Live election results:
What’s at stake: The 38th is a rare open House seat in Allegheny County, since incumbent Democrat Nick Pisciottano is focusing solely on a bid for state Senate. Long dominated by sprawling West Mifflin, the district combines some Mon Valley communities with working-class South Hills suburbs. Voters there have a choice between candidates who represent each part of the district, and who differ on education and other issues. Democrats hold a one-vote majority in the state House, so any House race could tip the balance of power in Harrisburg.
District map:
John Inglis
John Inglis is a longtime educator with a passion for school funding issues. He’s also a municipal official from populous West Mifflin, which has been home to previous House members who represent the district, and the cousin of departing incumbent Nick Pisciottano. Inglis is backed by the full constellation of Democratic interests. Still, his victory in a three-way primary race was narrow, reflecting a potential divide between South Hills portions of the district and the Mon Valley.
Party: Democratic
Place of residence: West Mifflin
Education: B.A., Duquesne University; M.A., Westminster College
Current occupation: School counselor at West Mifflin Area High School
Related experience: 14+ years in public education (2009-present); West Mifflin Borough Council (2018-present)
Supporters/endorsements: Democrats including Gov. Josh Shapiro and outgoing incumbent Nick Pisciottano, labor groups that include the state AFL-CIO, teachers unions and building trades locals, and advocacy groups that include Clean WaterAction PA, Vote Pro Choice, and LGBT+advocacy group Steel City Stonewall Democrats
Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Total fundraising (reported as of 10/28/24):
Total raised (2024): $98,709.92 (2023 ending cash balance: $24.19 )
Total spent (2024): $62,574.47
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 want to bring in state resources to help revitalize the local economy. It is important that we capitalize on continued infrastructure projects, expansion of the union way of life, and bring back grant money to make our communities appealing to prospective businesses. I would like to redevelop places such as the Century 3 Mall site, to create new jobs and increase property values. I am also in favor of tax breaks for small businesses, current and new. I support the efforts of Governor Shapiro and the recent state budget to create funding for this economic revitalization.
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?
As an educator, I see firsthand the needs of students in our public schools. We need to increase funding to hire more teachers resulting in smaller class sizes, update our student resources that enhance learning, renovate our outdated school facilities, improve security including resource officers, and overhaul how we address mental health needs in the 21st century. We also need to come up with a permanent funding formula that determines how to equitably and efficiently fund our schools in the future. I am excited to join the House of Representatives in continuing historic investments being made in our public education system.
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 support the legalization of recreational marijuana, which mirrors the growing successful trends of many neighboring states. The pros far outweigh the cons. I believe this drug improves the physical and mental health of many who use it. I believe the tax revenue can assist in funding many initiatives in our state, current and new. I think that it can also be an alternative to other drug dependencies that are problems in our communities. I think entering legalization this late can provide us with multiple models to consider in how to successfully and equitably benefit workers, businesses, and the communities that are served.
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?
I believe the right to vote is a fundamental right and sacred privilege in our country. We should always be trying to encourage voter registration efforts while reducing barriers to voting. I believe our elections are safer, more secure, and accurate than ever. I think that the paper ballot being saved after electronic recording is an efficient way of achieving the true will of the people while preserving election security.
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 believe in keeping PA’s current reproductive health care protections and laws the same, while defending them against any potential current or future attacks. I support making reproductive health care availability accessible everywhere across the state, no matter where someone lives. I will also encourage our federal representation to support codifying the rights of Roe vs Wade back into law across the country.
Stone Sobieralski
Sobieralski is a relative newcomer to politics, having run for borough council in his South Hills hometown back in 2021. Since winning that race, he's called for televising borough council meetings, and he says he’d seek transparency and a business-minded approach at the state level, too. He also pledges to be an advocate for school choice in Harrisburg, where he says he’ll “hold Gov. Shapiro accountable” to live up to his own earlier support for public-school alternatives.
Party: Republican
Place of residence: Whitehall
Education: Associate degree, Community College of Allegheny County
Current occupation: Stonemason
Related experience: Whitehall borough council member (2022-present), Whitehall Public Library Board, Whitehall Planning Commission
Supporters/endorsements: None provided by candidate
Links: Website |Facebook |Twitter |Instagram
Total fundraising (reported as of 9/30/24):
Total raised (2024): None reported
Total spent (2024): 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?
Our state is in the top eight states for outbound migration due to less opportunity, which is directly a result of high tax rates and burdensome regulations causing businesses to leave, taking their jobs with them. I would like to mimic the business climate of Oklahoma, which has streamlined processes for large projects, and North Dakota, which offers great tax incentives. Most of the household incomes in our district are below the state average. My top priority is to bring high-paying jobs to the area and lower the cost of living and to uplift the district I represent.
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?
Property tax is not an equitable way to fund schools, especially for my district, which has a high concentration of seniors living on fixed incomes. We need to explore alternative funding methods. Additionally, I would like to see the consolidation of schools since there are over 500 individual school districts in Pennsylvania. Consolidation could streamline operations and reduce costs. Moreover, there should be a state-adopted teacher contract for the entire state. Schools spend millions of taxpayer dollars annually on arbitration and negotiating contracts. A standardized contract for the commonwealth would cut these costs, thereby saving resources and ensuring a more consistent and fair approach to teacher employment.
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 support legislation for recreational marijuana. However, it's worth noting that medical marijuana dispensaries have not yet generated significant tax revenue for the commonwealth. Opening it to recreational use might change this. I would like to see it regulated by the Department of Agriculture. The state has already granted permission for 25 growers and 50 dispensaries, each allowed to have three stores, totaling 150 locations. I believe this is sufficient to sell the product effectively.
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?
America should be the example for the rest of the world for fair elections. Here are some changes I'd be interested in seeing: implementing voter ID laws to ensure that every voter is who they claim to be; reinforcing the integrity of the election process; elimination of drop boxes since the point of mail-in ballots is to vote by mail, which is easier to track and has less chance of fraud compared to using drop boxes.
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?
Current Pennsylvania law is sufficient and should remain as is.
