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U.S. House of Representatives
17th District (the only contested House race locally)
Democrat
MATT CARTWRIGHT is running unopposed in the 17th district Democratic primary.
Cartwright has introduced a leading-number of pieces of legislation, the majority of which have been introduced with bipartisan support. Introduced bills that have proposed expanded rights and benefits for veterans, seniors, consumers and college students, according to his official website.
Cartwright’s legislative portfolio has also focused heavily on protecting the environment from exemptions and loopholes in fundamental environmental protections statutes and promoting equity for wage-grade federal workers at federal installations like VA hospitals, federal prisons and military depots, according to his website.
Republican
MATT CONNOLLY is anti-abortion and is running “100 percent pro-family, pro-traditional marriage, and pro-second amendment,” according to his website.
If elected Connolly said he would appeal Obamacare and decrease insurance premiums across the board.
He would work to reduce welfare benefits and to make working a requirement for receipt of those benefits.
He said he will work to make the United States “energy independent” and is pro-pipeline.
GLENN GEISSINGER supports the right to bear arms. A member of the NRA, he strongly supports the second amendment, according to his official website.
Geissinger is running as an anti-abortion candidate and believes life begins at conception.
He has said he will work to end radical Islam and increase national security.
Geissinger’s platform includes a commitment to bringing jobs into the country.
U.S. Senate
Republican
U.S. SEN. PAT TOOMEY is running unopposed in the Senatorial race.
According to his website, Toomey was elected to the Senate on a platform of limited government, economic and job growth and restoring fiscal responsibility.
Since joining the Senate in 2011, he has worked on economic, financial services and budgetary issues, striving to restore fiscal discipline to Washington and emphasizing economic opportunity.
In 2012, Sen. Toomey helped write and enact the bipartisan JOBS Act, which cuts regulatory burdens on small and medium-sized businesses making it easier for them to raise capital and create jobs.
He serves on the Finance, Banking and Budget committees.
Democrat
KATIE MCGINTY was the first woman to lead the White House Council on Environmental Quality, addressing renewable energy, ecosystem protection and ensured clean air and water.
According to her website, she then brought the same approach to the helm of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection under Governor Ed Rendell, leading a staff of 3,000 and managing an $800 million budget.
McGinty has a commitment to creating jobs and projecting the environment. She had led a charge to attract clean energy companies to the state, which she said resulted in new investments and 3,000 new jobs.
McGinty ran for Governor of Pennsylvania in 2014. When Governor Tom Wolf was elected, he named McGinty, his former rival, as his Chief of Staff to help lead the new administration.
According to her website, McGinty’s work with Wolf is making quality health coverage available to 500,000 Pennsylvanians and saving Pennsylvania taxpayers $600 million.
In the private sector, McGinty has led a business that put people to work cleaning up polluted properties and bringing communities new investment and development and she’s helped build successful growth strategies for early stage clean energy, water, and efficiency companies.
If she wins the seat, she would be the first female senator to represent Pennsylvania.
JOE SESTAK spent two terms in the House after a 31-year career in the Navy that was capped by service under President Bill Clinton as a defense policy adviser.
In 2010, after defeating Democrat Arlen Specter for the party nomination, he lost the general election to Senator Pat Toomey by two percentage points
Sestak believes creating jobs must be Washington’s top priority. He also wants a strong homeland defense, new investment in infrastructure and a ban on fracking, according to his website.
JOHN FETTERMAN is the current mayor of Braddock, PA, a position he has held since 2006.
According to his website, during the last 10 years as mayor, Fetterman has broken the cycle of violence in Braddock, markedly reducing the incidence of violent crime.
His campaign stresses the importance of community, creating new jobs, engaging youths and improving urban policy.
He supports same-sex marriage and encourages clean energy policies.
When Pennsylvania lawmakers continued to push outdated discriminatory policies banning marriage equality, Fetterman stood up and officiated one of the first same-sex marriages in the commonwealth. He has encouraged clean energy policies to create new jobs.
JOSEPH VODVARKA is back on the ballot after having been removed because of alleged irregularities regarding signatures.
According to his website, Vodvarka is a small business owner and has never served in public office.
His platform is centered around his understanding of manufacturing and opposition to free trade, which he believes have taken jobs out of the United States.
He is in favor of levying taxes on imports that do not have the same standards as the U.S. He sees taxation as a way to reduce the national debt.
