As the April 23 primary election looms closer, Pennsylvanians find themselves at a pivotal juncture, not just in the selection of a presidential nominee but also in crucial down-ballot races that directly impact their lives. From Attorney General to State Auditor and Senate positions, every vote holds the potential to shape the future of the Keystone State.
Why It Matters
In the cacophony of national politics, it’s easy to overlook the significance of local and regional elections. However, the decisions made by these officials have a profound impact on the daily lives of residents. From safeguarding constitutional rights to enforcing consumer protections and criminal justice reform, the individuals elected to these positions wield considerable influence over the state’s governance.
Key Races
- Attorney General: The race for Pennsylvania Attorney General takes center stage in this primary. The AG serves as the state’s chief law enforcement officer and plays a critical role in upholding the rule of law. With concerns over potential post-election insurrection and federal overreach, the importance of this position cannot be overstated.
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- Keir Bradford-Grey (Democrat): A trailblazer in the legal field, Bradford-Grey brings a wealth of experience as the former Chief Public Defender of Philadelphia. Her progressive approach and commitment to criminal justice reform have garnered widespread support.
- Joe Khan (Democrat): Drawing from his experience as a prosecutor and advocate for immigrant communities, Khan presents a compelling vision for the AG’s office. His commitment to affordable healthcare and environmental protection underscores his progressive values.
- Eugene DePasquale (Democrat): With a proven track record as a watchdog and advocate for accountability, DePasquale’s tenure as Auditor General highlights his dedication to serving the people of Pennsylvania. His focus on reducing gun crime and increasing consumer protections resonates with voters.
- Jared Solomon (Democrat): As a vocal advocate for good governance and bipartisan cooperation, Solomon brings a fresh perspective to the race. His efforts to address housing affordability and gun violence have garnered attention statewide.
- Jack Stollsteimer (Democrat): With a pragmatic approach to progressive policies, Stollsteimer has earned accolades for his efforts to reduce gun violence and protect workers’ rights. His blue-collar background resonates with voters across party lines.
- David Sunday (Republican): Drawing from his experience as District Attorney of York County, Sunday emphasizes law enforcement priorities such as combating the opioid epidemic and human trafficking. His focus on public safety appeals to Republican voters.
- Craig Williams (Republican): A decorated Marine and former federal prosecutor, Williams brings a strong law-and-order message to the race. His commitment to prosecution over political posturing has garnered support among conservative voters.
Pennsylvania Auditor General Race
Timothy DeFoor, Republican
Timothy DeFoor currently serves as the Pennsylvania Auditor General, bringing with him extensive experience in government.
He has focused on auditing municipal funds during his tenure, though his decision to close the School Audits Bureau and accusations against certain school districts have sparked controversy.
DeFoor’s campaign emphasizes his commitment to running the office “free of political and partisan influence.”
Malcolm Kenyatta, Democrat
Malcolm Kenyatta has been a State Representative for North Philadelphia since 2018 and is known for his advocacy on voting rights and criminal justice reform.
He pledges to establish a Bureau of Labor and Worker Protections if elected, along with increasing transparency in healthcare spending and addressing gun violence reduction.
Kenyatta’s endorsements include the Pennsylvania Democratic Party and various labor unions.
Mark Pinsley, Democrat
Mark Pinsley has served as Lehigh County Controller since 2020 and highlights his auditing experience and cost-saving accomplishments.
His campaign priorities include auditing the state’s county children’s welfare system and election departments, along with advocating for public school funding.
Pinsley has received endorsements from organizations such as Vote Vets and the Parents’ Medical Rights Group.
Pennsylvania Treasurer Race
Stacy Garrity, Republican
Stacy Garrity, the incumbent State Treasurer, is running for reelection and has worked to improve the state’s education savings accounts and unclaimed property system.
She opposes ESG investing and has received endorsements from conservative groups.
Garrity was the first state official to endorse Donald Trump for reelection.
Ryan Bizzarro, Democrat
Ryan Bizzarro, a six-term State Representative from Erie County, aims to focus on programs to help families save for college and provide support for seniors and small businesses.
He has criticized Garrity’s support for Trump and her anti-abortion stances.
Bizzarro’s endorsements include the Pennsylvania Democratic Party and labor unions.
Erin McClelland, Democrat
Erin McClelland, an addiction counselor and small business entrepreneur, seeks to increase transparency and reform the state’s supply chain if elected.
Her campaign faced scrutiny for accepting donations before registering a fundraising committee.
McClelland’s platform emphasizes improving government systems while advocating for public sector workers.
U.S. Senate Race
Robert Casey Jr., Democrat
Robert Casey Jr. is running for his fourth term as Pennsylvania’s senior senator and has championed policies protecting older people, children, and working-class families.
He has supported legislation to lower prescription drug costs and expand care for older adults.
Casey’s endorsements include the Pennsylvania Democratic Party and various labor unions.
David McCormick, Republican
David McCormick, a businessperson and former government official, has taken a strong stance against China and advocated for policies to benefit American workers.
He has received endorsements from Pennsylvania’s Republican congressional delegation and emphasizes his Pennsylvania roots.
McCormick’s campaign has attracted attention for its large donations from Wall Street investors.
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
3RD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Northwest, West and some of South Philadelphia
DWIGHT EVANS, DEMOCRAT
Dwight Evans, serving as U.S. Congressman from the 3rd District since 2016, is seeking his fifth term. With over 35 years of service in the PA House of Representatives, Evans chaired the powerful Appropriations Committee for more than 20 years. In Washington, D.C., he has focused on securing funding for affordable housing across Philadelphia. Evans has proposed a $51 billion plan to tackle gun violence in the United States. In his most recent reelection campaign, he secured victory with nearly a 4-to-1 vote margin over his opponent.
TRACEY GORDON, DEMOCRAT
Former Philadelphia Register of Wills Tracey Gordon is challenging Dwight Evans in the election. Gordon, known for her work in untangling property titles, also faced controversies, including the dismissal of employees who did not contribute to her campaign. In 2023, she lost her reelection bid for Register of Wills to John Sabatina Sr.
5TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Delaware County, an exclave of Chester County, a slice of Montgomery County, and a sliver of South Philadelphia
MARY GAY SCANLON, DEMOCRAT
Representing the 5th District in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2019, Mary Gay Scanlon has a background as a lawyer at Ballard Spahr and the Education Law Center. She serves on the House Committee on Rules and the House Judiciary Committee, also ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government. Scanlon has been a staunch advocate for President Joe Biden and played a role in securing an $80 million grant for SEPTA to invest in low-to-no emissions buses.
ALFEIA “ALFE” DEVAUGHN-GOODWIN, REPUBLICAN
Alfeia De-Vaughn-Goodwin, a veteran Army chaplain, retired Philadelphia police officer, and ordained minister, is running as the Republican candidate.
2ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Northeast, some of North Philadelphia, and much of the River Wards
BRENDAN BOYLE, DEMOCRAT
Brendan Boyle, seeking his fifth term in Congress after being elected in 2014, has a background as a consultant for the U.S. Department of Defense. He co-founded and chairs the Blue Collar Caucus, focusing on manufacturing and business trades. Boyle has been a strong supporter of President Biden, co-sponsoring the Ultra-Millionaire Tax Act in 2021. He currently serves as a ranking member of the House Budget Committee.
AARON BASHIR, REPUBLICAN
Haroon “Aaron” Bashir, an immigrant from Pakistan, is the Republican candidate. He previously ran for the PA State Rep’s race and the Philadelphia city controller’s job, but was unsuccessful.
PHILADELPHIA DELEGATES TO THE STATE SENATE
The Pennsylvania Senate serves as the upper house of the state’s legislative body, where bills from the lower house undergo final review. Unlike the US Senate, which allocates two seats per state, Pennsylvania’s State Senators represent proportional districts. Currently, Republicans hold a 28-22 majority, with 25 seats up for election in 2024.
Incumbent Democrats Nikil Saval (1st District), Sharif Street (3rd District), and Vincent Hughes (7th District) are running unopposed.
5TH DISTRICT
Parts of Northeast Philadelphia (Somerton, Bustleton, Pennypack Park, Torresdale, Holmesburg, Bridesburg, including some of the River Wards of Tacony and Port Richmond)
JIMMY DILLON, DEMOCRAT
Jimmy Dillon, who joined the State Senate in 2022, brings experience as a grant compliance manager for the School District of Philadelphia, owner of Hoops 24/7 Basketball Academy, and former Notre Dame point guard. He has sponsored and co-sponsored several bills, including SB842, the “Respect the Whistle” act aimed at enhancing harassment protections for sports officials, and a bill to designate June 2 as “Jason Kelce Day.” Dillon advocates for strengthening worker protections, gun regulation, health insurance benefits, and safeguarding elections from AI interference. He serves as the Democratic chair of the Communications and Technology Committee.
JOE PICOZZI, REPUBLICAN
Somerton native Joe Picozzi serves as a senior advisor in strategic planning at the conservative think tank the Manhattan Institute, previously worked as an assistant to U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, and is a graduate of Georgetown University. According to The Northeast Times, he is “running to preserve the ‘Northeast Philly dream.'” Picozzi’s platform focuses on quality of life issues such as litter, the cost of living, White flight, and crime. He highlights concerns about increasing incidents of shoplifting, car racing, burglaries, and violent crime affecting local communities.
PA House Candidate – Philadelphia
10th District Includes parts of West Philadelphia, including Mantua, Powelton, and parts of University City and Logan Square.
SAJDA BLACKWELL, Democrat
Sajda “Purple” Blackwell is a radio personality, co-founder of Blackwell Culture Alliance (a nonprofit community center that distributes food to West Philly families), town watch organizer, subsidizer of nonviolent music, and, by marriage, part of a long-time West Philadelphia political family. Her husband’s grandparents are the late U.S. Rep. Lucien Blackwell and former 3rd District City Councilmember Jannie Blackwell. Blackwell says she’s committed to public safety, financial intelligence, equity in education, reducing poverty and community revitalization.
AMEN BROWN, Democrat, Incumbent
When Amen Brown joined the state senate in 2021, he was the third senator to serve the district in four years (after illegal dealings forced two predecessors to end their terms early). In the job, Brown has proven a moderate whose main issues are fighting crime, protecting victims and advancing development. These issues come to Brown somewhat naturally: As one of eight kids with a single job and incarcerated dad, the Overbrook High School grad lived with gun violence and poverty. Prior to elected office, he ran daycare centers and invested in real estate.
CASS GREEN, Democrat
Cass Green is a progressive community activist, creative, and the co-founder of Mill Creek Community Partnership (and founder of their community arts initiative). Green has worked at People’s Emergency Center, the New Kensington CDC and, currently, the District Attorney’s office, where she does restorative justice and juvenile diversion work. She’s criticized Brown’s support of imposing mandatory minimum sentences and expanding charter schools.
172nd District Includes parts of Northeast Philadelphia, including Fox Chase, Burlholme, and Rhawnhurst, plus Rockledge, Montgomery County.
KEVIN J. BOYLE, Democrat, Incumbent
Kevin Boyle is running for his eighth term as a PA representative, a role he’s occupied since 2011 upon defeating Republican John Perzel, who was house speaker. Despite Boyle’s experience, Democratic leaders are endorsing his challenger, Sean Dougherty.
SEAN DOUGHERTY, Democrat
Sean Dougherty is an attorney who resigned as a public defender to run for office after the video of Kevin Boyle’s bar incident circulated on social media. Dougherty holds a law degree from Temple and clerked under Dan McCaffery, now a state Supreme Court justice.
AIZAZ GILL, Republican
Aizaz Gill is the president of the Burholme townwatch who has worked in community outreach for former City Commissioner Al Schmidt, as City Councilmember Brian O’Neill’s reelection campaign manager, and as PA policy director for Business for America, a bipartisan coalition of business leaders promoting civic participation and voter turnout. A graduate of Father Judge High School and Chestnut Hill College, Gill moved with his family from South Asia to the Great Northeast when he was a child. His focuses include community safety, education — including school choice — reversing inflation, and impeaching Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner.
PATRICK GUSHUE, Republican
Patrick Gushue is a trainer for Get it Done Consulting, a defense contractor employee training company, and a former Army Ranger. The Father Judge High School and Gwynedd Mercy University graduate is currently pursuing a master’s in public administration at Penn. In 2023, he worked on Sam Oropeza’s unsuccessful campaign for City Council. Gushue has touted his commitment to veterans and school choice. He supports impeaching Larry Krasner and hiring a special prosecutor for SEPTA.
181st District A slice of North Philadelphia around 10th Street from Spring Garden Street to Glenwood Avenue.
NADERAH GRIFFIN, Democrat
NaDerah Griffin is a former Philadelphia public school teacher and project manager and instructor for the District’s Bright Solar Futures, a program that trains youth to install solar panels. She has also been a board member for North Philly based Serenity Soular. In 2023, she ran unsuccessfully for City Council at-large. She has cited many concerns — crime, the cost of living, displacement, mass incarceration, voting access and rights, with a special focus on improving education for the least served.
MALCOLM KENYATTA, Democrat, Incumbent
Malcolm Kenyatta has been a PA state representative since 2018. Elected at age 28, he was the first openly LGBTQ+ person of color in PA’s General Assembly, where he chairs both the Subcommittee on Financial Services and Banking and the Subcommittee on Government Operations. Legislation he’s sponsored and cosponsored includes allowing Philadelphia to enact and enforce stronger gun laws, increasing transparency in campaign finance, codifying and expanding the Office of Environmental Justice, and LGBTQ+ centered issues such as protecting minors from conversion therapy and prohibiting health insurance providers from declining coverage to people on PrEP.
LEWIS NASH SR., Democrat
This is the second time North Philly Ward leader Lewis Nash Sr. is challenging Malcolm Kenyatta for a representative spot in the General Assembly. He is the founder and pastor of Faith and Deliverance Kingdom Worship Center at 1510 W. Stiles Street and the founder of Mankind Against Poverty Holistic CDC, whose stated mission is to help with housing, food and literacy to the Greater Philadelphia area.
188th District Parts of West and Southwest Philadelphia.
TONY DPHAX KING, Democrat
Tony Dphax King is a self-employed West Philadelphian and former youth detention counselor who appeared on the 80s Philadelphia-based daytime dance show Dancin’ on Air and has locally protested Israel’s war on Palestine. He’s told Ballotpedia that his primary missions are fighting the PPA and keeping “government from entering the homes of private citizens as much as possible.” King also called his opponent as a “carpetbagger who turned his back on his own community.”
RICK KRAJEWSKI, Democrat, Incumbent
Rick Krajewski has served in the State House since 2021 upon defeating 35-year incumbent Jim Roebuck. The Bronx native came to Philly via Penn, stayed to work as a software engineer, then became a full-time community organizer, including at Reclaim Philadelphia. Since joining the House, Krajewski, a self-described progressive, sponsored and cosponsored legislation to increase housing access, strengthen tenants’ rights, and protect vulnerable populations such as children of incarcerated parents, insured dependents and children with parents in custody battles. Krajewski’s platform includes expanding affordable housing, reforming criminal justice, and improving educational equity and access.
190th District Parts of West Philadelphia, including Belmont Mansion and Malcolm X Park.
JAMES LOVE JACKSON, Democrat
James Jackson ran unsuccessfully as an Independent against Roni Green in 2022.
RONI GREEN, Democrat, Incumbent
Gwendolyn Veronica “Roni” Green has represented her part of Philly in the House since 2020. The Dobbins grad has worked with SEIU Local 668 as a business agent and field organizer. Legislation she’s sponsored and cosponsored include enacting a $15 minimum wage, establishing free broadband for residents of low-income housing, and offering loan forgiveness to PA nurses.
BALLOT MEASURE
The ballot measure proposed in the Philadelphia election seeks to amend The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to provide legal protections for registered community organizations (RCOs) involved in zoning matters and related land-use processes.
Under the proposed amendment, the city would offer indemnification and defense to RCOs facing claims arising directly from their lawful participation in zoning matters. Currently, developers can sue individual RCO members, which could impede the neighborhood’s ability to voice concerns regarding development projects.
By providing indemnification, the city aims to shield RCOs from legal actions initiated by developers and ensure that RCOs can continue to represent the interests of their communities without fear of financial repercussions. This measure seeks to support grassroots community engagement in the zoning process and maintain the integrity of neighborhood input in development decisions.
