What’s at stake: This Mon Valley-centered seat has long been in Democratic hands, though outgoing incumbent Jim Brewster just barely held onto it four years ago. Brewster is retiring this year, and his district — which stretches east through Monroeville to Plum Borough and includes some working-class South Hills suburbs as well — has become a battleground. Republicans are investing heavily in a first-time candidate’s bid to capture the seat from a Democratic state House member. The volume and the increasingly sharp tone of TV advertising suggests the stakes: Democrats can recapture the Senate if they can snag a handful of other races, but they’ll need to hold on to the 45th.
District map:
Further reading:
"Spot Check: Ads in Mon Valley state Senate race allege guilt by association" (Chris Potter, WESA)
“Spot Check: Newcomer attacks state Senate candidate on House calendar, pay set by law and per diems” (Chris Potter, Tom Riese, WESA)
“In Mon Valley, Pisciottano and Dintini win in 45th state Senate primary” (Chris Potter, Kiley Koscinski, WESA)
Jen Dintini
Dintini is a first-time candidate who touts her background as a small-business owner — and perhaps notably for a Republican, her employees are members of a service employees union local. Having coasted through her party’s primary against token opposition, she has struck a moderate tone on a number of campaign issues. And while her name may have been less familiar than that of her Democratic rival, she blanketed the airwaves this summer with an ad campaign that has given some Democrats pause.
Party: Republican
Place of residence: Plum Borough
Education: Business administration, University of Pittsburgh
Current occupation: Owner, 3G Security Solutions and Am-Gard
Related experience: Business owner, community volunteer in youth sports leagues and local PTO.
Supporters/endorsements: Dintini has received considerable financial support from Republican leaders in the state Senate including president pro tempore Kim Ward. Dintini has been endorsed by the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry and gun-rights groups Firearm Owners Against Crime and Gun Owners of America.
Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Total fundraising (as of 5/13/24):
Total raised (2024): $168,906.00
Total spent (2024): $124,821.76
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 does not have a good track record of speedy and effective permitting. In fact, it’s been said that an entire steel mill could be built in another state before Pennsylvania would even issue the permit. That’s unacceptable. We should improve our infrastructure and transit by dedicating stable revenue streams directed at improving our roads and transit agencies. We need to tap into our energy resources so that our residents and businesses take advantage of the natural resources we have here in PA. Finally, we must reject policies that hinder our ability to produce energy for ourselves and the rest of the world.
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 don’t think that a zip code should determine the quality of your education. The property tax system helps ensure that. In many of the school districts I hope to represent it also serves as a barrier to buying a home in that community because of high property taxes. We must ensure we are properly funding our schools, that schools are making the most of the money they receive and that parents are empowered to be engaged in their child’s education. We should be using proven evidence-based curricula to improve math and reading scores.
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?
Generally, I do support efforts to legalize adult use of marijuana. I look forward to working in a bipartisan way to come up with a framework to ensure PA does this right with the safety of all residents in mind.
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 think our voting systems work well generally so long as everyone knows the rules and that they are followed faithfully by election officials. When decisions are made in one county differently than in another, it leads to a lack of faith in the system from voters and candidates. I would allow counties to begin preparing to count mail-in ballots sooner to ensure they are counted by election night. I would also like to require an identification to vote to add a degree of confidence to the system while ensuring that all residents have access to a free ID.
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?
My position on abortion is about common sense, not about extreme politics. I support a woman’s right to safe medical procedures and her being able to make those decisions with her doctors. I support our current laws.
Nick Pisciottano
Pisciottano’s rise in local politics reflects a generational change in local leadership. Elected just four years ago to represent a House District that overlays the 45th, he now chairs the county’s House delegation, and he moved quickly to run for the seat of retiring 45th District Sen. Jim Brewster — before many even knew Brewster was stepping down. Pisciottano brushed back a challenge from his left in the Democratic primary and entered the general election with the party’s various factions lined up behind him.
Party: Democratic
Place of residence: West Mifflin
Education: B.A., accounting and history, Washington & Jefferson College; M.S., data analytics & policy, Johns Hopkins University
Current occupation: Pennsylvania House of Representatives, accountant
Related experience: State representative since 2021, chair of Allegheny County House delegation since 2022, previously accounting firm auditor
Supporters/endorsements: Pisciottano is endorsed by outgoing Sen. Jim Brewster, Gov. Josh Shapiro, and state Democrats as well as a broad array of unions, including the Allegheny-Fayette Central Labor Council, and liberal activist groups such as the state Sierra Club and Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania PAC
Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Total fundraising (as of 5/13/24):
Total raised (2024): $139,687.22
(2023 ending cash balance: $131,939.76)
Total spent (2024): $211,304.09
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?
As a state representative, I’ve been proud to fight to get our region the resources it needs, including working with local leaders to keep the Monroeville Convention Center and begin the redevelopment of Century 3 Mall.
It’s critical that we protect consumers. I’ve sponsored the "Pay the Price You See" bill, which cracks down on the fees charged during online purchases for event tickets, vacation rentals, and more. I’ve also championed the Pennsylvania Open Markets Act, which would establish stronger protections for small businesses, workers, and consumers by giving the attorney general the tools needed to investigate price gouging and other anti-competitive behavior.
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?
While it has long been clear that Pennsylvania had failed to equitably and appropriately fund our schools, recent court decisions have affirmed that the state bears a greater responsibility to fund public education and to be sure that funding is equitably distributed. Local funding and property taxes will always be a part of the balance, but the state and federal governments’ portion should not be so low that only the wealthiest school districts can make up the deficit. I’m proud to have worked to pass a state budget that makes historic investments in our school 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?
Nearly every surrounding state has fully legalized the recreational use of marijuana — it’s past time for Pennsylvania to do the same. We are leaving a major source of tax revenue to our neighboring states. There are numerous models of rolling out legalization in other states that we can use as templates, but any commercial solution must prioritize small business, equity, and community benefits to earn my support.
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?
There are a variety of opportunities to improve election administration and to promote greater voter participation, including continuing efforts to expand early and mail-in voting, expanding ballot dropboxes, allowing for pre-canvassing efforts, and same-day voter registration. I have been supportive of omnibus legislation in Harrisburg that would modernize PA’s election code to make elections secure while ensuring that the right to vote is highly accessible to everyone.
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 health care is a fundamental American right and reproductive health care should be safe, legal, and accessible in Pennsylvania. We need to do more to protect women’s rights and ensure access to necessary care, especially following the Dobbs decision, which makes the state legislature the last defense against extreme politicians who strip those rights and take us back in time.
