The State House Races We’re Watching

The Pennsylvania State House currently sits at 102-101 in favor of Democrats. Could the chamber shift back in favor of Republicans on Tuesday?

Here is a look at the races we’re watching in the lower chamber.

HD-18. Kathleen Tomlinson* (R) vs. Anand Patel (D)

Tomlinson (R-Bucks) looks for her third term in Harrisburg, while Patel, a business owner, looks to win the seat that has been represented by Republicans since the 1970s. The Bensalem district is a +4 Republican area and Tomlinson won by four points in 2022. (WHYY)

HD-28. Bill Petulla (D) vs. Jeremy Shaffer (R)

Incumbent Rob Mercuri is yielding the office to run for Congress, putting the affluent Allegheny County district up for grabs. It has long been a Republican stronghold and the GOP holds a +10 registration advantage. Shaffer, who ran unsuccessfully on the GOP ticket for Congress last cycle, is a software engineer and entrepreneur who served a Ross Township government. Petulla, a first-time Democratic candidate, is a criminal prosecutor and chief trail deputy in the Allegheny County DA office. (WESA)

HD-29. Tim Brennan* (D) vs. Steven Mekanik (R)

Brennan (D-Bucks) is seeking reelection in this Bucks County district and won his seat by 15 points in 2022. Mekanik, an auditor for Buckingham Township and CEO of Visiting Angels, hopes to turn a D+3 deficit to a Republican victory.

HD-30. Arvind Venkat* (D) vs. Nathan Wolfe (R)

Venkat won his seat in the state House by 10 points back in 2022 in a D+2 district. (WESA)

HD-39. Andrew Kuzma* (R) vs. Angela Girol (D)

Kuzma (R-Allegheny/Washington) seeks reelection in this R+3 district. He is challenged by Girol, a former teacher and school board member in the South Park school district. (WESA)

HD-41. Brett Miller* (R) vs. Brad Chambers (D)

More money than was expected has poured into this Lancaster County race. Miller (R-Lancaster) came to Harrisburg in 2014 but is facing a significant challenge from Chambers, a labor administrator. The two have combined for over $250,000 in fundraising. (LNP | Lancaster Online)

HD-44. Valerie Gaydos* (R) vs. Hadley Haas (D)

This 44th District seat may hold the key to the House majority moving forward. Gaydos, a three-term incumbent, touts herself as an independent, business-minded Republican. Haas, a marketing/communications professional, has out-fundraised her opponent which is no easy feat considering Gaydos’ incumbency. (WESA)

HD-72. Frank Burns* (D) vs. Amy Bradley (R)

Eight-term state representative Burns might be facing the toughest challenge of his career in Bradley. Burns has been able to win in a majority-Republican district and has negatively portrayed Bradley, the Cambria Regional Chamber president and CEO. Donald Trump and Project 2025 has been a major factor in the race. (Tribune-Democrat)

HD-119. Alec Ryncavage* (R) vs. Megan Kocher (D)

Ryncavage (R-Luzerne) looks for his second term in Harrisburg and looks to overcome the misspelling of his name in the initial batch of Luzerne County mail ballots. Kocher is hoping to turn a D+3 district into a flip of the seat for Democrats. (Times Leader)

HD-120. Brenda Pugh (R) vs. Fern Leard (D)

Pugh, a business owner and chair of the Luzerne County Fair, squares off against Leard, a longtime healthcare advocate, in a contest to replace the vacated seat of Aaron Kaufer.  Kaufer defeated Leard by 22 points in 2022 in this R+3 district. (Times Leader)

HD-137. Joe Emrick* (R) vs. Anna Thomas (D)

Emrick is searching for his eighth term in Harrisburg against a familiar opponent in Thomas. Emrick, a former teacher, defeated Thomas by just 703 votes in 2002. Thomas, a member of the Bethlehem Township Planning Commission, hopes to flip the seat in the D+2 district and help PA Democrats keep the majority. (LehighValleyNews.com)

HD-142. Joe Hogan* (R) vs. Anna Payne (D)

Hogan (R-Bucks) is looking for reelection in a district that saw him victorious by just 76 votes in 2022. Payne, a supervisor in Middletown Township, hopes to flip this R+2 seat. (WHYY)

HD-144. Brian Munroe* (D) vs. Dan McPhillips (R)

Munroe (D-Bucks), a first-term Democrat, looks for a second term in Harrisburg. He defeated an incumbent by 515 votes in 2022 in a R+5 district. McPhillips, the Bucks County Recorder of Deeds, is well financed by the Commonwealth Leaders Fund. (WHYY)

HD-155. Danielle Otten* (D) vs. Rodney Simon II (R)

Otten (D-Chester) won by 14 points in 2022 in a D+1 district. Simon, a member of the Downingtown School Board, has a carpentry and project management background. (Daily Local)

HD-160. Craig Williams* (R) vs. Elizabeth Moro (D)

Williams, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for Attorney General, looks for his third term in Harrisburg. He was one of the impeachment managers against Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner. Moro is a small business owner and real estate broker. She hoped to run for the state House in 2018 with withdrew when the district was redrawn and she was asked to step aside. Despite the GOP having a +11 lead in registration, Williams won by just four points in 2022. (WHYY)

HD-161. Leanne Krueger* (D) vs. John Mancinelli Jr. (R)

Krueger (D-Delaware), who has represented Delaware County since 2015, faces Mancinelli, a small business owner and entrepreneur, in a district that is nearly split 50-50 with five more registered GOP voters. (Delco Times)

HD-172. Sean Dougherty (D) vs. Aizaz Gill (R)

Dougherty, the son of PA Supreme Court justice Kevin Dougherty, faces a stiff challenge in Republican Gill, the president of the Burholme Town Watch and Civic Association. Although it is a D+22 district, the fact that the neighboring district (173) is represented by a Republican and a GOP rep also sits on City Council is worrisome to Dems. (DV Journal)

 





Email:




  • Will tonight's U.S. Senate debate affect your decision?


    • No. I've already decided on how to cast my vote. (81%)
    • Yes. Anxious to hear from both candidates (19%)

    Total Voters: 27

    Loading ... Loading ...
Continue to Browser

PoliticsPA

To install tap and choose
Add to Home Screen