Hotly contested state Senate race in Allegheny County could come down to abortion rights
HARRISBURG (KDKA) - Pennsylvania Sen. Lindsey Williams, a West View Democrat, is seeking her second term in the state Senate against a strong challenge from Pennsylvania Rep. Lori Mizgorski, a Shaler Republican.
Williams is no stranger to hard-fought elections.
"It's a close seat. I won it by 793 votes in 2018," Williams told KDKA political editor Jon Delano.
This year is likely to be no exception, as Williams faces off against Mizgorski.
"I have an appeal to voters across the board," says the Republican.
The 38th Senatorial District includes most of the North Hills, Allegheny Valley and part of the city of Pittsburgh.
Williams hopes to win reelection based on her record of increasing school funding, supporting workers' rights like a higher minimum wage and a state GI bill for veterans.
"I'm proud of the work I've been doing over the last three and a half years and want to continue fighting for the working families of my district," she says.
Mizgorski, whose state House seat was carved up in redistricting, sees this race as another way to continue her service grounded in local government and opposition to government overreach.
"The district I was in was going to change. I felt an allegiance or loyalty to many of my constituents that I currently have now, and I thought running for Senate was a way to include them," says Mizgorski.
While Mizgorski criticizes the governor's handling of the pandemic, Williams stresses her independence.
"I am the only legislator that puts all of my expenses from the day I was elected until now on my website in a searchable format because if I'm going to sit here and talk about transparency and accountability with taxpayers' dollars, then that should start with me. And I'm the only one who does that," says Williams.
"Many of my constituents -- whether they were small business owners, parents, employees -- felt their rights were being taken away, and I agree with them," notes Mizgorski.
When the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the constitutional right of women to decide for themselves whether to have an abortion and sent the issue back to state legislatures, it started to really matter who was sent to Harrisburg.
"When I am knocking on doors, it is coming up all the time," says Williams.
While both North Hills suburban women can sound alike on some issues, abortion rights are a clear distinction.
"I believe in the woman's right to choose. The conversations are very personal with her and her doctor," says Willilams.
"I am pro-life with exceptions, and I believe when those exceptions occur, they need to be safe," says Mizgorski.
Republican Mizgorski voted for a state constitutional amendment that would declare abortion is not a constitutional right in Pennsylvania, while Democrat Williams opposed that amendment.
"In the middle of the night, House and Senate Republicans ran a constitutional amendment to ban abortions in Pennsylvania with no exceptions. I voted no against that," says Williams.
"One of the things I did support was a constitutional amendment to allow voters to decide," says Mizgorski.
Voters have strong views on this issue.
A CBS News Battleground Tracker Poll found that the court's action overturning Roe v. Wade makes 43 percent of voters more likely to vote for the Democrat and 26 percent more likely to vote Republican.
Mizgorski would not directly say she'd outlaw all abortions once fetal life is detected like many states have done.
"I would have to look at the bill individually to make that decision. Again, I support women and them considering the other options that they have but want to protect life."
"My opponent has voted over and over again to ban abortion, to restrict a woman's right to choose and to criminalize the doctors who provide necessary healthcare to women," says Williams.
In the races for U.S. senator, governor, congressional and state House and Senate, a woman's right to choose or the sanctity of life, however you wish to put it, is becoming a defining issue. Voters will decide in just six weeks.
