Who’s on the ballot in the Pennsylvania primary

On April 23, Pitt students and all Pennsylvania residents will have the opportunity to vote on several county, state and national positions. In Pennsylvania primary elections, registered Democrats and Republicans will vote for their respective parties and decide who will run in the general election in November. 

At the national level, voters will choose their preferred candidates for president. Statewide, voters will decide the candidates for three row offices — attorney general, auditor general and treasurer. Voters will also decide on a Senate seat and two House seats. 

So, who’s on the ballot? 

US President

Joe Biden (D, incumbent)

Biden won enough delegates in earlier state primaries to become the Democratic nominee. However, Rep. Dean Phillips will appear in the primary ballot in Pennsylvania despite ending his campaign earlier in the year. 

Donald Trump (R)

Trump won across all states that have already voted in their primaries, except Vermont, which went to Nikki Haley. This has allowed him to secure the Republican nomination. Despite dropping out of the race, Nikki Halley will still appear on the Pennsylvania ballot. 

U.S. House District 12

Summer Lee (D, incumbent)

Lee has served Pennsylvania’s 12th District since her election in 2022. Since then, she has supported environmental justice as an ally to the Green New Deal. She supports union jobs, economic justice and reforming the justice system. 

Bhavini Patel (D)

Raised in Monroeville, Patel works as community outreach manager for Allegheny County. She is a Pitt alum as well as an Oxford graduate. Patel supports gun violence prevention, reproductive justice and union jobs. 

James Hayes (R) 

Hayes lives in Shadyside and is the son of a steel worker. He has a bachelor’s degree in international economics from Georgetown and is a Princeton alum. Hayes supports economic development and law enforcement. 

PA Senate

Bob Casey Jr. (D, incumbent)

Three-time incumbent, Casey is the son of former Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey Sr. He was raised in Scranton and graduated with a law degree from Catholic University of America. Casey supports advocating for middle-class families and protecting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. 

David McCormick (R) 

A West Point graduate, McCormick is a Bronze Star recipient and a graduate of Princeton. He was born in Washington, Pennsylvania, and raised in Bloomsburg. McCormick also served as the U.S. Treasury Under Secretary of International Affairs. McCormick supports creating jobs, lowering inflation and increasing border security. 

This senate seat is expected to be one of the most sought-after and expensive campaigns for both parties.

Auditor General 

Tim DeFoor (R, incumbent)

DeFoor worked as Dauphin County Controller in 2016. He grew up in Harrisburg and supports ending political loopholes, cutting waste and increasing government visibility. 

Malcolm Kenyatta (D)

Kenyatta graduated from Temple University, earning a bachelor’s degree in public communications. He is the first openly LGBTQ+ person of color elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly and assumed his position in 2018. Kenyatta supports protecting workers rights and rooting out government waste and corruption.

Mark Pinsely (D)

Pinsely has served as Lehigh County Controller since 2020. He graduated with an MBA from the Army Reserves. Pinsely supports enforcing budgetary policy and eliminating waste.

State Treasurer

Stacy Garrity (R, incumbent)

Garrity graduated from Bloomsburg University with a degree in finance and economics. She served in the U.S. Army Reserve and supports government transparency and making education affordable. 

Ryan Bizzarro (D)

Bizzarro currently serves as a state representative from Erie. He has also served as a victim and witness advocate for Erie County’s district attorney. Bizzarro supports guarding taxpayer assets as well as protecting state assets and pensions.

Erin McClelland (D)

A Pitt alum, McClelland graduated with a degree in psychology. She has worked as a substance abuse and mental health counselor in western Pennsylvania counties since 2006. McClelland supports advocating for public sector workers and managing taxpayer money with diligence. 

Attorney General

Keir Bradford-Grey (D) served as chief defender for Montgomery County in 2012. 

Eugene DePasquale (D) served as a state legislator and two-term auditor general. 

Joe Khan (D) served as a federal prosecutor and county solicitor. 

Jared Solomon (D) has served as a Pennsylvania House representative since 2017. 

Jack Stollsteimer (D) served as assistant district attorney in Delaware County. 

Dave Sunday (R) has served as York County district attorney since 2017. 

Craig Williams (R) has served as Pennsylvania House representative since 2021. 

Pennsylvania State House District 23

Dan Frankel (D, incumbent)

Frankel has served as the representative for Pennsylvania’s 23rd District since 1999. He is democratic chairman of the health committee in the Pennsylvania House. Frankel supports government reform, firearm policy reform and reproductive rights. He runs unopposed.