Pennsylvania

In politically riven Pennsylvania, primary voters will pick candidates in presidential contest year

Published

2 years ago

April 14, 2024

In politically riven Pennsylvania, primary voters will pick candidates in presidential contest year

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The two parties in Pennsylvania’s state House and its congressional delegation are nearly evenly divided, and that won’t change once results are in from next week’s primary election.

But come November, the candidates the parties will select April 23 for hundreds of legislative seats could alter what has been years of policy paralysis in Harrisburg and the similar partisan deadlock in Congress.

The state’s voters will also cast primary ballots for this year’s marquee contests for president and U.S. Senate. Democratic incumbents Joe Biden and Bob Casey and Republican challengers Donald Trump and Dave McCormick are shoo-ins to appear on the fall ballot.

Both parties will pick candidates for state attorney general, which was in Republican hands before Democrats went on a winning streak starting in 2012.

In the two other statewide “row office” contests, Republicans Stacy Garrity, the treasurer, and Tim DeFoor, the auditor general, will find out which Democrats will try to unseat them in the fall.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

It took months and several special elections before Democrats were able to nail down their return to majority control of the state House last year, elevating one of their own to speaker in a chamber where the partisan breakdown is now 102-100. One seat, in a Poconos district where a Republican resigned in February, is vacant and will be filled by special election on primary day.

With the entire chamber on the ballot this year, Republicans would love to flip it back, denying Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro legislative leverage in policy and budget battles.

In the state Senate, where Republicans hold a 28-22 majority, Democrats would need to flip at least three seats in order for Democratic Lt. Gov. Austin Davis’ tie-breaking vote to give them control.

Among the 25 Senate seats up this year, nearly half the total, or 12 incumbent senators, face no opponents this year.

There are contested Senate primaries in both parties for notable vacancies in a Republican-held seat in the Harrisburg area and a Democratic-held seat in Pittsburgh. The third vacancy is a Republican majority district in northern York County.

LEGISLATIVE SHAKEUP

Democratic Rep. Nick Pisciottano, of Allegheny County, is leaving the House to run, along with two other Democrats and two Republicans, for a state Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Jim Brewster, D-Allegheny.

Rep. Dawn Keefer, R-York, is departing the lower chamber in a run to succeed retiring Sen. Mike Regan, R-York. Another House departure is Rep. Patty Kim, of Dauphin County, facing off against another Democrat for the nomination in the third Senate district involving a retirement, that of Sen. John DiSanto, R-Dauphin. Two Republicans also are vying to succeed DiSanto.

DiSanto’s seat is widely seen as the Senate Democrats’ best chance for a pickup. Their longshot bid for the majority also likely would require beating Sen. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie, and Sen. Devlin Robinson, a first-term Republican whose district surrounds the western side of Pittsburgh.

Sen. Dave Argall, of Schuylkill County, who heads the GOP’s Senate campaign effort, said a razor-close win for Brewster four years ago makes that a battleground, but their efforts to stay in the majority are wider.

“There are going to be battles all across the state, but it’s still pretty early to predict which ones are going to rise to the top of the list,” Argall said.

Lawmakers in nearly half of the 203 House seats, and slightly more Democrats than Republicans, have no primary or General Election opponents this year and can plan on serving another term starting in January.

There aren’t many House vacancies this cycle: just nine seats held by Republicans and four by Democrats. Retiring members include Berks County Rep. Mark Rozzi, who spent a brief but notable time as House speaker early last year before fellow Democrats could muster the votes to elect their first choice to lead the chamber, Speaker Joanna McClinton of Philadelphia.

Reps. Ryan Mackenzie, of Lehigh County, and Rob Mercuri, of Allegheny, are relinquishing House seats to run in Republican primaries for Democratic-held congressional seats. Hedging their bets are Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, of Erie, and Rep. Jared Solomon, of Philadelphia, seeking reelection in the state House and running in Democratic primaries for state treasurer and state attorney general, respectively.

CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION

All 17 of Pennsylvania’s incumbent members of the U.S. House of Representatives are running for another term, each with at least one opponent in the primary or fall elections. Court-ordered redistricting after the 2020 Census produced a 9-8 Democratic edge, and when the incumbents ran for reelection two years ago, all 17 were reelected.

In Allegheny County, freshman U.S. Rep. Summer Lee has a Democratic primary opponent, Bhavini Patel, as well as a Republican positioned to take on the Democratic winner in November.

In a district Democrats hope to flip, a race north of Philadelphia could signal how much power the abortion issue has in the suburbs. U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a centrist Republican, has a primary opponent whose anti-abortion position would not permit exceptions for rape or incest.

There is a three-way GOP primary for the nomination to take on Lehigh Valley Democratic U.S. Rep. Susan Wild in the fall. Wild’s previous two wins were by single-digit margins. Rep. Matt Cartwright, a Democrat from the Scranton area who also has been repeatedly targeted in recent years, has no primary opponent, but a Republican looks to challenge him in November.

Six Democrats are on the primary ballot in a district held by U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, a York County Republican who was deeply involved in efforts by then-President Donald Trump to overturn Trump’s 2020 election defeat. Perry’s prominent role in the ultra-right Freedom Caucus in Congress and some close reelection contests over the past six years also are making him a target for Democrats this year.

STATEWIDE ROW OFFICES

After Shapiro’s election as governor two years ago created a vacancy in his former job as state attorney general, he nominated his protege, Michelle Henry, to serve through the end of this year. She is not seeking to stay in the job.

Five Democrats are running for the nomination: Philadelphia attorney Keir Bradford-Grey, former auditor general and state Rep. Eugene DePasquale, of Allegheny County, former prosecutor and Bucks County solicitor Joe Khan, Philadelphia state Rep. Jared Solomon and Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer.

Two Republicans are running: York County District Attorney Dave Sunday and state Rep. Craig Williams, of Delaware County. Sunday received his party’s endorsement, while Williams has been helping lead House Republicans’ efforts to remove from office progressive Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, a Democrat.

For auditor general, state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, of Philadelphia, and Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley are the Democrats seeking to run against DeFoor in November. Kenyatta finished third in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary in 2022 won by John Fetterman.

Garrity, the state treasurer, has no opposition in the GOP primary. Democratic voters will choose between Bizzarro and Erin McClelland, an addiction recovery and human services professional from Allegheny County.

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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania lawmakers propose hunter education course in schools

Published

11 hours ago

March 30, 2026

Press Room

Pennsylvania lawmakers propose hunter education course in schools

Firearm safety instruction would be included, but no firearms or ammunition would be allowed in school buildings.
Students who complete the program would be certified to obtain a state hunting license.

Members of the state House and Senate are looking to add Hunter-Trapper Education Course opportunities in schools across Pennsylvania.

Rep. Anita Astorino Kulik, a Democrat from Allegheny County and chair of the House Game and Fisheries Committee, and Sen. James Malone, a Democrat from Lancaster County and minority chair of the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee, are partnering on the legislation.

Both lawmakers circulated similar memos to their colleagues on March 30 seeking support for their bills.

“To foster conservation, promote an understanding of wildlife management, and encourage current and future generations to safely participate in Pennsylvania’s rich outdoor heritage, it is crucial that hunting and trapping education be offered in schools. Educating the youth of the Commonwealth in the proper methods and practices associated with these endeavors will produce safe, responsible, knowledgeable, and involved hunters and trappers,” they wrote.

The planned legislation would provide that the Pennsylvania Department of Education work in consultation with the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) to develop an age-appropriate hunting and trapping education program. This program would include firearm safety instruction for students in grades six through 12.

The memo reads that the firearm safety instruction would be required to comply with the firearm safety training requirements of the commission’s basic hunter-trapper education course and be taught by an individual who is a certified firearm safety trainer for the PGC. However, it is important to note that firearms and ammunition may not be brought into a school building as part of the firearm safety instruction of this program.

Under this legislation, a school entity may provide a Department of Education and PGC approved hunting and trapping education program as an optional extracurricular class, or as part of an existing course for the purpose of outdoor recreational activity.

The memo concludes that any student who completes the program would be deemed as having completed the commission’s basic hunter-trapper education course that is required to obtain a hunting license under state law.

Presently, youth wanting to get a hunting license need to sign up for a Game Commission class held at sportsmens clubs, other venues across the state or online.

The proposed bills have not yet been introduced.

Brian Whipkey is the outdoors columnist for USA TODAY Network sites in Pennsylvania. Contact him at bwhipkey@gannett.com and sign up for our weekly Go Outdoors PA newsletter email on this website’s homepage under your login name. Follow him on Facebook @whipkeyoutdoors.

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Pennsylvania

What you can do to lower your electric bill in Pennsylvania

Published

23 hours ago

March 30, 2026

Press Room

What you can do to lower your electric bill in Pennsylvania

Switching to more energy efficient appliances

Appliances are the largest source of electricity usage, said Simi Hoque, a professor at Drexel’s department of civil, architectural and environmental engineering. The refrigerator is the most energy-hungry of them all, but you can’t turn it off. Hoque said switching to more energy-efficient appliances will save money, but only if the current models have reached the end of their life.

“If your water heater or your washing machine or your dishwasher or refrigerator have reached their end of life, then it would be important to try to make sure that you find an appliance that is an Energy Star- certified appliance,” Hoque said. “You’re not going to be able to recoup the cost of a new appliance if you haven’t reached the end of life of your existing appliance.”

One exception may be an old window unit air conditioner, Hoque said.

“Those things live for a really long time, but they become extremely inefficient over time,” Hoque said. “And so if you have an old window air conditioning unit, even if it’s not at its end of life, it may be worthwhile to look and see if it’s possible to buy a newer window air conditioning unit to install. I would actually buy a small one because generally those are pretty good. If you put a fan to move air around, the air conditioner can work towards reducing the humidity inside the space, and then the fan can just kind of move the dried cooler air around, and that is enough for comfort on a hot day.”

Hoque also encourages signing up for time-of-use pricing, which allows customers with smart meters to pay lower rates if they use appliances like dishwashers and dryers during offpeak hours.

Home energy audit/weatherization

A home energy audit can help pinpoint areas where expensive heat and cooling are escaping from your residence. Weatherizing your home by sealing drafty windows and doors can make a difference. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that adding insulation to attics and crawl spaces can save up to 17% on heating and cooling costs.

Hoque said one of the most important parts of weatherization is making sure to insulate the top part of the house beneath the roof. And in a rowhome, it’s helpful to have a white- or silver-coated roof.

“This is more about being sure that you’re insulating the most vulnerable part of your building in the summertime to avoid overheating, and that’s the roof,” Hoque said.

Pennsylvania provides free energy audits and weatherization to those who make 200% or less of the federal poverty level. And some utilities offer services that will assess where you could save.

Shopping for alternative electricity suppliers

Pennsylvania’s deregulated electricity market means that while utilities have a monopoly on distribution in specific territories, ratepayers can still shop for alternative suppliers. Electric bills are generally split in half between the energy supply costs and the distribution costs of sending it through power lines. Utilities make their profit on distribution, and simply pass on the supply charges.

Choosing default service means going with the same provider for both supply and distribution, for example PECO or PPL Electric Utilities. This is the simplest option and one that consumer advocates recommend because the utilities are required to shop for a good price. The alternative suppliers, however, often have varying rates and cancellation fees.

Still, Lancaster County resident Bruce Blom said he’s been shopping for years through the Public Utility Commission’s PAPowerSwitch and saves about $80 to $100 a year. The process is known as “price to compare” where ratepayers can see the different rates and compare them to their default service provider.

“It’s pretty easy,” Blom said. “I always only look for a fixed rate and ones with no penalty for cancellation. And for anything for three months to a year. For the last two years, your best deals are only three months of a fixed rate.”

The key is to put reminders in your calendar when the fixed rate ends so you can make sure you’re not facing surprise rate hikes, Blom added.

“Frankly, I don’t care if they have some kind of reward,” he said. “Okay, fine, if they want to give me something, fine. But you got to keep checking because rates go up fairly rapidly.”

Blom had high praise for the PAPowerSwitch website, saying it was very user friendly.

“It’s the best thing I can do,” Blom said. “That’s the only control I have other than, of course, my own personal control of usage in my house.”

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Pennsylvania

USA Storms Back After Early Split, to Survive Pennsylvania Push to Win Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic

Published

1 day ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

USA Storms Back After Early Split, to Survive Pennsylvania Push to Win Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic

Pennsylvania taking down the USA All-Stars, at the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic, has happened a few times over the years, going back to the Dapper Dan Days, but the 2026 version at Peter’s Township High School in McMurray, Pennsylvania on Saturday evening would end with another win in the book for Team USA, 23-19.

USA Turns Mid-Match Surge Into Winning Edge

After splitting the first four matches, leading to a 6-6 tie, USA won five straight to go up 23-6 and then held off a late rally where the home state won the last three on the card, but not with enough bonus points to overtake the USA squad.

Pennsylvania’s Late Rally Falls Just Short

The match ended with three consecutive Pennsylvania victories, but PA needed bonus points in the final three bouts. Faith Christian’s No. 2 Adam Waters edged Lawrence North’s No. 1 Michael White of Indiana, 8-7, but left Pennsylvania without enough points available to overcome their deficit.

White is an explosive wrestler, capable of putting points up in bunches, but Waters was able to slow him down in the first frame. White gained a late takedown when he finished off a sweep single with about 10 seconds left. Waters chose down, and got an escape point, some hands to the face preceded a shot from Waters, that in our opinion, should have been whistled dead after Waters inadvertently poked White in the eye. With White calling for timeout, the referee allowed the action to continue, and Waters easily put him on the mat to tie it at four.

White went down for the third and hit Waters with a reversal. Waters would escape and then gather the winning takedown on a reattack to a double for an 8-6 advantage. White would get free but could not add any more points in an 8-7 Waters win.

Their only meeting prior to this one occurred at Fargo, where Waters jumped out to an early lead before suffering a hamstring injury. He tried to work through it but was hobbled and White came back to take the lead before Waters threw in the towel on an injury default. Waters fell to Delbarton’s No. 3 CJ Betz in the semis and did not get a chance to face White in the Ironman Finals. White beat Betz to claim the number one ranking.

Jayden James Tested, Responds Like a Champion

World Champ, No. 1 Jayden James (Delbarton, NJ) has been a bonus point machine this year, even taking down the number two guy in the country, Birmingham, California’s Slava Shahbazyan by tech fall in the 165-pound Doc Buchanan Final. So, it was reasonable to expect more of the same when James took on No. 9 at 157 pounds, Reagan Milheim (Warrior Run) at 160 pounds.

It seems Milheim did not agree to keep that script going and instead challenged James like he hadn’t been challenged this year, wrestling to a 10-10 tie in the third period that contained two takedowns earned by Milheim.

It looked like it would be a normal showcase for James as he started off in his typical manner and began to do the “take ‘em down, and let ‘em up” thing, building to a 6-2 count when Milheim surprised his foe with a dump to the back, although he was not able to secure back points, but was now only down by one as the first closed, 6-5.

The second period began with James back to attacking but he was held to just one takedown as Milheim, buoyed by his big move at the end of the first, was wrestling with renewed vigor. It was 9-7 at the start of the third, James got an escape point and then Milheim countered a shot from James with a simple spin behind to electrify the crowd.

Would they see James fall for the first time in two years to a high school grappler? With 1:21 left to go, James got it together and shut down Milheim, scoring a takedown on a spin behind of his own then adding three back points for the final, 17-10, tally.

Bonus Points Fuel Pennsylvania’s Final Push

No. 5 Elijah Brown of Belle Vernon put on the kind of display we’re used to seeing from James in his encounter with Valiant Prep, Arizona’s Kal-El Fluckiger. Valiant wrestlers don’t wrestle a high school schedule, so they are removed from the rankings during that period.

If Fluckiger was in the report, he would have been number five pushing everyone else down (Brown to six). The reason for that being Fluckiger won a Super 32 Belt and beat DuBois’ Kendahl Hoare there. Hoare dished Brown his only loss this year in an early season dual meet, 10-8.

Brown hit a blast double immediately and then started piling up back point going up 7-0 after 17 seconds. Two more sets of tilts would propel Brown to a quick, 15-0 tech of Fluckiger in 1:12.

No. 4 Dean Bechtold (Owen J. Roberts) followed Brown at heavyweight with an almost identical state line that culminated in a 15-0 technical fall of unranked Cliff Nicholson III (Medina, OH) in 1:31. Lake Highland Prep, Florida’s Tyler Dekraker is rated third at 144 pounds but competed here at 139 and dropped an 18-3 tech on No. 33 Dalton Wenner (Cranberry) in 4:23.

Trinity’s Will Detar (No. 12 at 132 pounds) provided the home crown a boost when he authored the first upset of the dual in his meeting with No. 9 Mason Jakob (Dobyns Bennett, TN) at 127 pounds.

Overtime Drama Highlights Competitive Night

Detar and Jakob took turns earning escapes but other than that just jostled for positioning over regulation. That changed in overtime as Detar got in on a low single and worked to the winning finish in the 4-1 win.

Bethlehem Catholic’s No. 4 Keanu Dillard followed Detar and also went into overtime to gain his win over Illinois’ No.7 Nicholas Garcia (Marmion Academy) at 133 pounds.

Like the previous bout, these two exchanged nothing but escapes during regulation. The similarities ended there as these two wrestled through a scoreless first overtime period and the Dillard took over with an escape and a spin behind following a poor shot from Garicia in the middle portion of OT. Dillard contained Garcia in the final frame for a 5-1 win in the tiebreaker.

Key Wins Spark USA’s Decisive Run

There were two 139-pound matches and in the first, No. 1 Moses Mendoza (Gilroy, CA) survived an early threat from No. 5 Camden Baum (Bishop McDevitt) to gain an 8-6 win and halt Pennsylvania’s streak at two and begin a run of five straight wins by the national squad.

Baum started off with a slick double leg and ended the first up 3-1. Mendoza started down in the second and hit a quick turn-in to a smooth single. After a Baum escape, Mendoza got right back in on a double for his final points. Baum added a third period escape to his total.

Oklahoma’s No. 4 Joseph Jeter (Edmond North) picked up the final USA win at the end of their five-match run with a 13-7 decision of No. 13 Gage Wentzel (Montoursville) at 172 pounds. It was all Jeter for two periods and after gaining four back points on an Assassin, he was up 11-0. Wentzel made a late charge in the third but was kept at bay.

A match between two guys who wrestled 150/152 pounds all season was held at 145 instead of having a second 152-pound bout as they did at 139. Wolbert (Oconomowoc, WI) is rated second and beat No.19 Michael Turi (Wyoming Seminary) 4-1 with the winning points coming in the first period.

At 121 pounds, No. 8 Alex Rozas (Teurlings Catholic, LA) greeted Chestnut Ridge’s Dominic Deputy (No, 12 at 132) in his match and kept the local grappler off the board in a 4-0 win where the big points came on a takedown in the final round on a heel pick.

The 152-pound matchup lacked the firepower of the others as the favorite, Hunter Stevens (Mt. Horeb, WI) was ranked 15th and was facing No. 30 Hudson Hohman (Grove City). Stevens’ 4-1 win came in the middle of Team USA’s winning streak.