What's at stake: The new-look 27th District, reconfigured after the 2020 Census, includes Duquesne Heights, a chunk of Mount Washington and Pittsburgh's West End neighborhoods, as well as suburban boroughs including Crafton, Green Tree, Rosslyn Farms, Heidelberg and Scott Township. Democrat Dan Deasy has represented the district since 2009; he'll face Republican challenger Ed Brosky of Scott Township.
Ed Brosky
Brosky hasn't spoken to mainstream media organizations during his 2022 campaign — when reached after multiple emails and phone calls, he said he distrusts media organizations. He defeated GOP primary opponent Tim Walker with 56% of the vote. Brosky doesn’t offer specific policies on his campaign website, but he says he believes in following the original meanings of the Pennsylvania and U.S. constitutions, supports policies that strengthen people’s abilities to take care of their families and wants to help businesses to “navigate through red tape.” To address crime, he says he believes in “a strong police force paired with unbiased oversight.”
Party: Republican
Links: Website | Facebook
Candidate surveys: WESA Candidate Survey; League of Women Voters
Major endorsements: Firearm Owners Against Crime
Fundraising:
Total contributions (2021-2022): $0
Total expenditures (2021-2022): $0
Worth reading: “2 Republicans look to unseat state Rep. Dan Deasy” (Julia Felton, Tribune-Review)
Dan Deasy
State Rep. Deasy is the current minority chair of the House Liquor Control Committee and takes the party line against attempts to privatize the state’s liquor stores. He supports universal background checks for firearm purchases and a hike in the state's minimum wage. In 2013, he voted in favor of prohibiting insurance coverage for abortion; in 2018, he voted in favor of a bill that would prohibit abortion based on a Down syndrome diagnosis, only to reverse the position the following year. More recently, he’s voted against legislation that makes way for a statewide referendum on abortion access and says he wants to maintain the state’s current abortion laws.
Party: Democratic
Experience: Pennsylvania House of Representatives – 27th District (2009 – present)
Education: University of Pittsburgh
Links: Facebook | Twitter
Candidate surveys: WESA Candidate Survey; League of Women Voters
Major endorsements: Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, other labor groups
Fundraising:
Total contributions (2021-2022): $57,486.25
Total expenditures (2021-22): $41,381.28
Worth reading: “2 Republicans look to unseat state Rep. Dan Deasy” (Julia Felton, Tribune-Review)
