A year ago, Austin Davis represented the Mon Valley and the 35th District in Harrisburg.
Now, he is the Commonwealth’s lieutenant governor.
That opens a seat in the State House that requires a special election to fill. That takes place February 7.
Part of “Super Tuesday” in Allegheny County, the race is one of three special Pennsylvania House elections that will determine the majority party in the chamber for the 2023-24 session.
Back in November, Democrats won 102 of the 203 House races, only to lose two seats to resignation for higher office for Summer Lee and Davis, along with the October passing of long-time state Rep. Tony DeLuca who was re-elected posthumously.
With the election of Republican Lynda Culver to the state Senate in this week’s 27th District special election, there is now a vacancy in the 108th House District, leaving the seating chart in Harrisburg at 100-99 in favor of the GOP.
Can the Republicans win one of the three races to keep power in the chamber? Or will Democrats take over the majority for the first time since 2010?
In the 35th District, Democrat Matthew Gergely will face off against Republican Don Nevills in a contest to replace Davis.
Gergely is McKeesport’s finance director and previously served as city administrator and as a McKeesport Area School District official. Prior to Davis, the district was represented by his brother – Marc – until he departed amid charges related to his connections to an illegal gambling operation.
“It would be crazy to run and not think this would be an issue,” Matt acknowledged. “But I’m my own person.”
Gergely said he will fight for fair funding for our local public schools and considers himself pro-choice. As a manager for the McKeesport School District, property taxes were raised repeatedly. Gergely said the increases were necessary to keep the district solvent.
Party: Democratic
Experience:
Chief revenue officer, McKeesport (2022 – present)
Business manager, McKeesport Area School District (2017 – 2020)
Chief of staff to McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko (2012 – 2017)
Education: McKeesport High School; Indiana University of Pennsylvania, B.S.
Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Major endorsements: AFL-CIO; Planned Parenthood; Pennsylvania State Education Association; Allegheny County Labor Council; Service Employees International Union
Nevills, a small-business owner from Clairton, was the GOP nominee in the fall but was defeated by Davis. A Navy veteran, he recently left his position as a member of the board of directors for the Clairton Municipal Authority to focus on running for the state House.
He believes he can be a fresh face to represent the Mon Valley. “If you elect the same people all the time, you’re going to have the same results,” Nevills said.
Nevills describes himself as an independent and would prioritize cutting taxes and spending in Harrisburg. He supports traditional Republican positions such as restricting abortion, limiting sports participation for transgender athletes, providing public support for private schools and promoting fossil fuels over green energy. He says he would seek to shift money in the district from low-income housing into infrastructure work such as bridges.
He says he would vote for a bill that makes abortions illegal once fetal cardiac activity can be detected – at around six to eight weeks of a pregnancy. “I’m pro-life, so anything I can do to get us to zero abortions would be great,” he said.
Party: Republican
Experience:
Pa. State House candidate (2022)
Has served on two boards in Clairton: the Municipal Authority and the Redevelopment Authority.
Education: Clairton High School
Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Candidate surveys: League of Women Voters
Major endorsements: Gun Owners of America; Fraternal Order of the Police
Voter Registration
Democrats: 27,332 | Republicans: 9,785 | Libertarian: 208
Green: 48 | No Affiliation: 3,733 | Others: 1,545 | TOTAL: 42,651
35th House District
ALLEGHENY County
Total population: 64,711
Part of ALLEGHENY County consisting of the CITIES of Clairton, Duquesne and McKeesport and the TOWNSHIP of South Versailles and the BOROUGHS of Homestead, Liberty, Lincoln, Munhall, Port Vue, Versailles, West Homestead, West Mifflin (PART, Districts 03, 04 and 15), Whitaker and White Oak.
2 Responses
Return of Pork Chop
Voter Registration
Democrats: 27,332 | Republicans: 9,785
You don’t need a crystal ball to predict the outcome