The field of candidates for this year’s midterm elections is taking shape. Candidate filing deadlines passed Tuesday for the May primary elections in which Democratic and Republican voters will choose their nominees for governor, lieutenant governor, Congress and the state legislature.
All U.S. House seats, all Pennsylvania House seats and even-numbered Pennsylvania Senate seats are up for election this year. Each of those chambers is narrowly divided going into the November elections — Democrats control the state House while Republicans control the state Senate and U.S. House.
Note: * denotes the incumbent. Candidates’ nomination petitions can be challenged in court until March 17. If candidates withdraw or are removed from the ballot, their names will be removed.
Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro faces no competition from his party in his bid for a second term. He’ll face state Treasurer Stacy Garrity, who similarly has no Republican primary opponent, in November’s general election.
Allegheny County’s own Austin Davis is Shapiro’s running mate as lieutenant governor again, and his fellow Allegheny County resident Jason Richey received Garrity’s endorsement for the Republican ticket. Richey is opposed by John Ventre, of Westmoreland County.
Allegheny County’s two representatives in Congress are both Democrats running for third terms.
Summer Lee must overcome a challenge from perennial candidate and activist Will Parker to get her party’s nod in the Pittsburgh-centric 12th District. Deluzio will set his sights on November, when he’ll run in the suburban-and-rural 17th District against the winner of the Republican primary: Jesse James Vodvarka or Beaver County Sheriff Tony Guy.
U.S. Reps. Chris Deluzio and Summer Lee, pictured at center. (Photo by Stephanie Strasburg/Public Source)
Of Allegheny County’s 23 General Assembly seats on the ballot this year, just six feature a contested primary on either the Democratic or Republican side. All but one has an incumbent candidate. Only the 45th House District, in the western suburbs, is open, with Democratic Rep. Anita Kulik retiring. There’s a three-person race among Democrats to replace her, and a two-way race among Republicans trying to flip the seat.
The 45th and other suburban districts will be heavily scrutinized this fall as Democrats currently control the House by just one vote.
Independent and minor party candidates can reach the November ballot by filing petitions by Aug. 3.
Charlie Wolfson is the local government reporter for Pittsburgh’s Public Source. He can be reached at charlie@publicsource.org.
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