With Democrats holding a one-seat majority in the state House of Representatives, any race could shape the direction of Harrisburg for the next two years.
Some races are more likely to do so than others, and state House races rarely draw much attention. But the preferences of 60,000 to 65,000 people — the average population of a state House district — could have huge impacts on the kind of legislation that gets a hearing, the prospects for Gov. Josh Shapiro’s next budget, and the state constitution itself.
Voters in two Allegheny County districts confronted open seats, both made possible by incumbents who sought higher office.
In the 28th House District, a staunchly Republican expanse sprawled across the county’s northern-tier suburbs, Rob Mercuri decided to run for Congress rather than seek re-election. Jeremy Shaffer, a software entrepreneur who previously ran for that Congressional seat himself — and before that for a spot in the state Senate — sought to replace him.
Shaffer is squared off against first-term candidate Bill Petulla, a Democrat and longtime prosecutor in the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office. Petulla parlayed his longtime association with law enforcement into endorsements by police unions along with a familiar constellation of Democratic interests: Shaffer has talked up his volunteer roles in the district while tapping the support of Republicans who include former House Speaker Mike Turzai, who previously held the 28th himself.
The race between them has been quiet, in part because neither man faced a primary challenge, and because both stressed a more moderate approach.
The county’s other open seat is in the 38th District, which connects West Mifflin and surrounding Mon Valley communities. Incumbent Democrat Nick Pisciottano decided against running for his House seat again, so he could focus on seeking a promotion to the state Senate. His cousin John Inglis, a public school educator and member of West Mifflin borough council, hopes to keep the seat in Democratic hands.
Republican Stone Sobieralski, a Whitehall borough councilman, has challenged Inglis from outside the district’s political center of gravity in West Mifflin. Inglis narrowly won a three-way primary, almost losing to Democrat Victoria Schmotzer largely due to her support outside West Mifflin. But Inglis has had the better-financed campaign in a district where Democrats outnumber Republicans by nearly two-to-one margins
A number of incumbents in both parties are facing challenges, perhaps the most spirited of which is Democrat Hadley Haas’ attempt to topple three-term incumbent Valerie Gaydos in the airport-area and Ohio Valley suburbs that make up the 44th District.
Haas launched her bid more than a year ago and garnered support from gun-reform and abortion-rights advocacy groups; Gaydos has been open to restrictions on abortion rights and opposed to limitations on gun ownership, with the exception of a vote on expanding background checks for firearm purchases. But in a district that has been evenly balanced between Republicans and Democrats, she’s also stressed her bipartisan work to limit the power of drug-industry companies to dictate prices.
Republicans hold sway in the southern reaches of Allegheny County. In adjoining southern districts that extend into Washington County, Natalie Mihalek in the 40th District and 46th District incumbent Jason Ortitay seek a fourth and a sixth term, respectively. Both have conservative credentials but eschew a fire-breathing style: Mihalek faces civil engineer and bike-trail advocate Peter Kohnke; Ortitay faces a challenge from Democratic campaigner but first-time candidate Alex Taylor.
In the Mon Valley-centered 39th District, Republica Andrew Kuzma is in his first re-election bid against Democratic educator Angela Girol.
On the other side of the partisan divide, a slew of challengers seek to press Democratic incumbents in Allegheny County suburbs — some of whom previously flipped House seats from GOP control after a redistricting effort reshaped district lines in the North Hills especially.
Among the better-resourced challengers is Republican James Julius, a software company founder with support from gun-rights groups who is challenging Democrat Anita Kulik, a conservative four-term Democrat in the Chartiers Valley communities of the 45th District.
First-termers Arvind Venkat and Mandy Steele each won their 30th and 33rd Districts, respectively, in 2022. Both districts were long GOP-held but were drawn to be more competitive for Democrats. Their reelection campaigns face low-intensity challenges: Venkat drew Republican Nathan Wolfe and Libertarian William Baierl, while Steele faces Republican Gary Lotz.
District 20 Democrat Emily Kinkead faces a rematch against Republican public school teacher Matt Kruth, who she beat easily in 2022 for the seat in a district that includes a sliver of Pittsburgh as well as Ross Township and adjoining river communities along the Ohio.
On the other side of town, Monroeville’s Brandon Markosek also faces a familiar rival in the 25th District: previous Republican House hopeful John Ritter.
In the 42nd District representing the South Hills, Democratic whip Dan Miller faces GOP challenger Joseph Leckenby, who earned his spot on a write-in effort. Jessica Benham, one of a crop of progressive female legislators, faces Libertarian Ross Sylvester in the 36th District.
