Hello Wednesday. Does skipping debate help Oz, McCormick and Sands? Endorsements, endorsements. Mastriano releases financials. PA truckers begin a convoy to DC through Harrisburg. More announcements for office. Here is the Playbook.

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Pittsburgh | Mostly Cloudy 42 and falling
Harrisburg | Gradual clearing 58 and falling
Philadelphia | Isolated showers, breezy 70

PA Sports
Flyers lose to St. Louis 4-1
Penguins, 76ers idle

News

Mastriano Provides Financials: The final financial report for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor is in and Doug Mastriano’s numbers are strong. The second-term state senator raised over $1 million last year while spending just over $215,000, leaving him with over $1.04 million in hand for the stretch run.

Does Debate Absence Make Heart Grow Fonder?: Monday’s GOP U.S. Senate debate was notable for the fact that three candidates – Mehmet Oz, David McCormick and Carla Sands – elected not to participate.

GOP Senate Debate Recap: It was a night notable for who was present, who was not, and who was booed as GOP candidates for U.S. Senate met for a debate at Villanova.

‘Lawsuit seeks halt to court picking congressional map’: The Associated Press reports that “a federal lawsuit claims the Pennsylvania Supreme Court would overstep its authority by selecting a new set of congressional district maps, and the plaintiffs also want a restraining order to prevent the state justices from changing the election calendar.”

‘What we learned from a Pa. Republican Senate debate that Oz and McCormick skipped’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “Mehmet Oz and David McCormick loomed over the latest Pennsylvania Republican Senate debate — even though they didn’t show up.”

‘Doug Mastriano now says he raised $1 million after his initial report had few details’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “state Sen. Doug Mastriano (R., Franklin) said late Monday that he raised more than $1 million last year, three times as much as he initially disclosed, offering a clearer picture of his GOP campaign for Pennsylvania governor.”

‘Malcolm Kenyatta is tired of being told a Black gay man from North Philly can’t win Pa.’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “Kenyatta says his story will resonate with Democrats feeling disengaged from or dismissed by the party — and overcome big financial obstacles.”

‘Bill McSwain: Republican Candidate for Pennsylvania Governor’: NBC10 reports that “Bill McSwain, a former U.S. Attorney for Eastern Pennsylvania from Chester County, is running for Pennsylvania governor this year as a Republican. Here is why he says he should be elected.”

‘Two wealthy Pa. Republicans unleash TV ad blitz in race for party’s Senate nomination’: The Caucus reports that “three months from the day voters are scheduled to go to the polls (barring a state Supreme Court-ordered postponement), the best-funded Republican candidates for the must-win U.S. Senate seat are already fending off barrages of negative ads from their opponents and the super PACs backing them.”

‘Why this GOP primary could be the most expensive in Pennsylvania history’: CNN reports that “a celebrity doctor. A hedge fund CEO. A former ambassador in the Trump administration. CNN’s Jessica Dean reports on the crowded field in the GOP primary race for the Senate in Pennsylvania and why the race could be the most expensive in the state’s history.”

‘Pennsylvania truckers protest convoy heads to nation’s capital Wednesday’: PennLive reports that “some Pennsylvania truckers are borrowing a page out of the recent trucker siege of the Canadian capital to launch a convoy protest designed to air a slew of what they say are grievances against government overreach. On Wednesday, a convoy of an undetermined number of truckers is set to leave Scranton and head for the nation’s capital by way of Harrisburg, where the first of many grievances will be aired.”

‘Conservative Republican Jeremy Shaffer Would Welcome Trump’s Endorsement In Suburban Congressional Election’: KDKA reports that “Jeremy Shaffer is the only Republican running for this seat, but it’s not too late for other candidates to surface.”

‘Endorsements in Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race keep stacking up.’: City & State PA “put together a list of the most current endorsements in Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race compiled from a combination of press releases, social media posts and candidate websites.”

‘Parts of eastern Pa. to see millions in environmental work from Infrastructure Law’: PennLive reports that “the Delaware River Basin, which includes eastern Pennsylvania as far west as Schuylkill, Berks and Chester counties, will be one of five focus areas across the country receiving big chunks of federal money from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.”

‘Pa. physician general pushes for equity in health care, making sure the underserved are heard’: PennLive reports that “as Pennsylvania’s physician general, Dr. Denis Johnson said her focus is improving equity in health care, both for Black and minority patients, but also for those who are poor, or live in rural areas or inner cities.”

‘Pennsylvania Sen. Lisa Boscola proposes two-month state ‘sales tax holiday’ to help inflation-slammed consumers’: The Allentown Morning Call reports that “citing soaring inflation and its crimping effect on consumers’ buying power, state Sen. Lisa Boscola wants to suspend Pennsylvania’s 6% sales tax for two months.”

‘Pennsylvania state police cast doubt on annual training to prevent bias, despite recommendation by panel set up after George Floyd’s death’: The Allentown Morning Call reports that “state police say they need to determine whether it’s feasible to mandate annual anti-bias training for troopers after a state commission recommended it do so to help prevent bias-based policing.”

‘Scavo begins serving sentence at FCI Fort Dix’: The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader reports that “Frank Scavo is now Inmate No. 36458-509. Scavo, 59 of Old Forge, reported to the Fort Dix Federal Correctional Institution on Monday, Feb. 21, to serve his sentence for his role in the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C.”

Legislative Election Updates

‘Carlisle school board member Rick Coplen launches state Senate campaign in new 34th District’: PennLive reports that “retired Army officer and current Carlisle school board member Rick Coplen said Tuesday he will seek the Democratic Party’s nomination for the newly-created 34th state Senate district.” 

‘Wilkerson announces bid for state Senate’s 24th District seat’: Montgomery Media reports that “Emanuel Wilkerson, who was elected to the Pottstown School Board at age 18 when he was still in high school, has announced he is running for the Pennsylvania State Senate in the 24th District.”

‘Here’s who’s running for Curt Sonney’s 4th District House seat’: The Erie Times-News reports that “Republicans Greg Hayes, Jason Monn, and Joseph Cancilla have announced plans to campaign for the party’s nomination for the 4th Legislative District.”

‘Former Norristown district court judge seeks new state House seat’: Montgomery Media reports that “Gregory Scott, 34, resigned as district court judge in Montgomery County’s Magisterial District Court 38-2-09, which encompasses parts of Norristown Borough, effective on Feb. 8 to focus his attention on campaigning for state representative in what would be the newly created 54th House District under new maps proposed by the Pennsylvania Legislative Reapportionment Commission.”

‘Anthony Gillen to run for 26th House District nomination’: The Pottstown Mercury reports that “another Democrat has thrown his hat into the ring in the race for the 26th District seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Anthony Gillen issued a press release announcing his candidacy.”

‘Reading School Board member running for Pennsylvania House seat’: The Reading Eagle reports that “Mark Detterline, a Reading School Board member, is seeking the Democratic nomination for the 129th District.”

‘2 Centre County state representatives announce reelection campaigns’: The Centre Daily Times reports that “Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township, and House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, R-Bellefonte, announced they will run for reelection to the 77th House District and 171st House District, respectively.”

‘Pa. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie announces bid for re-election to state House’: WFMZ reports that “state Representative Ryan Mackenzie (R, D-134) says he’s running for re-election in the upcoming Republican primaries.”

Regional Spotlight: Southwest
WESA: GOP Senate contender McCormick talks crime, immigration in western Pa. stop
Observer-Reporter: Oz’s senate campaign rolls through Washington 
Tribune Review: Pittsburgh recognizes February as Mayor Ed Gainey Month
Post-Gazette: U.S. government says accused Tree of Life shooter should be tried in Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette: Peduto administration pushed modern private transportation, development that hurt public transit, study says
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Local, state legislators support sanctions against Russia
Observer-Reporter: Washington County officials review physicist’s claims of election irregularities
Observer-Reporter: Greene County salary board hires new elections director, assistant chief clerk 
Observer-Reporter: Monessen financial woes continue
WESA: From reparations to cooperative housing, Pittsburghers share ideas with Gainey’s transition team
WESA: Advocates urge Pittsburgh City Council to continue efforts to rein in police traffic stops
WESA: Allegheny County gave $3.7 million in pandemic aid to foster youth, who tend to lack safety nets
WESA: Pittsburgh police leadership got big raises this winter
Altoona Mirror: Cambria earns ‘positive outlook’
Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh City Council slows things down when it comes to most of the city’s parks, dropping speed limits from 25 to 15 mph
Post-Gazette: He presided over Etna’s council for 46 years. Now he’s serving the borough in other ways.
Post-Gazette: Port Authority union seeks preliminary injunction against agency’s vaccine mandate
WTAE: Pittsburghers rally to defend Black lives in response to recent rise in violence
KDKA: Pittsburgh City Council Expected To Greenlight Bus Rapid Transit Project
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: City council gets reworked plan for spending Johnstown’s pandemic relief money
Beaver County Times: Study finds Beaver County lacking in total spending for instruction, decreased enrollment

Opinion  
Timothy Gross: The GOP is trying to block a law they wrote and passed in 2019 — voting by mail
John L. Micek: Charged Up: Pa. to receive $171.5M to support EV charging stations | Tuesday Morning Coffee
Jon Geeting: Are City Council Term Limits On The Way? 
Alexandra Hunt: I’m A Former Stripper Running For Congress. I Refuse To Be Ashamed.
LNP | LancasterOnline Editorial Board: Posting in the heat of a moment is a bad idea, as clash over bail fund’s social media posts illustrates
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: School shares blame in Brashear assault
Asbell Center for Jewish Life, Dickinson College; Congregation Beth El, Sunbury, PA; Congregation Sons of Israel, Chambersburg, PA; Temple Beth Shalom, Mechanicsburg, PA; UUJusticePA: An open letter to Sen. Mastriano 
Allan Grim: Media pundits: Off with their talking heads
Fletcher McClellan: The future of the U.S. is on the ballot. Democrats must step up and defend it 
Michael Coard: Happy 185th birthday to Cheyney University: America’s first HBCU 
Erum Ahmad: My hijab is an expression of identity, liberation and strength
Gene Therapy: Behind the Russia-Ukraine story, plenty of madness to go around