Sara Innamorato sailed to victory Tuesday in the race for Pennsylvania’s 21th House district, despite a write-in campaign for her primary challenger, longtime Democratic state Rep. Dom Costa.
Innamorato came under fire this fall for a comment she made referring to her district’s residents as “racists” during a podcast. She later said she did not mean to insult them and that her words were taken out of context; she also said she hoped to use the moment as a launching pad for a broader discussion about race.
The incident, however, prompted some in the community to encourage voters on Tuesday to write in Costa’s name on their ballots.
Innamorato's new district spans Pittsburgh neighborhoods such as Stanton Heights and Lawrenceville, as well as suburbs like Millvale and Ross Township.
Innamorato is one of two members of the Democratic Socialists of America who will represent Allegheny County in Harrisburg. Both she and Summer Lee, who won the uncontested race Tuesday for the state’s 34th House district, have pledged to bring a more progressive voice to the statehouse.
They also represent a county that previously had only one female representative.
The 34th district, which Lee will serve, spans some of eastern and southeastern Pittsburgh, as well as suburbs from Homestead to Wilkins Township.
