🤠 Howdy Wednesday. How ‘bout that Aaron Nola

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🌤️ Meadville | Partly Sunny, 59
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⚾ Phillies (2-0) | Arizona 10-0 | Wed vs. Arizona
🏒 Penguins (2-1-0) | Wed vs. Detroit
🏒 Flyers (2-1-0) | Vancouver 2-0 | Thu vs. Edmonton

What We’re Hearing
Add another name to the PA-10 Democratic field as John Broadhurst files his statement of candidacy.

What’s Happening Today
The House will convene at 11 a.m., while the Senate convenes at 1 p.m.

Happy Birthday
Cake and candles for Jordan Cox of Rep. Guy Reschenthaler’s office

The Best Political News In The Keystone State
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Top Story

1. Kelly Is The Lone PA Republican To Vote Against Jordan On First Vote

“All but one member of Pennsylvania’s Republican congressional delegation backed Rep. Jim Jordan for speaker of the House of Representatives in an initial vote Tuesday. Jordan fell short of the votes needed to fill the vacant speaker seat, but additional voting rounds could come as Republicans try to lock down a leader.

Rep. Mike Kelly of Butler County voted for Rep. Steve Scalise in the first round of voting. Kelly, 75, has been in Congress since 2011 and represents the northwesternmost part of the state. He shares similar politics with Jordan, who is an ally of former President Donald Trump’s and was a leader in the election denialism of 2020. But Kelly had said from the get-go that he would not back Jordan, insisting that Scalise, who took himself out of contention for the speakership after losing in a vote last week, was the best choice.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

• A PA Congressman Proposes A Temporary Speaker And Votes Against Jim Jordan. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Related

Meet The Lehigh Valley Millionaire Who Tried To Help Donald Trump Overturn The 2020 Election. “Bill Bachenberg isn’t a household name in Pennsylvania, but in the world of MAGA Republicans and 2020 election deniers, he could be the most influential man you’ve never heard about.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Chris Deluzio Ramped Up His Fundraising In Western PA’s Only Competitive House Race. “U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, Western Pennsylvania’s only endangered House member, ratcheted up his fundraising in the last three months, bringing his total to more than $1 million and banking four times more than his two Republican opponents combined.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

CLF Poll Indicates Choppy Waters Ahead For Biden, Cartwright. “In a poll of 400 likely voters in Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District, the numbers indicate some choppy waters ahead for President Joe Biden and Congressman Matt Cartwright (D-08).” (PoliticsPA)

Abortion Ban Advocates Rally For Carluccio’s Supreme Court Bid. “Thousands of anti-abortion advocates filled the steps of the Pennsylvania state capitol for the annual March for Life demonstration.” (The Keystone)

Democratic Judge Says Abortion Is Defining Issue In Pennsylvania Supreme Court Race. “‘In Pennsylvania, we elect judges, and people have a right to know where you stand on those issues,’ Daniel McCaffery said.” (The American Independent)

State

2. Proposals Would End PA’s Closed Primary System By Opening It Up To Unaffiliated Voters

“Proposals to let independent voters cast ballots in party nomination primaries passed a Pennsylvania House of Representatives committee Tuesday, raising the prospect that changes could pass and take effect in time for next year’s presidential contest.

The measures would allow independent voters to choose which political party primary they want to vote in. One of the two bills would also allow third party voters to vote in major party primaries if their party did not receive enough votes to be considered an official party.” (AP)

Related

Proposals To Include Independents In Primaries Advance In House. “The House State Government Committee approved two measures on Tuesday that would end closed primaries in Pennsylvania. Both bills now advance to the full House for consideration.” (PoliticsPA)

PA Primary Scheduling Saga Lands On April 16 Proposal. “State House lawmakers on Tuesday proposed moving Pennsylvania’s presidential primary a week earlier to April 16 in the latest effort to find a date for the election that doesn’t conflict with a religious holiday. ” (Penn Capital-Star)

So Far, Republicans Gain Most From Automatic Voter Registration. “Headline: So far, Republicans gain most from automatic voter registration. It’s been one month since Pennsylvania implemented automatic voter registration, and early results show three times as many Republicans have used the system to register compared to Democrats.” (WITF)

Munley Confirmed As U.S. District Judge For Middle District. “Judge Julia K. Munley, the daughter of former federal judge James Munley, will fill her father’s old seat on the court.” (PoliticsPA)

RNC Teams With PA GOP To Launch ‘Bank Your Vote’ Campaign. “That was then. This is now. After complaining for the last two election cycles about “unfairness” and “problems” surrounding mail-in voting, the Republican National Committee (RNC) has seen the light and trained its sights on the Keystone State.” (PoliticsPA)

PA Senators Say Book Bill Empowers Parents, Doesn’t Ban Content. “Senate Bill 7 from state Sen. Ryan Aument is a reintroduction from a bill he sponsored last session. It would require school officials to ensure no books or educational materials contain sexually explicit passages or imagery, specifically for grades kindergarten through eighth.” (CNHI News)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Judges, Schools, Trash Rates And Monster Warehouses: This Local Election Has Everything

“It’s local government year at the ballot box, and there’s literally something for everyone in the upcoming general election, with a ballot devoted to state and local judgeships, county commissioners races, and local government and school board seats.” (PennLive)

• Voters’ Guide: Meet Central Pa.’s 2023 General Election Candidates. (PennLive)

Related

2023 Pennsylvania General Election Guide: The Races, The Candidates, How To Vote, And Everything Else You Need To Know. “Allegheny County voters will choose their next county executive on Nov. 7, but that’s not all. Voters will also elect a new district attorney, county treasurer, County Council members, and judges, while some Pittsburgh residents will have City Council members on their ballots.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Which PA Counties Are Receiving The Most Opioid Settlement Money — And Why. “Payments for general county government and county district attorney offices equaled about $6.50 per resident across the state for 2022. But payments varied by county — from a low of $1.13 per resident in Centre County to a high of $23.23 per resident in Cameron County.” (Spotlight PA)

Mailing of 400 Duplicate York County Ballots Stemmed From Clerical Error, Official Says. “York County elections officials began the process Tuesday of notifying 400 voters that they’d received duplicate mail-in ballots due to what they described as a clerical error.” (York Dispatch)

Ballot Replacements Sent Out In Bedford County Over Error. “About 2,100 absentee and mail-in ballots contained an error with a party affiliation, Debra Brown, chief clerk/director of elections said, noting one of the candidates had cross-filed on both the Republican and Democratic ticket but the ballots sent out only referenced one party.” (Altoona Mirror)

Lycoming County Commissioner Candidates Try To Balance Spending Cuts, Mental Health Needs, Other Priorities. “Property taxes and county spending are issues that weigh on the minds of Lycoming County voters. They weigh on the minds of candidates for commissioner as well.” (Williamsport Sun-Gazette)

Editorial

4. What They’re Saying

• Gov. Shapiro’s Handling Of Sexual Harassment Claim Against Senior Aide Is A Disappointing Misjudgment. (LNP)
• What Pennsylvania Needs To Do To Create Growth And Jobs. (Mark Muro and Robert Maxim)
• All Pennsylvanians Should Be Troubled By The Commonwealth’s Approach To The Office Of Child Advocate. (Anthony Simpson and Cathleen Palm)
• Bipartisan Call To Get Cyber Charter Reform Done In PA. (Lawrence Feinberg and Rob Gleason)
• The Disenfranchisement of Students. (McKenzie Huff, Christopher Haddix and Gavin Hall)
• Capitalists Please Rise. (John Kennedy)
• Struggle To Shift Date Of 2024 Presidential Primary Another Example Of Dysfunction In Harrisburg. (LNP)
• Lousy Legislators Are To Blame For Pennsylvania’s Problems. (Jill Sunday Bartoli)
• PA School Funding Reforms Shortchange Districts Like Erie, Lawmakers Must Act. (Brian Polito)

1 Weighty Thing

5. “Kevin Bacon” On The Lam

“Chelsea Rumbaugh was on the hunt for Kevin Bacon just before midnight Tuesday, set up in a barn in Gettysburg, with a buffet ready to lure him in.

The Rumbaugh family isn’t going to jump the Hollywood actor in their barn. We aren’t talking about ‘that’ Kevin Bacon. Instead, this Kevin Bacon — Gettysburg’ Kevin Bacon — is one handful of a pig.”

Now Kevin has escaped and the owners are asking for your help in locating the 200-pound porker with the great name. (PennLive)

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