Pennsylvania, a crucial battleground state, will hold a primary election on Tuesday. This primary will determine the nominees for the Senate and multiple competitive U.S. House seats, shaping the upcoming general election matchups.
The most high-profile primaries will take place in four U.S. House districts:
1st Congressional District:
Progressive Rep. Summer Lee faces a challenge from Bhavini Patel, positioning the race as a referendum on Lee’s party loyalty. Patel has accused Lee of being too dogmatic, while Lee has highlighted her record of delivering federal funding and supporting abortion rights.
7th Congressional District:
Democratic Rep. Susan Wild faces three Republican challengers in her bid for reelection. Kevin Dellicker, with the most fundraising, has substantial outside support from a libertarian super PAC. However, candidate Ryan Mackenzie enjoys local name recognition and state assembly experience.
8th Congressional District:
Moderate Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick faces a primary challenge from Mark Houck, an anti-abortion activist. Fitzpatrick has taken moderate stances on various issues, distancing himself from the GOP’s right flank, while Houck’s conservative views may sway primary voters but could tilt the general election toward Democrats.
10th Congressional District:
Republican Rep. Scott Perry, a target for Democrats due to his conservative views, faces six Democratic challengers. Former news anchor Janelle Stelson leads in fundraising and name recognition, while Mike O’Brien has support from labor unions. However, questions about residency and party registration may affect Stelson’s chances.
In the Senate race, both Democratic incumbent Bob Casey Jr. and Republican David McCormick are running unopposed in their primaries.
Down-ballot elections include races for:
Attorney General:
Five Democrats compete for the open seat.
Auditor General:
Democrats vie for the right to face Republican incumbent Timothy DeFoor.
Treasurer:
Two Democrats seek to challenge GOP incumbent Stacy Garrity.
The state legislature also has competitive primaries:
State House of Representatives:
Democrats aim to gain seats from the GOP’s current majority of 100 to 102. All 203 districts are up for election.
State Senate:
Republicans currently hold a slim edge of 28 to 22 seats. Half of the chamber’s seats are up for grabs, with Democrats hoping to force a tie that would be broken by the Democratic lieutenant governor.
