Live election results:
What’s at stake? The 40th House District covers Pittsburgh’s South Hills suburbs in Allegheny and Washington counties. Republicans have held the district since before the 1969 moon landing, but it has become slightly more competitive in recent years. Third-term incumbent Natalie Mihalek took nearly 57% of the vote in 2022, down slightly from her 61% win in 2020. A write-in Democratic challenger, Peter Kohnke is a retired software developer who supported a rails-to-trails recreational byway.
District map:
Peter Kohnke
Kohnke is a retired civil engineer and computer programmer, and a native of the state of Indiana who later settled in Bethel Park. He spent more than 40 years with Ansys, a Washington County software company. Kohnke, an environmentalist, purchased land that would later become part of the recreational Montour Trail, used by runners and cyclists, among others.
Party: Democratic
Place of residence: Bethel Park, Allegheny County
Education: Ph.D., civil engineering, University of Illinois; B.S., civil engineering, Purdue University
Current occupation: Retired
Related experience: Former manager and senior development engineer at Canonsburg-based Ansys Inc., an engineering software firm (1973-2015); various offices at the Montour Trail Council (president, 2001-2003)
Supporters/endorsements: Bethel Park Democratic Committee
Links: LinkedIn | Facebook
Total fundraising (reported as of 10/1/24): None reported
Further reading:
“Bethel Park man secures Democratic write-in nomination for 40th state House race” (Mike Jones, The Almanac)
“Montour Trail celebrates top state honor during South Park Township event” (Harry Funk, the Almanac)
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?
Harrisburg should put forth policies that would encourage entrepreneurship and increase the start-up and success of small businesses. The PA legislature should also initiate/support programs that would provide low-cost incentives for renovating existing housing, to increase equity for homeowners and/or expand housing supply. For seniors, rebates for those facing increasing rents and property taxes should be tied to inflation, to avoid eviction and foreclosure. It is also time to review PA liquor laws to see if the state and its citizens would be better served by the privatization of the liquor industry.
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?
Many of these concerns are addressed in HB 2370, a sweeping education-funding bill passed by the House in June 2024, with bipartisan support. Democratic sponsors of the bill hope it will meet a judicial ruling to offer all students in PA a fair and equitable education. The bill will provide $5.4 billion to public education over the next seven years, if it is funded each year. It also requires low-tax districts to contribute more and offers “tax equity” supplements to high-tax districts. The bill now awaits Republican-controlled Senate approval before it can be signed into law by Gov. Shapiro.
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?
Recreational use of marijuana should be legalized. This would promote justice and equity, particularly for marginalized communities who are more likely to be affected by the criminalization of cannabis. This would also free up the criminal justice system to focus on more serious crime. Legal marijuana could also be therapeutic for the elderly and/or those with chronic pain who avoid medical marijuana because of excessive regulations and stigma. Given the potential for generating tax revenue and jobs, the cannabis industry should grow independently, not tied to existing state stores or medical marijuana dispensaries.
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?
Any registered Pennsylvanian can request a mail ballot, with a current valid form of identification. They should continue to be able to do so, as voters want more convenience, especially for those who have difficulty getting to the polls. The Mail-in Voting Law was upheld by the state’s Supreme Court in August 2022. Mail ballot fraud is exceptionally rare, and there is no evidence of widespread issues that would change the outcome of any PA election.
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?
A woman’s freedom to choose is a fundamental right, which must be protected. In the wake of Roe’s reversal, such rights are threatened. Anti-abortion efforts also negatively affect other aspects of reproductive health such as contraception, miscarriage management, treatment for ectopic pregnancies, and reproductive technologies such as IVF. The PA Legislature should work to keep abortion and reproductive health care legal, and not try to reverse it by passing legislation such as Senate Bill 106. The legislature should also support the Governor’s Executive Order 2022-01, to remove medically unnecessary and punitive restrictions on those providing reproductive health care services, in order to keep such care safe, legal, and accessible.
Natalie Mihalek
Before becoming a state lawmaker, Mihalek joined the U.S. Navy and worked in its nuclear power program. She later studied law and worked as a prosecutor in the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office. Mihalek beat a Trump-backed Republican in her 2018 primary, signaling the 40th District may not have had an appetite for a more conservative candidate at the time. She’s supported school choice, inmate education, and victim protections during her time in the state House.
Party: Republican
Place of residence: Peters Township, Allegheny County
Education: Bachelor’s degree, University of Pittsburgh; J.D., Appalachian School of Law
Current occupation: Pennsylvania House of Representatives, lawyer
Related experience: Mihalek is vice-chair of the House Insurance Committee and serves on the Consumer Protection and Appropriations committees (criminal justice subcommittee); Allegheny County assistant district attorney (2007-2010); Navy veteran (1997-2000)
Supporters/endorsements: Independent business trade groups (NFIB); PA Chamber of Business and Industry
Links: Website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn
Total fundraising (reported as of 10/1/24):
Total raised (2024): $4,500.00 (2023 ending cash balance: $15,055.89)
Total spent (2024): $7,522.03
Further reading: “Debate over transportation for Pa. charter students divides local House members” (Tom Riese, WESA)
“Republicans aim to privatize Pennsylvania’s liquor sales by constitutional amendment” (Sam Dunklau, WESA)
“Both sides of gun debate square off over 'constitutional carry' bill” (Chris Potter, WESA)
WESA Candidate Survey
Mihalek did not respond to the WESA Candidate Survey.
