Live election results:
What’s at stake: Pennsylvania’s 14th House District is an open seat this year, with Republican incumbent Jim Marshall retiring after holding office for the better part of the past two decades. Democrat Kenya Johns, the first Black mayor in the city of Beaver Falls, is running against Roman Kozak, chair of the Beaver County Republican Party. Situated in northeastern Beaver County, the 14th includes Economy and a dozen other boroughs plus the city of Beaver Falls and 10 townships (Chippewa and New Sewickley among them). Forty-eight percent of registered voters are Republicans; 37% are Democrats, and 10% are independent.
District map:
Keyna Johns
Beaver Falls Mayor Kenya Johns says her current elected office and volunteering experience have afforded her the opportunity to work “with diverse sectors and demographics” and left her with “the knowledge and relationships to be an effective state representative.” Johns says losing both her sister and her mother during the holidays in 2020 prompted her political involvement: “It really just hit me that time is limited. … And [we have a responsibility] to make these spaces better while we're here.” If elected, Johns says she’d focus on education, infrastructure and mental health, and she believes she could work well with Republican state Rep. Josh Kail (R-Beaver/Washington).
Party: Democratic
Place of residence: Beaver Falls
Education: Ph.D., counseling education and supervision, Duquesne University; M.A., clinical mental health counseling, Geneva College; B.A., psychology and Spanish, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Current occupation: Professor
Related experience: Mayor of Beaver Falls (2022–present); Community Catalyst Partners (2022–present); Slippery Rock University Women's Center Community Outreach (2011–2012)
Supporters/endorsements: Vote Mama, AFL-CIO, Health Care 4 All PA
Links: Website | Facebook | Instagram
Total fundraising (reported as of 10/28/24):
Total raised (2024): $26,137.01
Total spent (2024): $10,521.79
Further reading:“Dr. Kenya Johns-Democrat Candidate Pa State House 14th District” (Beaver County Radio)
WESA Candidate Survey
State policies can help determine the health of the local economy — by adjusting tax rates, imposing or relaxing regulations, and so on. What policies do you think Harrisburg should pursue to improve the state’s economic performance?
I believe that investing into small businesses and infrastructure will have a huge impact on the economy. We understand the direct correlation between small businesses' investments into their own businesses but also their investments into the communities they serve. These investments help support all stakeholders and create a free market economy for small businesses.
Pennsylvania’s approach to education funding, which relies heavily on local property taxes, has long been criticized for burdening homeowners and for creating gaps between rich and poor communities. What should the legislature do to address those concerns, and are there other reforms you think are needed to improve the education students receive?
I believe that there should be a fair funding formula generated that ensures that every student in PA has a great education that is going to lead them to be healthy and productive members of society. I believe that the current structure does not take these things into account, and I am excited for us to get to work to create an equitable and just educational system for all of us.
Nearby states have legalized the adult recreational use of marijuana, and there have been proposals to do so in Pennsylvania, possibly through new distributors or through existing state stores or medical marijuana dispensaries. Do you support legalization, and if so, who should be allowed to sell the product?
I think that the cannabis industry should be established by voter referendum. We should hear what the constituents of Pennsylvania want to do. Also, there should be a caveat that people previously incarcerated for marijuana sales or possession should reap the benefits from legalizing it versus pure profits for large corporations. Community members have been marginalized and imprisoned, and have their entire lives impacted. So, it has to be a conversation about equity, as well as hearing what the people want.
Arguments over voting provisions — such as mail-in balloting, “drop boxes” and voter verification requirements — have become a part of the electoral landscape. How well do you think our election systems work now, and what if any changes to our state voting laws would you support?
It is our constitutional right to vote, and I am committed to making sure that all eligible candidates have access to voting. I would be in favor of supporting automatic voter registration.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe in 2022, there have been discussions in state capitals across the country about whether to limit abortion access or expand it. What changes, if any, would you favor to the state's current abortion laws?
I am in support of the Commonwealth’s current laws.
Roman Kozak
Roman Kozak had been managing the campaigns of area Republican state representatives — Aaron Bernstein (R-Lawrence/Butler) and Josh Kail (R-Beaver/Washington) — for six years before announcing his own statehouse run last year. Kozak has tied his involvement in politics to growing up hearing about his grandparents' experiences surviving World War II Nazi labor camps and how that instilled his deep patriotism and appreciation for American freedom and opportunity. He also majored in political science, and at age 25 ran for Beaver Falls Council; he’s pointed to his narrow loss in the heavily Democratic community as a demonstration of his “cross-party appeal and work ethic.”
Party: Republican
Place of residence: Beaver Falls
Education: B.A., political science, Geneva College
Current occupation: Teacher
Related experience: Beaver County Republican Party (2019–present; chair since 2023); Pennsylvania Republican Committee (2022–present); campaign chair, Citizens for Kail (2017 –present); Beaver Falls Planning Commission (2012–2018)
Supporters/endorsements: None provided by candidate
Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Total fundraising (reported as of 10/1/24):
Total raised (2024): $6,416.26 (2023 ending cash balance: $41,455.48)
Total spent (2024): $4,357.77
Further reading:“HD-14: Kozak Targets Beaver County Seat” (Steve Ulrich, PoliticsPA)
WESA Candidate Survey
Kozak did not respond to the WESA Candidate Survey.
