and TV host Dr. Oz removed from presidential fitness council
• City & State PA: Endorsements in Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race keep stacking up.

PA Governor Race: ‘YouTube apologizes for yanking Pa. GOP governor forum video’: Philly Clout reports that “YouTube first said video of the Pennsylvania Family Institute gubernatorial forum violated its misinformation policy but reversed course after the group appealed.”

• PennLive: Getting to know the major party candidates who want to be Pa.’s next governor
• Post-Gazette: Bill McSwain picks up endorsement from Sean Parnell in Pennslyvania gubernatorial race
• USA Today: PA should be more like Saudi Arabia on energy, says Lou Barletta, GOP governor candidate
• PennLive: Pa. governor, U.S. Senate GOP hopefuls to participate in forums at conservative gathering

Readers Poll: Who Should the GOP Nominate for Governor: We’re asking our loyal readers – who should the GOP nominate for Governor? Poll open until Tuesday night.

‘Sen. Pat Toomey meets with Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson; remains noncommittal’: The Allentown Morning Call reports that “U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey met with U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Thursday morning and said he came away impressed, but still has concerns.”

‘Most Pennsylvanians believe worst of COVID is behind us; disapprove of Biden and Wolf’s handling, Muhlenberg College poll shows’: The Allentown Morning Call reports that “Pennsylvanians are more optimistic about the course of the COVID-19 pandemic than they were a year ago, a Muhlenberg College public health poll shows, with more than three-quarters of those surveyed saying they believe the worst is behind us.”

‘Pa. Senate panel’s exploration of security of ballot drop boxes leads to Democrats walking out’: PennLive reports that “a Republican-led Senate committee investigating election integrity issues turned its attention to the security of ballot drop boxes in the 2021 elections on Thursday in yet another hearing that Democrats considered a waste of time and eventually walked out.”

‘Race ratings show Republicans positioned for pickups in Pennsylvania’: Roll Call reports that “the latest map and political dynamic give Republicans an opportunity to pick up seats if the midterm elections continue to trend their way.”

‘End of pandemic-era free lunches could mean more hungry kids in schools, advocates warn’: WESA reports that “the approaching end of pandemic-era school meal rules will mean fewer free school lunches for children starting this summer, advocates warn.”

‘Trans Day of Visibility 2022: LGBTQ centers work to support trans and non-binary Pennsylvanians’: The Pennsylvania Capital-Star details “two Pennsylvania-based LGBTQ centers putting in the work to eliminate discrimination and support transgender and non-binary individuals through resources and programming.”

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

‘Pa. GOP measures to boost natural gas output unlikely to succeed, analysts say’: StateImpactPA reports that “renewed attempts by Pennsylvania House Republicans to boost natural gas production by ending a ban on new drilling on public lands, among other measures, are unlikely to succeed because the industry already owns many unused leases on those lands, and because it lacks the pipeline capacity to take any new gas to market even if it was produced, analysts said.” 

‘Western Pa. lawmakers lament lack of action on education issues in Harrisburg’: The Post-Gazette reports that “local state lawmakers on Thursday said more could be done to help schools across the commonwealth in key areas.”

‘New effort to help children born into addiction gets started in Pa.’: PennLive reports that “a Pennsylvania task force devoted to protecting and improving the lives of children born to mothers and families struggling with drug addiction held its first meeting this week.”

Legislative Election Updates

‘These are the candidates who Centre County voters will see on their 2022 primary ballots’: The Centre Daily Times reports that “Centre County voters will have a chance to choose their representatives in the state House and Congress this year. With primary election day a little more than six weeks away, here’s a look at the candidates who have filed to run, according to the state’s online candidate database.”

Regional Spotlight: North by Northwest
Erie Times-News: Here’s who is on the ballot in Erie County for May’s primary
Erie Times-News: 460 Afghan refugees resettle in Erie seeking safety, new life
Erie Times-News: Despite mayor’s order, Erie police officer was never suspended for kick
WJET: City of Erie to drop mask policy for those vaccinated
WJET: Council discusses salary for new Erie County Clerk
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Lycoming County gov’t complies with right-to-know request
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Compliance firm for Williamsport’s $25M in ARPA funds gets positive recommendation
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Lycoming County Commissioners highlight hiring crisis, approve purchase of $100K landfill backhoe
Centre Daily Times: PSU student group halts traffic, enters Old Main during protest for professor facing termination
Centre Daily Times: State College Borough Councilman set to resign from position due to family move

Opinion  
John Baer: Here’s the Pa. governor’s race debate that some GOP candidates want 
Doug Mastriano: Reshoring Manufacturing Jobs to Pennsylvania Will Solve Supply Chain Woes in the Long Run
Josh Shapiro, Caitlin Nagel, and Fae Ehsan: Should Pennsylvanians get gas tax rebates? | Pro/Con
Joe Webster: Pennsylvania must do better to address storm water flooding
Steve Herzenberg: Investing in clean energy will add over 126,000 jobs in Pennsylvania 
Paul Muschick: Pennsylvania’s constable system is a mess. How to fix it
Gary Eichelberger: Claremont proceeds should avoid politics and benefit the community
Matthew Jeffrey Vegari: A wealth tax doesn’t make sense in Philadelphia
John L. Micek: These central Pa. roads, bridges benefiting from infrastructure cash | Thursday Morning Coffee
Doris Pechkurow: Pat Toomey should vote to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson 
Edwin Kay and Shari Wilson: How to create bicycle boulevards in Bethlehem
Joyce M. Davis: Church World Service issues a call to help refugees in Pennsylvania — no matter their color or where they come from | Social Views
Helen Ubiñas: City residents and city officials live in parallel universes when it comes to gun violence 
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Publicizing legislator expenses is common sense 
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Only one agency is qualified to audit Pa.’s schools
Inquirer Editorial Board: Lame duck Kenney takes no risks with his latest budget proposal
LNP | LancasterOnline Editorial Board: Lancaster County DA rightfully targets human traffickers, and those buying sex, rather than trafficking victims
Fletcher McClellan: Biden’s toughest choices on Ukraine, Russia lie ahead of him 
Alison McCook: We can’t afford an increase in COVID cases — literally.
Gail R. Karafin: Starting high schools at 9 a.m. is a good idea 
David W. Brown: How MLK paved the way for KBJ