We continue our series on the candidates for the Pennsylvania State House with a look at the Allegheny Region of the Keystone State.
Races to Watch
HD30: Arvind Venkat (D) vs. Cindy Kirk (R)
The candidates are looking to replace Lori Mizgorski (R-Allegheny) who is running for state senate.
Venkat is an emergency room doctor who believes in making the healthcare system more accessible and affordable and will protect the reproductive health of women. He says we can respect the constitutional right to own a firearm while passing legislation that reduces gun violence.
Kirk, a nurse, easily defeated Tom Fodi in the primary. She wants to reduce taxes, fix the healthcare system, protect the unborn right to life, preserve 2nd Amendment rights while pushing back on the progressive agenda.
Dave’s Redistricting Partisan Lean: D+3.0
Other Contested Races
HD20: Emily Kinkead* (D) vs. Matthew Kruth (R)
Kinkead, who easily defeated Nicholas Mastros in the primary, looks to return to Harrisburg for a second term. She supports a $15 minimum wage, expanded healthcare and is committed to supporting reproductive and LGBTQ rights.
Kruth, a teacher at Pittsburgh public schools for two decades, mounted a successful write-in campaign to earn the GOP nomination. He believes in growing the clean natural gas industry and giving parents more control of their children’s education.
Dave’s Redistricting Partisan Lean: D+19.7
HD21: Sara Innamorato* (D) vs. Frank Perman (R)
Innamorato looks for a third term in the state House. She says she will fight for clean waterways, clean environment, and healthy communities, while treating reproductive rights as healthcare.
Perman, owner of a funeral home, believes in controlling government spending, revising the tax system, and providing the option for parents to leave failing schools.
Dave’s Redistricting Partisan Lean: D+27.4
HD23: Dan Frankel* (D) vs. Jay Ting Walker (G)
Frankel has served in the PA House since 1999. He supports reasonable limits on gun use and ownership, including universal background checks and raising the age minimum to purchase guns to 21. Frankel also supports reproductive rights and that health care is a fundamental human right.
Walker, a community organzier, wants to ban fracking, defund the police, provide single-payer healthcare and ban lobbyist gifts. He also want to legalize marijuana, ban military style assault weapons, and raise the minimum wage to $15/hour.
Dave’s Redistricting Partisan Lean: D+64.6
HD25: Brandon Markosek* (D) vs. Steve Schlauch (R)
Markosek is looking for term No. 3 in the state House. He supports increased funding for public schools and access to affordable health care for seniors,
Schlauch, a financial planner, edged John Ritter by 124 votes in the primary to garner the GOP nomination. He says he wants to focus on growing small businesses, stopping CRT and ensuring local police have “tools and training.”
Dave’s Redistricting Partisan Lean: D+13.1
HD27: Dan Deasy* (D) vs. Ed Brosky (R)
Deasy, chair of the House Liquor Control Committee, is searching for his eighth term in Harrisburg.
Brosky’s platform is faith, family, freedom and liberty.
Dave’s Redistricting Partisan Lean: D+25.9
HD28: Rob Mercuri* (R) vs. Alison Duncan (D)
Mercuri, looking for his second term, is a pro-life, pro-family representative who wants to expand educational opportunities for students.
Duncan, who owns a graphic design business, mounted a successful write-in campaign to earn the Democratic nomination. She believes in the freedom to make your own reproductive rights, choose who you can marry, and define “family.”
Dave’s Redistricting Partisan Lean: R+8.8
HD32: Tony DeLuca* (D) vs. Queonia “Zarah” Livingston (G)
DeLuca was first elected to the state House in 1982 and currently serves as the Democratic minority chair of the House Insurance Committee.
Livingston, a community organizer, calls for environmental justice policies, an end to the war on drugs, a housing guarantee, a living wage, expanded healthcare including mental health care
Dave’s Redistricting Partisan Lean: D+29.9
HD33: Mandy Steele (D) vs. Ted Tomson (R)
The candidates are looking to replace Carrie DelRosso, who is the GOP candidate for lieutenant governor.
Steele, the first Democratic woman elected to the Fox Chapel Borough Council, easily defeated Tristan McClelland in the primary. She is an advocate for reproductive rights, responsible gun laws and believes that a quality public education should be accessible to every child.
Tomson, a small business owner, says he’s pro-life and does support exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother. He says his focus, though, will be on improving the economic climate in the region and the Commonwealth.
Dave’s Redistricting Partisan Lean: D+8.8
HD35: Austin Davis* (D) vs. Don Nevills (R)
Davis, who has served in Harrisburg since 2018, is also the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor.
Nevills, a business owner and former Navy officer, believes in sound economic policy, law and order, freedom from government overreach, and The Constitution.
Dave’s Redistricting Partisan Lean: D+26.7
HD36: Jessica Benham* (D) vs. Ross Sylvester (L)
Benham looks for her second term in Harrisburg after easily defeating Stephanie Fox in the primary. She believes that all Pennsylvanians deserve access to quality healthcare, is pro-choice, and favors increased funding for public schools.
Sylvester, says he will never vote to increase taxes or to put burdens on local businesses through government regulations. He is committed to removing government from education and states that all unjust federal laws should be nullified to decrease control other states have on PA.
Dave’s Redistricting Partisan Lean: D+33.2
HD42: Dan Miller* (D) vs. Pat Tylka (R)
Miller, chair of the Democratic caucus in Harrisburg, looks for a fifth term in Harrisburg.
Tylka, a Mt. Lebanon resident, mounted a successful write-in campaign to earn the Republican nomination.
Dave’s Redistricting Partisan Lean: D+26.8
HD44: Valerie Gaydos* (R) vs. Debbie Turici (D)
Gaydos, chair of the commerce committee’s Subcommittee on Small Business, is looking for a third term in Harrisburg. She is a pro-life conservative defender of the 2nd Amendment.
Turici, a teacher of 33 years in the West Allegheny School District, mounted a successful write-in campaign to earn the Democratic nomination. She says she is a pro-choice, pro-union and pro-public education candidate.
Dave’s Redistricting Partisan Lean: R+1.1
HD45: Anita Kulik* (D) vs. Mike Pendel (R)
Kulik has served in Harrisburg since 2017. She is pro-life and champions the rights of organized labor and properly funding schools.
Pendel, a medical device salesman, is pro-life and wants to eradicate CRT in schools.
Dave’s Redistricting Partisan Lean: D+11.7
Unopposed
- HD19: Aerion Abney* (D-Allegheny)
- HD24: Latisha Mayes* (D-Allegheny)
- HD34: Summer Lee (D-Allegheny)
- HD38: Nick Pisciottano* (D-Allegheny)
- HD46: Jason Ortitay (R-Allegheny/Washington)
One Response
When you look at those partisan leans the Dem could have done a better job in redistricting to shift lines and move some Dems into those Republican districts.