May 8: Let’s Go Polling

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What’s Happening Today. The Senate convenes at 10 a.m., while the House begins business at 11 a.m.

What We’re Hearing. The House Majority PAC, a super PAC with ties to House Democratic leadership, has made $2.4 million in ad reservations in the Harrisburg media market for the PA-10 race.

Happy Birthday. Cake and candles for Sen. Dan Laughlin.

Daily Bruce. “Working on the highway laying down the blacktop. Working on the highway all day long I don’t stop. Working on the highway blasting through the bedrock. Working on the highway, working on the highway.” – Working on the Highway

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Top Story

1. Muhlenberg Poll: Trump Takes Narrow Lead Over Biden

“Former President Donald Trump has taken a narrow lead over President Joe Biden in the latest Muhlenberg College poll of Pennsylvania voters ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

In the latest survey, Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, leads Biden, the Democratic incumbent, by 3 points, 44%-41%, in a head-to-head matchup. That’s a reversal from Muhlenberg College’s last poll in December, when Biden led Trump by 1 point, 42%-41%.

The 3-point difference in the latest survey is within the margin of error.” (Allentown Morning Call)

Related

AARP Poll Has Trump Over Biden In PA; Older Voters Say Social Security Is Vital Issue. “In the Keystone State survey released Tuesday, likely voters favor Donald Trump over Joe Biden 46% to 41% when other presidential candidates, such as the Green Party’s Jill Stein (5%) and Libertarian Chase Oliver (3%) are included. AARP did not poll participants on independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.” (PennLive)

McCormick PAC Launches Big Ad Buy In Pennsylvania Senate Race. “Keystone Renewal PAC’s first ad focuses on McCormick’s time at West Point and his earning a Bronze Star while serving in the Gulf War.” (Axios)

New Book Details How Dave McCormick Profited From 2008 Financial Crisis. “Much like his upbringing, Dave McCormick, the Republican challenger for US Senate in Pennsylvania, can attribute his wealth and his career as the president and CEO of the world’s largest hedge fund to being in the right place at the right time.” (The Keystone)

John Fetterman Wants You To Know He’s Consistent – And Not Just About Hoodies. “In the months since the Israel-Hamas war began, the Pennsylvania Democrat has become one of his party’s most outspoken supporters of Israel and an island apart from his peers.” (USA Today)

State

2. Surprise $3 Billion Tax Cut Vote Kicks Off Budget Negotiations With A Bang

“Some Pennsylvania Senate Democrats are crying foul after a Republican proposal to cut taxes totaling roughly $3 billion a year was put forward and passed in roughly 24 hours. The bill passed the Senate with a 36-14 vote.

The bill would cut the personal income tax rate from 3.07% to 2.8% and would eliminate the tax on electricity. It’s estimated the tax cuts would cut revenue by roughly $3 billion per year.

Republicans were able to move so quickly — in spite of rules requiring bills to be read three separate times before passage — by using a procedural maneuver.” (Penn Capital-Star)

Related

Internal Poll Shows Stelson Within Margin of Error vs. Perry. “The survey, conducted by Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling (PPP), finds Scott Perry receiving 45 percent support from the 532 respondents, while Janelle Stelson pulled in 43%, well within the +/-4.3% MOE.” (PoliticsPA)

• Perry Challenger In Striking Distance In Poll, But Winning Won’t Be Easy. (Roll Call)

House Republicans Want To Investigate Larry Krasner Over Handling Of Boyle’s Withdrawn Warrant. “Top Republican leaders in the Pennsylvania House said Tuesday that they want the attorney general’s office to investigate how Philadelphia law enforcement bungled a now-withdrawn arrest warrant for State Rep. Kevin Boyle just days before April’s primary election — and whether their actions violated the state’s election laws.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Senate Education Committee Revives School Voucher Program At Center Of Last Year’s Budget Fight. “A bill reviving the school voucher program killed by House Democrats during last year’s budget debates passed the Senate Education committee with bipartisan support on Tuesday. The program, called the PASS scholarship, would allow most students in the state’s lowest-performing school districts up to $10,000 to spend towards private schools. ” (Penn Capital-Star)

Gov. Shapiro’s Budget Address Venue Changed, And It Didn’t Come Cheap. “His 86 minute, 31 second speech in that unique venue cost Pennsylvanians nearly $41,500, according to House of Representatives and Department of General Services responses to Right to Know requests. The cost was borne by the House and House Democratic Caucus, according to the receipts.” (PennLive)

Bump Stock Ban, Gun Sales Reporting Bill Fail Floor Votes in PA House. “In a relatively rare occurrence, two firearms bills — one that would ban “bump stocks” and similar devices, and another requiring gun sales records to be filed electronically — failed final floor votes in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on Tuesday.” (PennLive)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Partially Shaded Ballot Bubble Lands Cabell Another Vote

“A partially shaded ballot bubble has landed Michael Cabell another vote, against strong objections from his opponent, Jamie Walsh, in the Republican race for state representative in the 117th District.

Cabell picked up the additional mail ballot vote Tuesday during the Luzerne County Election Board’s ongoing adjudication process.

While it’s not yet reflected in the county’s unofficial online April 23 primary election results database, the decision decreases the vote gap separating Walsh and incumbent Cabell from four to three, with Walsh ahead.” (Times Leader)

Related

Cabell Adds To The Pile, Asks Court To Order Rejected Write-In Ballots Counted In 117th House District Race. “A third group of disputed votes may soon come into play in the unresolved Republican race for the state 117th House District seat. (WVIA)

Bethel Park Man Secures Democratic Write-In Nomination For 40th State House Race. “State Rep. Natalie Mihalek will have a Democratic challenger in the November election. Peter Kohnke of Bethel Park easily surpassed the 300 write-in votes he needed from Democrats during the April 23 primary to get on the ballot to run for the 40th state House District seat.” (The Almanac)

RNC Seeks to Defend Pennsylvania County’s Decision Not To Cure Naked Mail-in Ballots. “The Republican National Committee (RNC) and Pennsylvania Republican Party are stepping into a lawsuit to prevent the Butler County Board of Elections from curing ballots without a secrecy envelope, also known as “naked ballots.”” (Democracy Docket)

Certification Of Centre Co. Election Results On Hold Due To Legal Challenge Of Ballots. “The final primary election results in Centre County are now on hold due to a court suit being filed over the status of close to 100 mail-in ballots.” (WJAC)

4 Lancaster County Politicians Weigh In On Aging And Public Office. “We checked in with four of them to ask what motivates them to serve, why they’re doing so in their mid-to late 70s, and how they think age plays — or doesn’t play — into what they do.” (LNP)

Editorial

4. What’s On Your Mind

• Remember: Trump Votes Count, Others Are Fraudulent. (Gene Collier)
• The Left’s Jedi-Mind Tricks. (Lowman Henry)
• Why Don’t Christians Care About Women’s Rights? (Sean Fitzgerald)
• Why Gov. Josh Shapiro’s PRESS Initiative is a Boon for PA’s Energy Sector. (Devi Ramkissoon, Doug Edwards and Aaron Nichols)

1 Thing

5. Defeating DoorDash

“Rivals Uber Technologies and Instacart have struck an unlikely partnership that will allow customers to order Uber Eats restaurant food via the Instacart app.

The companies said the deal would bring more customers to Uber Eats and a new revenue source for Instacart, which will receive a fee from Uber for every restaurant order.

The partnership is an attempt to counter competition from a common foe: DoorDash.” (WSJ)

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