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Special Report:
Pennsylvania Primary Election Update
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May 18, 2022
This special report is brought to you on behalf of EdPAC, our bipartisan political action committee that supports legislators in the Pennsylvania General Assembly who work to support traditional public education. Click here to learn more about EdPAC.
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Overview
Yesterday voters across the Keystone State headed to the ballot box for Primary Election Day in Pennsylvania. Voters selected the candidates who will represent their parties in the upcoming general election in November. On the ballot this year are the state’s top job of governor, one member of the US Senate, the entire Congressional Delegation (17 U.S. House Districts), half of the Pennsylvania State Senate (even numbered seats), and all 203 State House of Representatives seats.
According to unofficial state results, Trump-backed candidates Doug Mastriano is the projected winner for GOP gubernatorial nomination governor and Dr. Oz holds a narrow lead as the GOP candidate for U.S. Senate. Mastriano will face Democrat Josh Shapiro this November and the GOP winner of the U.S. Senate race will face John Fetterman. Western Pennsylvania candidates Austin Davis (D) and Carrie DelRosso (R) will face off in the race for Pennsylvania’s Lieutenant Governor.
On the state level, three lawmakers lost incumbent vs incumbent redistricting matchups, and 7 incumbents are trailing in close races in their primary bids, including both the House and Senate Republican Chairs of the Appropriations Committees.
To view the unofficial election results, click here. Below is a quick look at some of the noteworthy races.
Governor’s race
Democrat Josh Shapiro ran unopposed for the state’s Democratic gubernatorial nomination. He is currently the state’s Attorney General and previously served as a state representative, then as a county commissioner in Montgomery County. Shapiro tested positive for COVID-19 hours before the polls opened for the state’s primary election yesterday, according to his campaign. He is experiencing mild symptoms, and he plans to continue his work while he isolates at home. He will be back on the campaign trail next week and will kick off the general election campaign in Johnstown.
Shapiro will face Republican state Senator Doug Mastriano in November. Mastriano, with 44.14% of the vote, led a crowded GOP field. In the days leading up to the election, Republicans Melissa Hart and Jake Corman dropped out of the race and endorsed Congressman Lou Barletta over concerns that a ticket led by far-right conservative gubernatorial frontrunner Mastriano could lead to defeat in November without support of moderate swing voters. Over the weekend Mastriano secured the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, though Mastriano held a consistent lead before winning the former president’s endorsement. On the campaign trail, Mastriano was a vocal critic of Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf's COVID-19 lockdowns and he amplified Trump's allegations of election fraud in the 2020 presidential race. Mastriano has embraced participation in the January 6 “Stop the Steal” rally as a badge of honor.
Democratic Governor Tom Wolf is unable to run for re-election due to term limit restrictions. Republicans have the opportunity to win the executive branch, which could leave them in control of the governor’s office as well as the legislature, if they keep their majority. Whether Pennsylvania is blue, red, or purple depends on who you ask. The Keystone state has certainly lived up to its reputation of being a premier battleground state. Back in 2020, federal races produced a bit of blue and purple tones, while state-level results were decidedly red. Pennsylvania voters have a reputation for splitting their tickets on Election Day. Heading into the 2022 general election, Democrats have a voter registration edge over Republicans. However, close gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia last year have political watchers expecting tight races here, especially if Mastriano can keep his homegrown base and new voters energized.
Lieutenant Governor’s race
State Representative Austin Davis, a Democrat from McKeesport in Allegheny County, is the projected winner of the Democratic Party nomination for Lieutenant Governor. With 63.12% of the vote, Davis faced a small field of challengers, including State Representative Brian Sims (D-Philadelphia). Breaking with a recent tradition of Democratic gubernatorial candidates staying out of the lieutenant primary, Josh Shapiro endorsed Davis as candidate for Lieutenant Governor. Davis will face Republican state Representative Carrie DelRosso of Oakmont in Allegheny County. DelRosso was the top vote getter (25.88%) for her party’s nomination, beating out Mastriano-endorsed retired police officer Teddy Daniels, as well as former state Representatives Jeff Coleman and Rick Saccone. Saccone is second in the race with 15.63% of the vote.
U.S. Senate race
Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race is one of the most competitive elections in the country and could help determine control of the Senate following this year’s midterm elections. The seat is being vacated by the retiring two-term Republican Sen. Pat Toomey.
With 58.96% of the vote, Democrat John Fetterman is the projected winner of the Democratic nomination defeating State Representative Malcolm Kenyatta, and Congressman Conor Lamb. Fetterman will face the winner of a competitive Republican primary, which is too close to call at this time. Dr. Mehmet Oz, celebrity physician and cardiothoracic surgeon who received Trump’s backing holds a narrow lead on Dave McCormick, a former hedge fund executive. According to unofficial state results, Dr. Oz has 31.38% of the vote to McCormick’s 31.26%. Heading into the primary, conservative commentator Kathy Barnette made this a competitive three-way race with her sudden surge in the polls in the final days testing Trump’s power over the Republican party. Ahead of yesterday’s primary, Trump made a direct appeal to voters, attacking McCormick and Barnette and urging Republicans to turn out for Oz.
Fetterman didn’t attend his election night event. He had a stroke on Friday and shortly before polls closed yesterday, his campaign announced that he had "completed a successful procedure to implant a pacemaker with a defibrillator." He expects a full recovery and to be back on the campaign trail soon.
U.S. House races
1st Congressional District: Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick defeated challenger Alex Entin in the GOP primary for the Philadelphia suburban district. He will face Democrat Ashley Ehasz, who was unopposed for the Democratic Party nomination, for the general election.
2nd Congressional District: Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Philadelphia) and Republican Aaron Bashir were both unopposed and will run against one another in November.
3rd Congressional District: Rep. Dwight Evans (D-Philadelphia) bested challenger Alexandra Hunt. There is no Republican running for the seat in the general election.
4th Congressional District: Rep. Madeleine Dean was unopposed for the Democratic Party nomination. She will face Christian Nascimento, who won against Daniel Burton for the Republican nomination for the Philadelphia suburban district.
5th Congressional District: Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Delaware) will go up against Republican David Galluch for the Delaware County-based seat in November. Both were unopposed in their respective primaries on Tuesday.
6th Congressional District: Rep. Chrissy Houlahan was unopposed in the Democratic Party primary. The race for the Republican nomination is not yet determined. At this time, Guy Ciarrocchi is leading Steve Fanelli by three points in the four candidate race.
7th Congressional District: Rep. Susan Wild was unopposed in the Democratic Party primary. At this time, Lisa Scheller holds a narrow lead over Kevin Dellicker for the Republican Party nomination.
8th Congressional District: Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-Lackawanna) will take on Republican Jim Bognet for the Northeast Pa seat in November. Cartwright ran unopposed, while Bognet bested Republican Mike Marsicano for his party’s nomination. Cartwright defeated Bognet for the seat under its previous boundaries in 2020.
9th Congressional District: Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Luzerne) will be challenged by Democrat Amanda Waldman in the general election. They were both unopposed for their respective party’s nomination.
10th Congressional District: Rep. Scott Perry (R-York) was unopposed for the Republican Party nomination. At this time, Rick Coplen holds a four point edge over Shamaine Daniels in the Democratic Party race for the seat.
11th Congressional District: Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-Lancaster) will run against Democrat Bob Hollister in the general election. Both candidates were unopposed in their respective primaries.
12th Congressional District: At this time, State Rep. Summer Lee holds a narrow edge over Steve Irwin for the open seat in Pittsburgh.
13th Congressional District: Republican Rep. John Joyce was unopposed for the nomination and will not face a Democrat in the fall.
14th Congressional District: Republican Rep. Guy Reschenthaler was unopposed for the nomination and will not face a Democrat in the fall.
15th Congressional District: Republican Rep. Glen Thompson was unopposed for the nomination and will not face a Democrat in the fall.
16th Congressional District: Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Butler) was unopposed for the Republican Party nomination. He will be challenged by Democrat Dan Pastore for the seat in November. Pastore won over Rick Telesz in the Democratic Party primary.
17th Congressional District: For this open seat in the western part of the state, Democrat Chris Deluzio and Republican Jeremy Shaffer will face off in November.
General Assembly races
On the state level, regardless of last night’s outcomes, expect to see many fresh faces in 2023. Nearly 30 state legislators did not seek reelection/were unsuccessful in their primary bid for another office. An additional nine members will appear on the November ballot for a different seat/office. Three members lost incumbent vs incumbent redistricting matchups, and seven incumbents are trailing in close races in their primary bids, including both the House and Senate Republican Chairs of the Appropriations Committees.
Highlights - House of Representatives
39th Legislative District: With 58.24% of the vote, Andrew Kuzma, a Republican from Elizabeth Township in Allegheny County, is leading incumbent Republican Michael Puskaric. Kuzma, a former Elizabeth Township Commissioner, is an attorney who backed Puskaric’s Democratic opponent during his first race in 2018.
47th Legislative District: With 59.78% of the vote, Joseph D’Orsie, a Republican from Mt. Wolf Borough in York County, is leading incumbent Republican Keith Gillespie. D’Orsie, a former football player and wrestler at Duquesne University, is the communications director at Praise Community Church in East York.
55th Legislative District: With nearly 48.86% of the vote, Jill Cooper, a Republican from Murrysville in Westmoreland County, is leading incumbent Republican Jason Silvis. Cooper is a Republican State Committeeperson and chair of the Westmoreland County Republican Party, as well as a board member with the Murrysville Economic & Community Development Corporation. She’s vowed to not accept any taxpayer-funded pension and per diems or labor union campaign funds.
86th Legislative District: With 55.28% of the vote, incumbent Perry Stambaugh, a Republican from Perry County, is leading incumbent Republican John Hershey. Hershey currently serves the 82nd district, which was drawn into the 86th district, currently represented by Stambaugh.
94th Legislative District: With 55.71% of the vote, Wendy Fink, a Republican from Windsor Township in York County, is leading incumbent Republican Stan Saylor. Saylor is the Majority Chair of the House Appropriations Committee. Fink, a conservative education advocate, has experience as both a public school and home-school educator. She’s been endorsed by the Gun Owners of America and Make Liberty Win PAC.
Both Wendy Fink and Joe D'Orsie got a boost when state Representative Mike Jones, R-York Township, took the unusual step of endorsing them over his fellow incumbents Representatives Gillespie and Saylor. State Rep. Jones called Fink and D’Orsie better choices for conservative voters. In a letter, he criticized Saylor and Gillespie for failing to stand up to Governor Wolf’s pandemic restrictions and not helping to pass key election reforms, among other criticisms. York County Republican Chair Jeff Piccola called for the censure of Jones for his endorsement. Shortly after the polls closed yesterday, Piccola submitted his resignation.
159th Legislative District: With nearly 55.8% of the vote, Carol Kazeem, a Democrat from Chester in Delaware County, is leading incumbent Democrat Brian Kirkland. Kazeem, a trauma-informed outreach worker, has been a community activist and helped organize protests of the Covanta waste-to-stream facility in Chester. She’s been endorsed by the Pennsylvania Working Families Party and PSEA-PACE.
187th Legislative District: With 61.33% of the vote, incumbent Ryan Mackenzie, a Republican serving the 134th district in Lehigh County, is leading incumbent Republican Gary Day. Mackenzie was drawn into this new district with state Representative Day, a Republican currently serving the 187th district.
194th Legislative District: With 59.8% of the vote, Tarik Khan, a Democrat from Philadelphia, is leading incumbent Democrat Pam DeLissio. Khan is a frontline nurse and the immediate past president of the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association. Throughout the pandemic Khan visited homebound residents to administer COVID-19 vaccines. He’s been endorsed by State Sen. Nikil Saval, the 9th and 21st Ward Democrats, as well as several labor unions.
200th Legislative District: With nearly 61.93% of the vote, incumbent Democrat Chris Rabb, currently serving the 200th district in Philadelphia, is leading incumbent Democrat Isabella Fitzgerald. State Representative Fitzgerald currently serves 203rd district. She was drawn into this new district.
Highlights - Senate
16th Senatorial District: With 50.04% of the vote, Jarrett Coleman, a Republican from Upper Macungie Township in Lehigh County, is leading incumbent Republican Pat Browne. Browne is the Majority Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Coleman, an airline pilot, and member of the Parkland School Board campaigned as an opponent of school closures and vaccine mandates.
The following current state lawmakers were successful in their bids to pick up the party’s nomination to appear on the general election ballot in November:
- State Senator Doug Mastriano (R-Franklin) – Running for Governor
- Representative Carrie Lewis DelRosso (R-Allegheny) – Running for Lt. Governor
- Representative Tracy Pennycuick (R-Montgomery) – Running for State Senate (24th district)
- Representative Greg Rothman (R-Cumberland) – Running for State Senate (34th district)
- Representative Lori Mizgorski (R-Allegheny) – Running for State Senate (38th district)
- Representative Frank Farry (R-Bucks) – Running for State Senate (6th district)
- Representative Rosemary Brown (R-Monroe) – Running for State Senate (40th district)
- Rep. Summer Lee (D-Allegheny) – Running for current House seat and US Congress (PA-12)
- Rep. Austin Davis (D-Allegheny) – Running for current House seat and Lt. Governor
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