Good morning!
PA Policy Manual Headings. Cryptocurrencies, stocks and real estate are driving the wealth of Pennsylvania lawmakers. Former PA governors are calling on state leaders to make Shapiro’s safety a priority. Latino leaders are breaking into local offices. America’s first commercial pretzel bakery made in Pennsylvania
Your morning, pick me up. I like it, I love it. Tim McGraw
Weather in Pennsylvania
Moving | Showers, 60
New Colombia | Showers, 59
St. Davids | Partly bright, 65
Sports PA 
Pirates (16-14) | Saint Louis 2-4 | Tuesday vs. St. Louis Phillies (9-19) | Tuesday vs. San Francisco
Sixes (1-3) | Tuesday in Boston
Leaflets (3-2) | Pittsburgh 2-3 | Wednesday in Philadelphia Penguins (2-3) | Philadelphia 3-2 | Wednesday in Philadelphia
What’s happening today. The House meets at 11:00.
What we hear. According to the Department of State, as of last Monday morning, 792,472 absentee ballot requests had been sent and 32,121 ballots had been returned for the May 19 primary election.
Tips. PoliticsPA is Pennsylvania’s leading source of unbiased political news and analysis. Tips and press releases can be submitted steve@politicspa.com.
PoliticsPA Guide is compiled by Steve Ulrich. To read in your browser click here.
The most crucial story
1. Cryptocurrency, stocks and real estate are driving wealth for Pennsylvania lawmakers
“According to a recent report by the financial firm SmartAsset, the average net worth of Pennsylvanians is about $200,000. The people who represent them in Congress have much, much more.
The average wealth of the state’s thirteen U.S. lawmakers, including both senators, is in the millions. Two more have an average net worth of more than $900,000. Most members have built their wealth through owning stocks, cryptocurrency or real estate – or a combination of all of these.” | known
Elsewhere
Fitzpatrick On Washington, Shapiro and Fetterman. “Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-01) participated in an interview with Punchbowl News last week and discussed a number of topics, including being a moderate in today’s GOP, the government shutdown and his relationship with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Senator John Fetterman.” | PoliticsPA
PA-07: Pennsylvania Race Pits corporate defender against union organizer. “Ryan Crosswell is running to represent Pennsylvania’s Seventh District after a career of helping bosses fight workers.” | American perspective
Fetterman breaks with Democrats after causing panic and supports Trump on major White House project. “Senator John Fetterman, D-Pennsylvania, broke party lines again after a close call at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner this weekend, siding with President Donald Trump in calling for the construction of a ballroom at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. ‘After yesterday’s testimony,’ Fetterman urged people to ‘abandon TDS.’ [Trump derangement syndrome] and build a White House ballroom.”” | Fox News
Man sentenced to one month in prison over Pennsylvania voter registration limits in 2024 presidential race.. “The man who managed Pennsylvania’s problematic voter registration drives ahead of the 2024 presidential election pleaded guilty Monday to three misdemeanors and was sentenced to a month in county jail.” | AP
Country
2. Former PA governors urge state leaders to make Shapiro’s safety a priority
“In the wake of Saturday’s third assassination attempt against President Donald Trump, all five living former governors of Pennsylvania called on state leaders to make the safety of Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family a top priority.
“Fighting political violence and ensuring the safety of our elected officials should always be impartial and a priority,” former governors said. Tom Wolf, Tom Corbett, Ed Rendell, Mark Schweiker and Tom Ridge wrote in a joint statement.” | TribLive
Elsewhere
RSLC says the GOP must focus on taking back the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. “A recent Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) memo says the GOP must focus on winning back the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from Democratic control.” | PoliticsPA
Ending the death penalty is gaining bipartisan support in the PA House. “A Pennsylvania House of Representatives committee on Monday passed two bills that would abolish the death penalty in the commonwealth, potentially ending decades of limbo in which death sentences have been imposed but not carried out.” | PennLive
Pennsylvania has spent $1.4 million to update its voter registration system but will not report on progress. “Pennsylvania’s latest effort to modernize its two-decade-old voter registration system has already cost nearly $1.4 million, according to data obtained by Votebeat and Spotlight PA. Officials hope to have the updated system ready in time for the 2027 elections. However, the state is not saying much about where the project is at.” | Vote for Pennsylvania
AP Democrats are pushing bills to limit immigration enforcement in K-12 schools. “Identical proposals introduced in each chamber would require school districts to adopt policies prohibiting employees from allowing federal immigration agents or local law enforcement agencies assisting them to enter most school property without a signed court order.” | Penn Capital Star
Around the Republic of Poland
3. Latino leaders storm into local offices as Trump-era attacks make matters more urgent
“Voters are electing an increasing number of non-white Latino leaders to local elected office, and many of them are the first Latinos to hold office.
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with an approximately 40% Latino population, recently elected Jaime Arroyo as its first Latino mayor.” | AP
Elsewhere
Emails between ICE and local police show monetary incentives and fear of losing voters. “Why should local police partner with ICE? Reimbursement of officer salaries, benefits and overtime – as well as new vehicles – could be part of the equation. ” | Public source
Pinsley and Merkl-Gump will go head-to-head in the Democratic primary for the state’s 16th Senate District. “The Lehigh Valley Public Media will host a debate on Tuesday, April 28 between the two Democratic candidates running for Pennsylvania State Senate District 16.” | LehighValley News
The Anti-Abortion Group’s support for Catena in the PA House of Representatives race is causing controversy. “House candidate Pat Catena is the only Democrat in this year’s election who has the backing of a local anti-abortion rights group. But his rival in the May 19 primary seems more willing to bring up that fact than he is.” | WESA
Bipartisan call for debate in the 22nd primary house in the constituency. “Two of three House candidates in the 22nd District are calling for a pre-primary debate.” | Lehigh Valley Chair
Editorial
4. What do you think about it?
- Political campaigns have no idea what will happen to them | Thomas B. Edsall
- Gunfire of the Vanities: Trump’s Dinner Shooting Defines Brutal, Unserious America | Will Bunch
- To quell political violence, Americans need a reason to hope for a better future | Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper
- Politicians in Pennsylvania have one problem | Oliver Bateman
- Another tax cut in the name of “children” | One hundred Bykofsky
1 item
5. Tom Sturgis pretzels may look different than they did in 1861, but America’s first pretzel bakery is still going sturdy
“When you think of the Philadelphia area, pretzels might come to mind, but where did it all start? Just outside the city, actually.
The first commercial pretzel bakery in America was established 165 years ago in Lititz, Lancaster County. The family business looks different than it did back then, but it still exists and bakes your favorite snacks CBS Philadelphia
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