March 29th: Pressure

It’s Good Friday. For those who celebrate, have a Happy Easter weekend.

PA Weather


Girard | Sunny, 44


Mount Union | Sunny, 54


Havertown | Sunny, Breezy, 55

PA Sports


Sixers (39-34) | Fri vs. Cleveland


Flyers (36-28-10) | Montreal 1-4 | Sat vs. Chicago


Penguins (32-30-10) | Columbus 3-2 | Sat vs. Columbus


Pirates (1-0) | Miami 6-5 (12) | Fri-Sun vs. Miami


Phillies (0-0) | Fri-Sun vs. Atlanta

Happy Birthday
Cake and candles for Sen. Sharif Street and Rep. Joshua Kail (Fri.) and Sen. Joe Pittman and Rep. Bridget Kosierowski (Sun.).

Pennsylvania Political Headlines In Your Inbox Daily
Did you know that the PoliticsPA Playbook reaches over 7,200 subscribers? Add your name to the list and we’ll deliver all today’s PA political headlines in an easy-to-read email format by 8 AM. And it’s free. Subscribe now.

Top Story

1. TikTok Targets Pennsylvania With Ad Campaign Ahead Of Senate Vote, Putting Pressure On Bob Casey

“TikTok has launched a campaign aimed at pressuring senators from Pennsylvania and other battleground states as the U.S. Senate weighs a bill that seeks to force a sale of the Chinese-based social media platform.

The company’s new ad highlights the broad groups of people who use the app, from a rancher to a teacher and a nun. Pennsylvania is one of eight states where the ad will air after TikTok reserved $2.1 million of television ad space, according to a CNBC report that cited data from AdImpact.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Related

Ad Watch: Casey, McCormick Unveil First TV Spots. “In what certainly will be the first of many, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr. and Republican challenger Dave McCormick both hit the airwaves with campaign ads this week.” (PoliticsPA)

John Fetterman Is Setting the Tone for Bob Casey’s Reelection. “Bob Casey and John Fetterman are one of the Senate’s signature odd couples. Casey’s Republican opponent is trying to create a wedge between them.” (Notus)

Meuser: ‘Outrageous’ for Biden to Promise Feds Will Pay For Baltimore Bridge. “Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Pa.) criticized President Biden on Thursday for pledging that the federal government will pay for the replacement of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, which collapsed earlier this week after it was struck by a container ship, killing six people.” (The Hill)

Federal Appeals Court Bans Counting of Undated PA Mail Ballots. “A Pennsylvania case could be headed to the U.S. Supreme Court after the 3rd Circuit District Court of Appeals said mail-in ballots that are not dated on the outside envelope by the voter should not be counted, even if they arrive at a county election office on time.” (PoliticsPA)

Largest Pennsylvania Police Union Leaders Tell Senate to ‘Oppose’ Biden Judicial Nominee. “The walls appear to be closing in for President Joe Biden’s chances to name the first Muslim American judge to a lifetime position on a federal appeals court.” (Washington Examiner)

State

2. Elections 101: What To Know About Poll Watchers, And What They Can And Can’t Do In Pennsylvania

“As the 2024 election heats up, voters in Pennsylvania may hear candidates talk about poll watchers. Appointed by candidates or political parties, poll watchers are permitted to observe polling place setup, the voting process, and the counting of ballots.

Poll watchers are a longstanding feature of elections in Pennsylvania and around the country, and both major parties use them to guard against malfeasance. But in 2020 they became the subject of mass scrutiny as former President Donald Trump made multiple false or misleading claims about them.” (Spotlight PA)

Related

Let’s Hire An Attorney General. “The Citizen held its latest Ultimate Job Interview Monday for the state’s most important election. See what you missed, learn about the candidates — and vote.” (Philadelphia Citizen)

Pricey Billboard Campaign Promoting Little-Known PA State Agency Draws Questions. “The Office of State Inspector General has begun a pilot $240,000 marketing campaign to raise awareness of its mission, although it has some questioning whether the message it chose is getting the job done.” (PennLive)

PA’s Minimum Wage Battle Is Being Led By Philly And Its Suburbs, With Officials Fighting For $15 Per Hour. “With new leadership in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties, there’s a new spirit of collaboration. And they’re using it to pressure the state to raise the minimum wage.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Pennsylvania Game Commission Head Questioned About Running Side Business on State Time. “Rep. David Maloney, R-Berks, asked Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans about his business, Bryan Burhans LLC, during a March 20 hearing of the House Game and Fisheries Committee.” (Lancaster Farming)

From On-Deck to Down-Ballot: A History of PA Ballplayers Turned Politicos. “Here are some of Pennsylvania’s most notable baseball players-turned- politicians. From five-tool outfielders to five-term lawmakers, they’ve got our vote as all-star double threats. ” (City & State)

Around The Commonwealth

3. PA House Tackles Child Welfare, Crowns A State Candy, And Axes An Old Law On Bridge Safety

“In its second week back in session after the winter break, the Pennsylvania House of representatives passed 18 pieces of legislation ranging from updates to the laws that allow county governments to function to outlawing purchase, sale, and production of “ghost guns.”

Here’s a look at some of the legislation that will be waiting for the state Senate when it returns for a bicameral session week on April 8.” (Penn Capital-Star)

Related

This Week in Pennsylvania Politics: Surprising Polls, Ground Games, And Mail-In Ballots. “A lot of political coverage focuses on things that can be measured, such as poll results or fundraising totals, even if it’s unclear how important they are. It’s harder to assess the strength of a good ground game or a candidate’s work ethic, but those matter, too.” (WESA Politics)

All Three of John Fetterman’s Top Communications Staffers Have Resigned In The Last Month. “Two staffers are leaving for more progressive political jobs. Fetterman has recently made a big deal of denouncing that ever-nebulous political label.” (Philadelphia Inquirer Clout)

Kitchen Table Politics: Malcolm Kenyatta. “On the first episode of the relaunched Kitchen table Politics Podcast, Ari Mittleman sits down with State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta for a discussion on his run for Auditor General, trends in Philadelphia turnout, enthusiasm among black voters and his travel outside of Pennsylvania on behalf of the Biden-Harris campaign.” (Broad + Liberty)

Commonwealth Secretary Stops in Region. “Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt toured two election bureaus in Northeastern Pennsylvania.He’s visiting every election director in every county to learn how the state can support the offices.” (WVIA)

Editorial

4. What’s On Your Mind

• It’s Time for PA to Send the National Guard to Texas Border. (Sen. Doug Mastriano)
• It’s The Year Of School Choice, As Is Every Year To Follow. (Stephen Bloom)
• We Rejected ‘America First’ in the 1930s. Will We Now? (Robert Kagan)
• The Coming Electricity Crisis. (Wall Street Journal)
• Eclipse Puts Erie In The Shadow Of The Moon, Fingers Crossed For A Moving Celestial Show. (Dean Miskovich)

1 Baseball Thing

5. Opening Day

There’s a reason baseball’s annual season kickoff draws excitement from coast to coast.

It’s a new beginning — and the unofficial start of summer.

Why it matters: Watching sports is good for the soul. Attending live sporting events boosts our wellbeing and lessens feelings of loneliness, according to one study.

Opening Day — and the buzz around it — captures that phenomenon.

“There’s something magical about Opening Day. The smell of the freshly cut grass, the taste of ballpark hot dogs, the rich history and 30 fan bases with hope in their hearts,” Kendall Baker of Axios Sports fame, now with Yahoo Sports, tells us.

Thanks for starting your morning with us.
Please invite your colleagues
to subscribe to the PoliticsPA Playbook