Two progressive, first-term incumbents have won their primaries for the Pennsylvania statehouse. This means that state Reps. Jessica Benham and Emily Kinkead will almost certainly return to Harrisburg next year as part of the Allegheny County delegation.
Benham and Kinkead are among a group of progressive women who, in recent years, have won in Pittsburgh-area districts that previously were held by more moderate Democrats.
Benham, of the South Side, had an easier path to victory over challenger Stephanie Fox of Brentwood in the 36th District, which includes southeastern neighborhoods of the city as well as Brentwood and Mt. Oliver.
While campaigning, Benham said the main thing she heard from constituents was their concerns about inflation. While most of what can be done to curtail rising costs happens at the federal level, Benham said state lawmakers can enact policies that support working families.
"If gas prices rise, our wages should too; one of the things we need to do is increase the minimum wage," she said, along with passing a plan for paid family sick leave and investing in the state's health care infrastructure.
Kinkead's victory was less of a sure thing. Redistricting the 20th District meant it no longer includes Pittsburgh neighborhoods such as Lawrenceville – where Kinkead's progressivism played well. Instead, it grew outward to encompass Ross Township, the home base of Nick Mastros, her rival in the Democratic primary.
"They looked at Ross and said progressive policies don't play up there. It's not true," said Kinkead. "We're looking for a future that's better for kids than for ourselves. Everybody wants that."
School funding is one of Kinkead's legislative priorities. As a member of a judiciary committee, she works on sentencing reform; she also is a sponsor of a bill that provides insurance and assistance for property damaged by landslides.
Though Kinkead was the incumbent, Mastros had won the endorsement of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee. This didn't surprise Kinkead, who said that, despite her attempts, committee members didn't engage with her. That's why this primary victory feels a little bit sweeter than her 2020 primary win against then-incumbent Adam Ravenstahl, she said.
"Last time was a policy debate," said Kinkead. "This time around, it was a man who openly admitted he didn't have a platform but was running to unseat me [because people] were upset that they no longer have the same access to power. This wasn't about policy; it was about vengeance … [Voters] don't want to play those kinds of games."
In his concession statement, Mastros congratulated Kinkead and offered his support for her campaign in the general election.
"We are proud of our campaign to focus the discussion on underserved communities in the new 20th district and offered the voters a choice which they decided that Representative Kinkead's performance deserved another term," he said. "We thank all of our volunteers and supporters for a hard-fought campaign."
