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March 9th Playbook

Vote in Our Reader Poll. McCormick Tops Fox News Poll. Supreme Court Mulls Mail-In Voting Decision. Republican Governors Invest Ad Money, But Not in PA. Protecting Transgender Kids and Their Parents. Funding Rural Internet Expansion. Here is the Playbook.

PA Weather
Philipsburg | Rain/Snow, 36
Palmerton | Rain/Snow, 35
Paoli | Wintry Mix, 36

Pa Sports
76ers | idle
Flyers | defeated Vegas, 2-1
Penguins | lost to Florida, 4-3

News

Reader Poll: Who Should the GOP Nominate for U.S. Senate: It’s your opportunity to tell us what you think.

McCormick Dominates Fox News Poll: Former hedge fund CEO David McCormick was the clear favorite in a Fox News survey of GOP voters conducted March 2-6.

Wolf Backs Federal Gas Tax Holiday: Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf has signed a letter along with five other state chief executives supporting legislation to suspend the federal gas tax until the end of the year.

Republican Governors Association Plans Ad Blitz Sans PA: The Republican Governors Association (RGA) is investing $31.4 million for major TV buys in five states that feature crucial gubernatorial races. Notably, Pennsylvania is not among the five states.

U.S. Supreme Court Allows PA Congressional Map to Stand: In what is seen as a victory for Democrats, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to block orders by courts in Pennsylvania and North Carolina that threw out the congressional maps enacted by the states’ Republican legislatures and replaced them with maps drawn by the trial courts.

‘Mehmet Oz knows TV. Now his GOP opponents are turning Pennsylvania’s airwaves against him.’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “the celebrity doctor’s public profile and wealth powered him to an early lead in the critical Republican Senate primary. Can he withstand a barrage of attack ads?”

‘McSwain wins support for Pa. governor of state GOP delegation from Chester County’: The Daily Local News reports that “members of the Chester County Republican State Committee delegation have decided to endorse the candidacy” of Bill McSwain for Governor. 

‘Dr. Oz brought his show to Palmer Twp. He’s in a wide-open race for Pa. Senate.’: The Express-Times reports that “Mehmet Oz is a Republican running for the seat to be vacated by the Lehigh Valley’s Pat Toomey.”

‘Dems formally launch early, aggressive national campaign effort in Pennsylvania’: WHYY reports that “Democrats in Pennsylvania are trying to make up for an election year filled with political headwinds with a nationally-backed campaign effort, which strategists and political experts say will likely be unprecedented in size, expense, and length.”

‘Mike Pompeo endorses Lisa Scheller in 7th Congressional District race’: City & State PA reports that “as Republicans look to flip U.S. Rep. Susan Wild’s congressional seat this fall, Republican challenger Lisa Scheller could enter the general election with a major boost: the support of former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. On Tuesday, Pompeo endorsed Scheller, a Lehigh Valley businesswoman, touting her conservative credentials and framing this year’s election as a critical chance to flip control of the U.S. House of Representatives.”

‘Allegheny County Republican chair DeMarco to run for Congress in 17th District’: WESA reports that “Sam DeMarco, the top Republican official in Allegheny County, has officially filed paperwork to run for Congress in Democrat Conor Lamb’s old district.”

‘Lycoming County woman seeking Democratic nomination in 9th Congressional District race’: The Citizens Voice reports that “Lycoming County resident Amanda Waldman announced her candidacy Tuesday for the Democratic nomination to represent the 9th Congressional District.”

‘Gov. Wolf calls for federal gas tax ‘holiday’ as prices soar’: WHYY reports that “Governor Tom Wolf joined the governors of five other states Tuesday announcing support for a so-called federal gas tax holiday as sanctions on Russian oil drive up prices.”

‘Pa. House Republicans call for gas drilling on state lands to end reliance on foreign sources’: PennLive reports that “House Republican lawmakers are calling on Gov. Tom Wolf to end the moratorium on natural gas drilling on state lands as part of a multi-pronged agenda for leading Pennsylvania and the United States toward energy independence.”

‘Pa. Supreme Court mulls decision after 3 hours of arguments over no-excuse, mail-in voting’: PennLive reports that “the state Supreme Court on Tuesday heard arguments regarding the constitutionality of a 2019 law that paved the way for an expansion of mail-in voting in Pennsylvania, a year ahead of the 2020 election.”

‘Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg speaks with 69 News about funding for LANTA, skyrocketing fuel costs’: WFMZ reports that “on the day the Biden administration announced a ban on Russian energy imports, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg sat down with 69 News as he announced funding for LANTA.”

‘Rep. Wild talks about the situation on the ground after visit to Poland-Ukraine border’: WFMZ reports that “Lehigh Valley Congresswoman Susan Wild returned from a bipartisan trip to Poland to offer humanitarian support and assess the needs of the Ukrainian people.”

‘In a big year, here’s how Pa.’s progressive groups are making their presence felt | Analysis’: The Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports that “with the 2022 midterm elections just months away, progressive organizations across the commonwealth say they hope to influence public policy and legislation ranging from the environment, housing, gun violence, health care, gift bans, equitable pay, food and water quality protections, fracking, and voters’ rights legislation.”

‘Court to hear closing arguments in landmark school funding trial’: The Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports that “after four months and more than 14,000 pages of testimony from nearly 40 witnesses, a landmark trial that could change how Pennsylvania pays for public education comes to an end this week.”

‘Pa. lawmaker pushes bill to protect transgender kids and their parents: How it works’: USA Today reports that “fearing that Republicans in Harrisburg would soon follow southern steps to roll back the rights of transgender children, their parents and medical providers, state Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, decided to take a preemptive strike against what he sees as a disturbing trend.”

‘Plan to end Pennsylvania’s state-run liquor store monopoly gets some opposition in Philadelphia’: WHYY reports that “an effort to eliminate Pennsylvania’s state-run liquor monopoly through a constitutional amendment is already running into roadblocks, even before the question is on the ballot.”

‘State lawmakers call for bridge funding as PennDOT releases new Fern Hollow design’: WESA reports that “Pennsylvania’s House Democratic Policy Committee met in Pittsburgh Tuesday to discuss bridge and infrastructure funding in the aftermath of the Fern Hollow Bridge’s Jan. 28 collapse.” 

Legislative Election Updates

‘Reading councilwoman running for Pennsylvania House seat’: The Reading Eagle reports that “Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz is seeking the Democratic nomination for the 129th District.”

Regional Spotlight: Southwest
Altoona Mirror: Second Amendment sanctuary: Residents want court to address violations
Tribune Review: Former state representative from Apollo stumps for lieutenant governor
Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh’s 21 bridges in poor condition slated for additional inspections, Mayor Ed Gainey says 
WESA: Pittsburgh councilor proposes tax on higher education and medical services to fund infrastructure
WESA: Pittsburgh ranks #2 for the growth of its ‘creative class,’ and the boom may be just beginning
Tribune Review: Pittsburgh City Council proposal would require mayor to make sure budget proposals are legal
City Paper: John Fetterman in Failure to Launch 
City Paper: Alliance for Police Accountability joins Mik Pappas in calls against DA’s office 
City Paper: County police announces, then abruptly cancels vehicle report card program
Post-Gazette: Downtown rally for abortion rights marks International Women’s Day
Post-Gazette: Allegheny County Jail employees union calls for warden’s removal, citing lack of staffing and safety 
Post-Gazette: Capitol rioter from Mount Pleasant who bragged he’d ‘do it again’ asks for probation; feds want jail 
Tribune Review: Pennsylvania to receive ‘hundreds of millions’ to help fund rural internet expansion
KDKA: ‘Fight For What’s Right:’ Mayor Ed Gainey Among Those Supporting Starbucks Unionization Push
KDKA: Mayor Ed Gainey Proclaims Aaron Donald Day In Pittsburgh
Observer-Reporter: KDKA-TV political analyst Delano outlines state of Pennsylvania politics in Chamber talk
Observer-Reporter: Fatal drug overdoses increased last year in Greene County

Opinion  
Bill McSwain: Supervised heroin injection sites are a threat to Pennsylvania
Matthew Stepp: Ukraine crisis time to pivot to renewable energy
Johanna Murphy: Want to fix that worker shortage? Pa.’s autistic, neurodiverse residents are ready
Jon Geeting: Run for Office in Philly 
Paul Muschick: Pennsylvania students’ lousy test scores: Should we panic? 
Wayne Campbell: Is solar energy a threat to farming?
J.P. Romney: What Is The Ward System in Philly? 
John L. Micek: Dem dark money group to target Trump lawyers in ads in Pa., elsewhere | Tuesday Morning Coffee
John L. Micek: With Ukraine War, Republicans get religion on democracy 
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Oakland Crossings deal is a win for Mayor Ed Gainey
LNP | LancasterOnline Editorial Board: In an injection of common sense, judge shuts down nurse’s lawsuit over mandatory flu vaccine
Sylvia Neely: Vladmir Putin may be saving us from global warming 
Gene Therapy: Can we just go back to Trump lying about ‘The Apprentice’?
Chris Freind: Sanctions on Russian oil are a gas – and only hurt America
Lisa Haver: Waiting for a new superintendent is the wrong approach to fixing Philly schools 
Joan Maya Mazelis: Paying for child care shouldn’t be this hard 
Inga Saffron: The next dangerous roadway Philly redesigns needs to avoid the Washington Ave. missteps
Trudy Rubin: No ‘no-fly zone’? Then NATO must find another way to protect Ukraine’s skies. 
Michael Coard: Will the U.S. Supreme Court ever get around to overruling the shame of Dred Scott?

3 Responses

  1. Oz is really struggling to fight back against McCormick. This is big leagues Oz. They ain’t gonna hand squat to you. Spending $10 million of your own is a great start but look what they are spending in AZ with Mark Kelly being a fundraising superstar. Unless he gets tough and takes on McCormick Oz will lose to McCormick. I don’t think Fetterman will be as tentative in his responses.

  2. McCormick needs to spice up his campaign with some more racism for most GOP voters.

  3. I don’t care how you vote, in person or by mail. Just be sure to vote Dem.

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    • Yes. It's a national security risk. (60%)
    • No. It's an app used by millions and poses no threat. (40%)
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    Total Voters: 30

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