March 20th: Making a Comeback

Hi, Wednesday. There was no winner in last night’s MegaMillions drawing. The jackpot is now at $977 million.

PA Weather


Erie | Snow Showers, 35


Harrisburg | Chance of Showers, 55


Wilkes-Barre | Showers, 43

PA Sports


Sixers (38-30) | Wed vs. Phoenix


Flyers (35-26-8) | Toronto 4-3 | Thu vs. Carolina


Penguins (30-30-8) | New Jersey 2-5 | Fri vs. Dallas


Duquesne (NCAA MBB) | Thu vs. (6) BYU, 12:40 p.m.


Drexel (NCAA WBB) | Fri vs. (1) Texas, 3 p.m.

What’s Happening Today
The House and the Senate convenes at 11 a.m.

What We’re Hearing
“As the birthplace of American democracy, it’s time to offer our residents and our communities across the Commonwealth more options to vote safely and conveniently.” – House Speaker Joanna McClinton

Pennsylvania Political Headlines In Your Inbox Daily
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Top Story

1. Trump Claims 2024 Will Be Rigged, Putting Republican Turnout at Risk

“After making years of unfounded claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him, Donald Trump is dialing up warnings that there could be an even bigger theft this time around, a tactic that threatens to complicate Republican turnout efforts.

“Too Big to Rig.” That is the phrase Trump began unveiling in recent weeks, including in an appearance in Greensboro, N.C. His campaign also has printed signs with the slogan to hand out to supporters. The idea behind the pitch is this: Trump needs a lead so large that no one can take it away.” (Wall Street Journal)

Related

PA Republicans Announce Well-Funded Push To Get Their Supporters To Vote By Mail. “Pennsylvania Republicans on Tuesday launched an effort to get their voters to cast mail-in ballots in an effort to reduce a Democratic advantage that has helped flip the swing state blue in recent elections.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

The Viral ‘Bloodbath’ Clip And The Rise Of The Liberal Video Influencer. “The day before the State of the Union, the Biden administration hosted a group of social media influencers to talk strategy. They got a preview of the speech, embargoed until it was delivered; they talked with White House strategist Anita Dunn and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff about the president’s agenda.” (Semafor)

A Bellwether Pennsylvania Factory Town Is Wary of Bidenomics. “Northampton County in Pennsylvania has been shaped by its industrial past. Yet even here the president’s bid to spur manufacturing is not without its critics.” (Bloomberg)

Pennsylvania Republican Profited From China Trade Policies He Helped Shape. “As a top Treasury official in the George W. Bush administration, David McCormick worked to expand U.S. financial firms’ access to China.” (HuffPost)

PA-12 Primary Hits The Airwaves, With Lee And Patel Releasing First Ads. “The Democratic Party race for Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional district between incumbent U.S. Rep. Summer Lee (D-Allegheny) and Edgewood Councilmember Bhavini Patel has hit the airwaves in western Pennsylvania.” (Penn Capital-Star)

State

2. Young People Don’t Want To Farm Anymore. Can PA Change Their Minds?

“Tucked among rows of prize-winning mushrooms and squash, heirloom chickens and a milkshake stand, the Pennsylvania Farm Show has in recent years offered a new exhibit: “So you want to be a farmer?”

Across the country, legions of young people have emphatically answered “no” to that question, instead choosing more lucrative desk jobs that come with vacation time and 401(K) plans. But not in Pennsylvania, where members of a new generation are trading in keyboards for tractors at higher rates than in other states.” (POLITICO)

Related

McClinton Proposes New Voting Options For Eligible PA Voters. “Could same-day voter registration and early voting be coming to Pennsylvania? If House Speaker Joanna McClinton has her way, the answer is yes.” (PoliticsPA)

PA Black Maternal Health Caucus Introduces Momnibus Bills. “The Pennsylvania Black Maternal Health Caucus announced a package of eight legislative bills on Tuesday – the Momnibus.” (PoliticsPA)

Memo: State Legislative Elections Will Determine Abortion Policy. “Democratic down-ballot campaigns will make state reproductive health issues their cornerstone issue during this election cycle, according to a memo shared first with CQ Roll Call on Wednesday.” (CQ-Roll Call)

Republicans Advance Bill That Would Eliminate Election Dropboxes In PA. “A state Senate committee on Tuesday approved a bill that would ban dropboxes and satellite election offices where voters can turn in their mail-in ballots rather than relying on the Post Office.” (PennLive)

Appeals Court Allows Whistleblower Lawsuit Against PA GOP Caucus. “A whistleblower lawsuit filed by the former chief of staff for state Rep. Eric Davanzo can proceed, Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court has ruled.” (Tribune-Review)

PA Senate Passes Non-Binding Resolution In Support Of Sending National Guard to Texas. “The Pennsylvania Senate, at least its Republican members, want Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to know if they had their way the Pennsylvania National Guard would be on their way to help secure the border with Mexico.” (PennLive)

Around The Commonwealth

3. PA Election 2024: How Much The Democratic And Republican Attorney General Candidates Have Raised

“In wide-open primary races for Pennsylvania attorney general, campaign finance reports show the Republican establishment is largely rallying around one candidate while donors are still spreading their cash out among the five Democratic hopefuls.

The top prosecutor’s job is often seen as a springboard to higher office. Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro was attorney general, as was former Republican Gov. Tom Corbett. The donor names in the current candidates’ campaign finance reports reflect the prestige of the role.” (Spotlight PA)

Related

How Mayor Parker is Changing The Conversation On Philly’s Tax Structure. “In Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s $6.29 billion budget proposal, all city tax rates would remain unchanged, marking a notable change from how past mayors have handled wage and business taxes.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Politics Should Not Thwart Nippon Steel’s Plan To Buy U.S. Steel. “Politics should not intervene in private business transactions without just cause. That is why ongoing efforts in America to block Nippon Steel’s acquisition of U.S. Steel raise serious concerns.” (Nikkei Asia)

Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato Delivers First Quarterly Address To County Council. “The Chief Executive summarized her administration’s accomplishments and plans for the future, as she nears her first 100 days in office.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Lancaster County Commissioners To Vote On ‘Non-Sanctuary’ Resolution. “Lancaster County’s three commissioners split along party lines Tuesday over a proposed resolution that would label the county as “non-sanctuary” and would call on Lancaster city to repeal an ordinance passed last month that prevents city officials and staff from looking into an individual’s legal immigration status without direct orders from state or federal officials.” (LNP)

Survey: Energy Affordability a Top Priority for PA Voters. “Energy affordability remains a top priority for Pennsylvania voters leading up to the November elections, according to a new survey from the Commonwealth Foundation.” (PoliticsPA)

Editorial

4. What’s On Your Mind

• Crippling LNG Would Be A Political Blunder Biden Can’t Afford in PA. (Jason Altmire)
• Want to Know Who Will Win In Biden Vs. Trump? Listen To Rural Voters In Erie County, PA. (Tom Eddy)
• It’s Time To Start Taking Trump At His Word. (Pete Sirianni)
• We’ll Get Different Candidates Only When We Change The Voting Rules. (John A. Tures)
• Pennsylvania’s Regulatory System Is Hurting Farmers And Needs To Be Overhauled. (Reps. Jamie Barton, Michael Stender, and Bud Cook)
• Bizzarro Touts House Bipartisanship, Action, Counters ‘Cut-And-Paste Junk Mail’ Attack Ads. (Rep. Ryan Bizzarro)
• Suburban Women Are Being Displaced From The Pro-Life Movement. (Liv DeMarco)

1 Thing

5. When It Comes To Sports Fandoms, Young People Keep It Casual

“In a country where some people devote entire seasons of their lives to rooting for their hometown teams, younger generations may be more inclined to watch from afar.

In partnership with Morning Brew, Generation Lab surveyed a representative sample of 1,073 people aged 18–29 about their interests in sports. Just 23% of respondents identify as die-hard sports fans, compared with 35% who aren’t fans at all and 42% who are fans in social settings.

Big picture: The results show what the next era of sports fandom might look like—and it could be one tied far more closely to specific athletes than to regional rivalries. (Morning Brew)

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