🇺🇲 Happy Flag Day. And Happy Father’s Day to those who celebrate.

PA Weather
☔ Bradford | Showers Likely, 77
🌤️ Fayetteville | Sunny, Chance of T-storms, 87
🌤️ Tamaqua | Mostly Sunny, Chance of T-storms, 83

PA Sports
⚾ Phillies (46-22) | Boston 3-9 | Fri-Sun vs. Baltimore
⚾ Pirates (32-36) | St. Louis 3-4 | Fri-Sun vs. Colorado
🏒 Hershey | Fri and Sun vs. Coachella Valley (Calder Cup finals, game 1)
⚽ Union (4-8-4) | Sat vs. Inter Miami

👂 What We’re Hearing. “If we can highly motivate people to vote against Perry, they may well decide that they can’t at the same time vote for Trump. We just have to give them a permission structure, tell them that other Republicans are doing this, that they are not becoming progressive Democrats by casting this vote.” – Craig Snyder

🎂 Happy Birthday. Cake and candles for former President Donald Trump, Rep. Mike Armanini, and Rep. John Lawrence (Sat.).

🗞️ Pennsylvania. The Ultimate Swing State. Where can you find all the latest news on what’s happening in Keystone State politics? Sign up for the PoliticsPA Playbook. We’ll deliver all the latest headlines in an easy-to-read format every weekday at 8 AM. And it’s free. Add your name to the list and subscribe now.

Top Story

1. How Some Pennsylvania Republicans Are Using a Congressional Race To Protest GOP Extremism

“In South Central Pennsylvania, the “NewsHour” met up with GOP voters ready to make a point about the direction of their party. Their focus? The race for the 10th Congressional District.

In an election year, it is not unusual for a group of local Republicans to meet up. But these Republicans are meeting to help elect a Democrat.” (PBS NewsHour)

Related

Republicans Vent Fury Over Speaker’s Elevation Of Scott Perry: ‘There Isn’t Only One Group That Can Threaten Them’ “Frustration is boiling over among rank-and-file House Republicans with leaders’ practice of trying to mollify critics by bestowing plum posts and other perks. The latest example: Speaker Mike Johnson’s appointment of Rep. Scott Perry to the prestigious House Intelligence Committee. ” (Politico)

Marist: Trump Has Narrow Edge on Biden in PA; Casey Leads McCormick in Senate Race. “Former President Donald Trump has a narrow edge over President Joe Biden in a recent Marist College Pennsylvania poll, although the difference remains within the margin of error.” (PoliticsPA)

Could Trump’s Rising Polls in PA Help Push McCormick Over the Top?. “The net result is that, in the weeks after his conviction on felony charges in a Manhattan courthouse, Trump’s margin over Biden has expanded to a 2.3 percent lead. On Thursday, the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics moved Pennsylvania from “leans Democrat” to the “toss up” category. And it’s not just the presidential race.” (DV Journal)

Bresnahan Appears to Question Legitimacy of Matt Cartwright’s 2022 Victory. “Rob Bresnahan shared misinformation about his opponent’s 2022 election victory by seemingly blaming it on a shortage of paper ballots, even though officials stated the shortage did not impact the outcome of the election.” (The Keystone)

State

2. Mifepristone Ruling, DCCC Poll Shows Abortion Is Center Stage In PA-01

“The Supreme Court rejected a challenge to the abortion pill mifepristone on Thursday, meaning the commonly used drug can remain widely available.

The debate over reproductive rights continues to hover over Pennsylvania’s decisions in the 2024 general election. A Gallup poll shows a record-high 32 percent of U.S. voters say they would only vote for a candidate for major office who shares their views on abortion.

This is on display in the 1st Congressional District race between Ashley Ehasz and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick.” (PoliticsPA)

Related

Bill Protecting Contraception In PA Advances In State House. “Legislation protecting access to contraceptives and requiring insurance coverage advanced out of a Pennsylvania House committee this week with unanimous support.” (New Castle News)

Fundraising in PA State Senate and House Races Point to a Dogfight in the General Election. “While the sums involved in state legislative races don’t compare to the battle for the White House, the stakes are high in Harrisburg. Democrats have a one-seat majority in the House, so any race could determine control of the chamber. The gap is wider in the state Senate, but two key battlegrounds are here in Allegheny County.” (WESA Politics)

Social Media Company Rumble Clashes With PA Democrats Over Antisemitism, Defamation Allegations. “One side claims that Rumble is abetting antisemitism. The other counters that Pennsylvania Democrats are using defamatory and false rhetoric in criticism of the company.” (Tribune-Review)

Pennsylvania’s Inadequate Funding Of Public Defenders Is Unconstitutional, ACLU Suit Claims. “Pennsylvania’s public defenders are so underfunded and overburdened that the commonwealth violates the constitutional rights of more than 100,000 criminal defendants every year, the state chapter of American Civil Liberties Union claims in a lawsuit filed Thursday.” (Penn Capital-Star)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Proposal to Eliminate Credit Card Fees On Sales Tax Moves Forward in PA House

“The Pennsylvania House Finance Committee moved forward this week with a bill that would ban credit and debit card transaction fees from being charged on sales tax — a somewhat arcane finance issue that has generated significant pushback from banks and credit processors.

The issue has clear divisions, with retailers who pay electronic transaction fees — called interchange fees — on one side, and the banks and card processors who collect them on the other.

The bill would prohibit interchange fees from being collected on the tax portion of a sale or would require those charges to be reimbursed if they are.” (PennLive)

Related

Fetterman Had Speeding Tickets, Distracted Driving Episodes Before Car Crash. “One violation in March required the senator to attend a driver’s improvement course, one person said.” (Washington Post)

• Fetterman’s Latest Crash Exposes a Spotty Driving Record. (PennLive)

The PA GOP Has Rallied Against Statehood For Puerto Rico. Except When Courting Latino Voters. “During a Trump campaign office opening in Reading this week, the topic wasn’t mentioned until reporters asked.” (Penn Capital-Star)

• PA GOP Blocks Reporter From Trump Campaign Office Opening in Lancaster County. (LNP)

Editorial

4. What’s On Your Mind

• PA GOP Lawmakers Who Booed Capitol Police Officers Were Really Showing Their Disdain For Democracy. (Jenice Armstrong)
• Election Officials Are Heroes. Support Them by Becoming Poll Workers. (Carah Whaley)
• Josh Shapiro Plays To The Middle While Pleasing The Left. (Charles Mitchell)
• The Legislature Should Reject a Different Tax Rate For “Skill Games.” (Ed Rendell)
• Too Many Pennsylvania Pharmacies Are Closing Thanks to PBMs. (Chris Antypas)
• A Feminist Victory — Men Gain Rights To The Ladies Room. (Beth Ann Rosica)
• The Great School Vouchers Debate. (Larry Platt)
• Federal Rules Put Pa.’s Hydrogen Future At Risk. (Luke Bernstein)

1 Thing

5. Thank You – The Old Fashioned Way

“Emily Post would be proud.

A high school class president in Massachusetts who gave a commencement speech wanted to recognize all of his fellow graduates. So he wrote them personal thank-you notes presented at the ceremony — 180 to be exact.

“I wish I could’ve acknowledged you all, but there was simply not enough time,” Mason Macuch of Lakeville said in his June 7 speech. “Instead, I want you to reach under your chairs, where you will find a personal note that I’ve written to each of you as a way to say one final goodbye and thank you for making these years that will soon pass the ‘good ole days.’” (AP)

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