HARRISBURG – AP is reporting… Pennsylvania’s 2024 primary election may lack drama in the high-stakes races for president and U.S. Senate, but the fields for lower-ballot contests filled up for the state’s attorney general’s office and a handful of its 17 seats in the U.S. House.
Pres. Biden and former Pres. Trump filed to run for president, as did their remaining nationally known primary opponents, Trump’s former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley on the Republican ballot and U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota on the Democratic ballot.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey appears unlikely to face a primary opponent while Republican challenger David McCormick may face opposition. McCormick and Casey filed, as did perennial candidate Joe Vodvarka, a retired spring manufacturer from the Pittsburgh area who is making at least his fifth bid and second as a Republican.
All 17 incumbents — nine Democrats and eight Republicans — are running for reelection in Pennsylvania’s 17 congressional seats. Only a handful of the seats are expected to be competitive in the November general election.
PA Attorney General…Five Democrats filed for the party’s primary. They include state Rep. Jared Solomon of Philadelphia, Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer, former state Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, former federal prosecutor Joe Kahn and Keir Bradford-Grey, the former head of Philadelphia’s and Montgomery County’s public defense lawyers.
On the Republican side, York County’s district attorney, Dave Sunday, and state Rep. Craig Williams of Delaware County filed to run.
In the state treasurer’s race… Stacy Garrity, the Republican incumbent, filed to run for a second four-year term. On the Democratic side, two filed to run: state Rep. Ryan Bizarro of Erie and Erin McClelland, a two-time congressional candidate in suburban Pittsburgh who has helped run various human services organizations.
In the state auditor general’s race, the Republican incumbent, Tim DeFoor, filed to run for a second four-year term. On the Democratic side, two filed to run: state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta of Philadelphia and Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley..
