Republican State Rep. Valerie Gaydos makes case for Speaker of the House
HARRISBURG (KDKA) - State Representative Valerie Gaydos, a Republican from Edgeworth is throwing her name in the ring for the Pennsylvania Speaker of the State House of Representatives.
In her first interview since asking her colleagues to support her, she told me that she hopes to bridge the divide between Democrats and Republicans.
"I think that everyone that I've heard from is very frustrated with the partisan political bantering going back and forth," she said. "I spent 25 years in the private sector prior to running for office in 2018, and party affiliations has never been a factor in making decisions and I think that's what makes me right for Speaker of the House."
Despite Democrats winning a majority, 102 seats to 101, the death of one Democrat and the resignations of Summer Lee and Austin Davis, give Republicans a 101 to 99 majority.
There will be one special election to fill the empty seat vacated by deceased Rep. Tony Deluca.
On February 7, voters will head to the polls to send either Penn Hills Democratic Committee Chair Joe McAndrew or Republican pastor Clayton Walker of Verona.
The election for the other two races has yet to be decided.
