What’s at stake? The State House 30th District is centered in Pittsburgh’s North Hills suburbs, a fast-growing, formerly conservative stronghold. Democratic incumbent Arvind Venkat won the seat in 2022 after district lines were redrawn; Republicans had held the district for the previous 15 years. Republican Nathan Wolfe and Libertarian William Baierl are both challenging Venkat. The 30th District includes Ben Avon, Ben Avon Heights, Emsworth, Franklin Park, plus parts of Hampton, Kilbuck, McCandless and Ohio townships.
District map:
Further reading: “Fundraising in Pa. state Senate and House races point to a dogfight in the general election” (Chris Potter, WESA)
William Baierl
Baierl previously ran for state House — in 1994 and again in 1996 against Jane Orie — and was the general manager of his family car dealership for more than 30 years. Now a Libertarian, Baierl says he believes in competition of ideas, as evidenced by his federal court victory on ballot access and constitutional election rights in the '90s (Patriot Party v. Allegheny County, confirmed by SCOTUS in 1999). His campaign website says he’ll hold politicians accountable while fighting corruption and banning gifts from lobbyists.
Party: Libertarian
Place of residence: McCandless
Education: North Allegheny Senior High; studied biological basis of behavior and environmental studies at the University of Pennsylvania
Current occupation: Consultant
Related experience: Baierl ran two House campaigns three decades ago; president of the North Area Environmental Council; served on the Allegheny County Republican Committee; elder at Northmont Presbyterian; former director of the Allegheny Land Trust.
Links: Website | Facebook | LinkedIn
Total fundraising (reported as of 10/1/24): None reported
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?
Pennsylvania needs a more transparent and accountable government to foster economic growth. Lobbyists can give unlimited gifts, with minimal reporting and no violations. Legislators reported receiving just over $39,000 in gifts in 2018; lobbyists spent $1.5 million on gifts. A handful of state representatives control $200 million in unvouchered 'leadership' funds and can block or fast-track bills. Many representatives support a gift ban, but leadership stifles, preventing progress on important bills. The nation’s largest, most expensive, and corrupt full-time legislature has become a barrier to meaningful economic reform. A focus on integrity and transparency is crucial to Pennsylvania's future.
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 support local control of school districts, but a Land Value Tax (LVT) is a fairer alternative to property taxes. LVT shifts the burden to industrial and corporate owners, particularly in poorer communities near industrial sites. It’s simple to administer, as taxes are based on land acreage and location, not property improvements. Non-profits would be exempt only for land used in charitable missions. However, with the General Assembly’s current oligarchic structure, real solutions like LVT may never be considered, despite the need for reform to address education funding inequalities.
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?”
Yes, I support cannabis legalization, with regulations similar to beer and tomatoes, including legal homegrown options, as Ohio recently allowed. Oversight could fall under the Health Department or Liquor Control Board. Victimless activities shouldn’t be criminalized, and drug addicts need treatment, not prison, saving both lives and taxpayer money. A Portugal-style approach to opium addiction could drastically reduce fentanyl deaths, but Pennsylvania’s corrupt and unresponsive General Assembly remains a significant obstacle to meaningful reform.
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?
Our current election system, with paper backups and signature verification, has proven its integrity for in-person and mail-in voting through audits. However, the real issue lies in the counterproductivity of taxpayer-funded closed primaries. Drawing from three decades in campaigning, I advocate for a "Top Five" open primary system with Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). This system would use one primary ballot accessible to all, leading to the top five candidates advancing to November. Such a reform aims to reduce polarization and the dominance of extremists by fostering more balanced competition and positive campaigning. This level playing field is crucial for addressing the systemic biases of our electoral landscape.
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 support medical and body autonomy, and believe the state should not interfere in personal decisions between individuals and their doctors. However, reasonable restrictions on abortion seem to reflect the general will. I advocate for a constitutional amendment to allow initiative petitions, empowering voters to decide on this issue. I will work to ensure this general will is protected in our state constitution. Unfortunately, I doubt Pennsylvania’s largest and most corrupt full-time legislature will handle this matter appropriately.
Arvind Venkat
The first Indian-American ever elected to the state House, Venkat didn’t quit his day job and remains an emergency room doctor while representing the 30th District. He’s been a successful fundraiser, both in this race and for his first political campaign, which he won by 11 points against Republican Cindy Kirk. Venkat is a first-generation American, and he credits his immigrant parents’ hard work as an inspiration for his career. In the state House, he has focused on health care access, reproductive rights, gun safety and preserving ballot access, according to this campaign website.
Party: Democratic
Place of residence McCandless
Education: A.B. and A.M., Harvard University; M.D., Yale University School of Medicine
Current occupation: Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 30 (2023-present); emergency physician (2000-present)
Related experience: Secretary of the House Insurance committee. Serves on the Health, Human Services, Professional Licensure and Aging & Older Adult Services committees. He was previously a board member of the McCandless-Franklin Park Ambulance Authority.
Supporters/endorsements: Local police, labor, EMS and teachers unions; environmental and civil rights groups; CeaseFire PA; and Gov. Josh Shapiro.
Links: Website | Facebook | X | Instagram
Total fundraising (reported as of 10/1/24):
Total raised (2024): $171,224.26 (2023 ending cash balance: $325,317.23)
Total spent (2024): $36,489.07
Further reading:
“Pa.’s physician-legislator Arvind Venkat talks gun control, medical debt relief and school funding” (Kim Lyons, Penn Capital-Star)
“Pa. could wipe out up to $400M in medical debt under proposal from Gov. Josh Shapiro” (Stephen Caruso, Spotlight PA)
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?
Significant steps have been taken to create a competitive tax environment and reduce costs for businesses and workers while investing in economic development. We have continued to reduce the corporate net income tax, allowed small businesses to deduct net operating losses, tripled the childcare tax credit and allowed businesses to claim a deduction for contributing to employee childcare expenses, and funded the state’s first economic development strategy and program in decades. We still must raise the minimum wage, especially since every surrounding state has done so to our detriment. Finally, we need to continue to invest in public education and affordable housing so more working-age families want to move here.
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?
We’ve started addressing unconstitutional inequities in public education by increasing the state’s investments, which has benefitted three high-performing school districts I represent (Avonworth, Hampton, and North Allegheny), and many districts across Pennsylvania systematically starved of necessary resources. We’ve increased the property tax rebate for senior citizens, often when they no longer have children in the public schools. We can cap cyber charter tuition and increase accountability on how funds are used by cyber charters. We can ensure they’re spending state dollars on students’ education and not on real estate, exorbitant executive salaries, or advertising. We need more accountability on EITC/OSTC programs that use state tax credits for non-public schools.
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 recognize that marijuana is less dangerous than tobacco or alcohol, which are legal, regulated, and taxed. Other states have shown that legalization of marijuana can unintentionally lead to increased use by underage individuals and impairment challenges at work and when operating vehicles. Sometimes there’s less tax revenue than anticipated. There’s also a lack of a federal framework to allow banking for the marijuana industry. I’m willing to support legalization if we can address the above issues. The safest way is to use existing state stores, which have the experience to ensure quality and relative potency of a regulated product while barring underage access to the product.
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?
Our elections are safe, accurate and secure. We should have easier access for eligible voters by enacting pre-registration of 16-17 year olds so they’re on the voter rolls when they turn 18. I support early in-person voting, same-day registration and removing the dating requirement for mail-in ballots, which unnecessarily disenfranchises voters for an accidental and irrelevant oversight. I support an open primary system and ranked-choice voting so we have a better reflection of voter sentiment. We should allow pre-canvassing of mail-in ballots by bipartisan county officials so we can report our results as quickly as other states do. I’ve voted for Voter ID in a broad framework that ensures no voter is disenfranchised.
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?
Protecting the reproductive health and liberty of Pennsylvania women has been a top priority since I was elected, especially since I’m the only physician in the General Assembly. Pennsylvania's abortion law reflects the medical reality that we should protect abortion as determined by the woman and her physician prior to fetal viability (24 weeks) and when her health or life is threatened after 24 weeks. The current Pennsylvania law wrongly frames abortion as one that should be regulated in the criminal code. I’ve supported changing that and removing impediments that aren’t seen for other health care, including stringent clinic regulation, transfer requirements, waiting periods, and unnecessary pre-abortion medical testing.
Nathan Wolfe
Wolfe is a state constable and businessman who previously worked as an accident investigator. He’s worked at his family automobile business off and on since he was 11 years old, according to his campaign website, and he was the first in his family to go to college. The West Deer resident considers himself “a trusted community leader.”
Party: Republican
Place of residence: West Deer Township, Allegheny County
Education: Human Services degree, La Roche University; Indiana University of Pennsylvania police academy
Current occupation: Pennsylvania state constable and businessman
Related experience: Wolfe says he’s committed to public service through problem-solving, a quality he learned by addressing the safety of roads and vehicles as an accident investigator and working as a constable. He has yet to serve in an elected office.
Supporters/endorsements: Gun Owners of America Pennsylvania chapter; Firearms Owners Against Crime
Links: Website
Total fundraising (reported as of 10/1/24):
Total raised (2024): $5,150
Total spent (2024): $2,245
WESA Candidate Survey
Wolfe did not respond to the WESA candidate survey.
