Good Thursday morning. Happy National Cheesesteak Day. The coming storm in the PA Democratic Senate primary. Biden asks Oz to step down from Council. Oz tweaks McCormick in new ad. LCB reverses decision on CBD. Here is the Playbook.

PA Weather
St. Mary’s | Isolated showers, then mostly cloudy, 57
Shamokin | Cloudy, 55
Springfield | Showers likely, 62

PA Sports
76ers | d. LA Lakers, 126-121; FRI at LA Clippers
Flyers | tonight at St. Louis; FRI at Colorado
Penguins | lost to Buffalo, 4-3 (SO); FRI at NY Rangers
Villanova MBB | tonight vs. Michigan

News

Announced Candidates for the PA General Assembly. Our list of who has announced their candidacy and submitted their nomination petitions for the PA General Assembly.

PA Supreme Court Backs Dominion Voting Systems: It was a good day in court for Dominion Voting Systems as the Denver, Colorado-based company won an appeal in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

The Coming Storm in the PA Democratic Senate Primary: The Penn Progress super PAC is warning potential donors to Conor Lamb’s campaign that he trails John Fetterman by 30 points. Does this signal a change in tactics in the coming days?

PA Senate Race: ‘How Pa. teachers’ pensions fit into the feud between Oz, McCormick’: The Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports that “Pennsylvania’s $72 billion teacher pension fund and its investment strategies are at the center of a new war of words between GOP Senate hopefuls Mehmet Oz and David McCormick.”

• City & State PA: Dr. Oz taunts, parodies David McCormick in new ‘Always Sunny’-themed campaign ad
• Jewish Insider: Oz defends dual Turkish citizenship and shift on fracking. 
• City & State PA: A Q&A with U.S. Senate hopeful Carla Sands
• The Hill: Biden asks Herschel Walker and Mehmet Oz to quit council or be ousted

PA Governor Race: ‘GOP governor candidates take magic wand approach to fix one thing in Pennsylvania’: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “the task of stuffing the numerous Republican gubernatorial contenders into one camera frame continued to prove difficult on Wednesday at a business forum, but voters were able to pinpoint some easy differences between the candidates with one quirky question.”

• WFMZ: Business Matters – Election 2022 – Meet the Candidates: Guests: Lou Barletta (R) – Candidate for PA Governor; Jeff Bartos (R) – Candidate for PA Senate
• Inquirer: A Pa. politics geography lesson | Election Newsletter

‘State legislative races take shape after redistricting delay’: The Associated Press reports that “a scramble to collect enough signatures over just a week and a half to make it onto the primary ballot began over the weekend, kicking off what is certain to be a year of political change in the Pennsylvania Legislature.”

‘Some experts want Pennsylvania lawmakers to rethink temporary gas tax cuts’: WITF reports that “Gene Barr, the President of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry said his association sees the Republican-led gas tax cut idea as “thoughtful,” but adds lawmakers should be wary of any unintended consequences it could produce.”

‘Candidate Withdraws From Congressional Race’: Levittown Now reports that “Dasha Pruett, a resident of the Drexel Hill section of Upper Darby Township, withdrew her candidacy Tuesday, according to a filing with the Pennsylvania Department of State.”

‘Cartwright calls for legislation to reduce prescription drug costs’: The Scranton Times-Tribune reports that “U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright recognized the 12th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act at a news conference Wednesday and stressed the need for more legislation to reduce prescription drug costs.”

‘Hundreds of Philly’s elected leaders didn’t vote last year, and others don’t live where they say they do’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “of the 3,000 Democratic committeepeople elected in 2018, at least 10% haven’t themselves voted since the 2020 general election — or even longer, according to an Inquirer analysis of committeeperson data and voter records.”

‘Pa. gets over $100 million in additional Ida aid, as dozens of families remain displaced by the storm’: WHYY reports that “more money is coming to Pennsylvania to help residents recover from the devastation that  remnants of Hurricane Ida brought to the state just over six months ago.”

‘Pa. auditor general to close school audit bureau, says it’s a way to ‘maximize our resources’’: PennLive reports that “the auditor general is transferring the responsibility for conducting these audits back to the state Department of Education where it rested until about 30 years ago.”

‘Pennsylvania police agencies sending body armor to Ukraine’: The Associated Press reports that “the Pennsylvania State Police and the state Capitol Police are donating used body armor to efforts in Ukraine to deliver humanitarian aid amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, state officials said Wednesday.” 

‘Pennsylvania liquor board reverses decision on CBD edibles’: The Associated Press reports that “the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board on Wednesday reversed decisions from last year and said it will not allow beer and wine licensees to sell edible products containing the marijuana extract called CBD.”

‘DEP looks to add 40 staff to oversee water programs’: StateImpactPA reports that “lawmakers in Harrisburg have wrapped up budget hearings and are now working on a spending plan for the next fiscal year.”

Legislative Election Updates
‘Former Harrisburg city council candidate switches parties to seek GOP nomination in 103rd Pa. House seat’: PennLive reports that “Jennie Jenkins-Dallas, the former Harrisburg police officer who has made several attempts at city office as a Democrat in recent years, said Wednesday that she will run for the Republican Party nomination for the newly-redrawn state House seat that covers her Uptown Harrisburg neighborhood plus several West Shore communities.”

Regional Spotlight: Northeast
Citizens Voice: Yudichak says he did not try to influence Luzerne County manager vote 
The Times Leader: Luzerne County Election Board votes to keep ballot drop boxes 
The Times Leader: Wilkes-Barre Council calls for spending $6 million of pandemic relief funds 
The Times Leader: Funding announced for more than 55 NEPA road and bridge projects 
The Times Leader: Study aims to get passenger rail back on track for Wilkes-Barre
Times-Tribune: Unemployment in region at 6.2% in January 
Times-Tribune: Baker applauds passage of Violence Against Women’s Act
Times-Tribune: Lackawanna reassessment vendor has experience, but communication may be key
Times-Tribune: How did a Pennsylvania county commissioner get her own key to the county prison?
Times-Tribune: Last-minute process to secure insurance brokerage services prompts Scranton City Council’s frustration
Citizens Voice: Political Scene 3/24/22

Opinion  
John Baer: Pennsylvania’s GOP primary for governor is the incredible shrinking race 
Salena Zito: Why ex-hedge funder Dave McCormick is beating Dr. Oz in US Senate run
Neil Weaver: Businesses buzzing about potential corporate net income tax cut
Brian Fitzpatrick and Ashley Klingensmith: Congress must protect the future of medicine
Patty Kim: As prices rise at the pumps, it’s time to raise the minimum wage
Paul Muschick: Pennsylvania has new charter school regulations. They don’t go far enough 
Paul Muschick: How people are trying to profit from deaths of two Pennsylvania state troopers
Mark O’Keefe: Will Pa. ever get serious about property tax reform? 
Andrew Cuff: Watchdogs Focus on Pennsylvania Local Government
John Scott: State-sponsored retirement savings programs could be a lifeline for US workers
John L. Micek: Does the GOP want to repeal Obamacare? Take them literally and seriously | Wednesday Morning Coffee
Charles D. Ellison and Mark Gleason: City Council issues too many honorifics, not enough change-making legislation 
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: In Bowers case, the death penalty will prolong, not serve, justice
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: The art world Andrew Warhola created
Stephen Flemming: Starting high schools at 9 a.m. is a bad idea 
Bethany Watson-Ostrowski and Lyle Beckwith: Should we stop changing clocks twice a year? | Pro/Con
Erin Kelly: Running on fumes and fury: As COVID restrictions roll back, my kid still can’t get vaccinated | Expert Opinion
Tiffany Wilson: Keeping Mothers – And Their Babies – Alive 
Sharon J. Davis: How River Pointe Logistics Center could hurt the Delaware Water Gap
Katie Lockwood and Lori Handy: There will always be germs. Let your kid go to the birthday party. | Expert Opinion