State House District 35 represents many Monongahela Valley communities that are still struggling economically from decades-old economic changes, such as McKeesport, Clairton and Duquesne. But the outcome of a Feb. 7 special election here is one of three that could reshape the map of the entire state.
If Republicans can pick off one of the three open seats in Democratic-leaning districts on Feb. 7, they would gain control of the House of Representatives. Republicans already control the Senate and jointly they can propose constitutional amendments that bypass Democrat Gov. Josh Shapiro’s veto. If Democrats win all three races, they would gain control of the House for only the third session in the last 28 years.
On its face, the election to fill the vacancy left when Austin Davis became lieutenant governor looks like a typical insider vs. outsider race. There’s a Democrat who has spent 20 years working in the public sector, and says his familiarity with leaders in the Mon Valley and Harrisburg are his biggest asset. And there’s a Republican who served in the military and ran a tattoo business who thinks it’s time for political change.
McKeesport Democrat Matthew Gergely is sending out mailings that highlight his support for public schools, unions and reproductive freedom. Clairton Republican Don Nevills is running as a pro-life, tough-on-crime, tax-cutting Republican in a historically Democratic district.
A political legacy
Gergely always thought of himself like his dad: the behind-the-scenes guy, helping politicians do their jobs. He has worked for McKeesport’s mayor for nearly a decade and has also held administrative jobs for the state and the local school district.
“I thought that's where I was always going to be because I loved it,” he said.
It was Gergely’s older brother, Marc, who initially carried the torch for the family’s political ambitions, getting elected to the state House in 2002. But in 2017 Marc was sentenced to 18 months after pleading guilty to conspiracy and making an illegal campaign contribution tied to a ring of illegal gambling devices. Now Gergely is vying to take the seat once held by his brother.
2023 Special Election
- Background: Allegheny County voters are electing three new representatives to the Pa. State House on Feb. 7.
- Why it matters: The elections will determine whether Republicans or Democrats win control of the state House.
- Voter Guide: Read WESA overviews of the races for the 32nd (Joe McAndrew vs. Clayton Walker), 34th (Robert Pagane vs. Abigail Salisbury) and 35th (Matthew Gergely vs. Don Nevills) districts.
Gergely doesn't think he should be blamed for his brother's actions, whose seriousness he characterized as "pretty minor on a scale of things." Still, he acknowledged his brother's guilty plea underscored the importance of acting above reproach. “You have to be very careful what you do. So you don't want to end up even being insinuated to be doing something wrong,” he said.
Gergely thinks the relationships he’s built up in Harrisburg — through his work for the city and because of his brother — will allow him to hold more power than a typical newcomer. “When you get out there, especially as a legislator, you're a little fish in a big pond,” he said. “I'd like to think maybe I won't be such a little fish because I have those relationships already.”
Gergely didn’t have ready answers when asked about his position on some prominent issues like abortion. He has the endorsement of Planned Parenthood and considers himself pro-choice. But when asked how he would vote on measures like a 15-week abortion ban, he said he would want to know more about "where that process is for a child" before answering.
He pointed to some accomplishments in McKeesport. He worked with Mayor Mike Cherepko to demolish blighted properties around town. And he helped secure RAD funding for the city’s parks by giving enthusiastic presentations to the RAD board.
Gergely managed the finances for the McKeesport School District when it repeatedly raised local property taxes. The increases were necessary to keep the district solvent, Gergely said. He also led the McKeesport city’s finance department the last few years when taxes remained flat.
“We struggle economically. To put more of a burden on our residents would be a very hard thing for them,” he said.
An outsider with Republican fervor
Don Nevills grew up in Clairton and then moved back after a 14-year career in the Navy. He spent 28 years commuting to the South Side of Pittsburgh for his tattoo businesses. That shop closed in the pandemic and he’s since opened a new tattoo shop in Clairton.
Nevills thinks Democrats like Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and former Congressman Mike Doyle haven’t served the Mon Valley well. “If you elect the same people all the time, you're going to have the same results,” Nevills said.
Nevills believes Democrats have been self-serving and corrupt. “Without the evidence that I need, I don't want to obviously” call out anyone in particular, he said. “But I can guarantee you it happens and the people know it.”
While Nevills describes himself as an independent, he couldn't name an issue he disagreed with Republicans on. He would prioritize cutting taxes and spending in Harrisburg. He doesn’t trust the science that Democrats are using to justify rapid action on climate change. And Nevills said crime is one of the most pressing issues in the district and blames the courts for being too lenient on criminals.
Nevills said public money for a $17 million affordable housing development in Clairton should’ve gone to fix the Versailles Avenue Bridge in McKeesport, which was closed by inspectors a few weeks after the collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge. “Roads and bridges are more obviously important because if we don't have them, we can't even get to the low-income housing,” he said.
Nevills has some public experience: He served on two public boards in Clairton and said he was able to help get a big construction project back on track at the Clairton Municipal Authority, which runs a wastewater treatment plant.
Nevills wants public education dollars to follow students to private schools. He doesn’t think enough students would be able to afford private school tuition, even with the additional help, to jeopardize public schools. “I don't think that [public schools] will fall off the map,” he said.
Nevills says he would vote for a bill that makes abortions illegal once fetal cardiac activity can be detected – at around six to eight weeks of a pregnancy. “I'm pro-life, so anything I can do to get us to zero abortions would be great,” he said. “However, that's probably not feasible at this time.”
