This Sunday, while most western Pennsylvanians will be focused on the Steelers-Ravens game, Allegheny County Democrats will be looking to replace a legend.

The group will meet to select a candidate for a special election to replace the late Anthony DeLuca in the 32nd state House District.

DeLuca, who served in Harrisburg since 1983, passed away on October 9. His name remained on the general election ballot and he was reelected to the seat with more than 85 percent of the vote.

Eight candidates are vying for the nomination during the Sunday afternoon meeting in Oakmont.

• Pauline Calabrese, Penn Hills Mayor
• Nicholas Futules, Allegheny County Council Vice President
• Tracey Holst, Oakmont Borough Council member
• Louis Leon, Penn Hills constable
• Joe McAndrew, Penn Hills Democratic Committee Chair
• Frank Pecora, Penn Hills Deputy Mayor
• Erin Vecchio, Penn Hills School Board President
• Lois Vitti, a lawyer in Oakmont

The committee will use a ranked-choice voting system to winnow the field and determine the nominee. The party decided on the approach because of the size of the field and the fact that party rules require the candidate to receive an outright majority of votes cast.

Leon and Pecora were the only candidates among the eight to not appear during a Thursday forum at the Penn Hills Library.

A main focus of the six who were present was on a possible Republican running for the seat – Carrie DelRosso.

DelRosso, the running mate for GOP gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano in the fall, defeated Democratic House leader Frank Dermody for the 33rd House District seat in 2020. She opted not to run for reelection after her hometown of Oakmont was drawn into the 32nd District, but speculation has her considering a run now.

The 32nd District comprises Penn Hill, Oakmont, Verona and part of Plum boroughs.

Special elections for openings in the 34th and 35th House Districts will be held on February 7. County Democrats will meet next Saturday – December 17 – to nominate candidates for the seats vacated by Summer Lee and Austin Davis.

Allegheny Republicans have indicated they will meet on the same date to select candidates for all three special elections.