Special election next week to fill open state House seat in 34th District
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Next Tuesday is Election Day for about 200,000 people in Allegheny County.
As KDKA-TV political editor Jon Delano reports, one of the three special elections will be to replace Summer Lee, who resigned from her position in the state House to become a U.S. congresswoman.
The resignation of Lee gives voters in the 34th District a new representative in 12 communities — from Braddock to Forest Hills to Swissvale to Wilkinsburg to part of Pittsburgh. The candidates are Democrat Abigail Salisbury and Republican Robert Pagane.
"This is where I grew up, and I've seen a decline over the years," Pagane said.
Pagane says nothing has changed in these communities no matter who has been elected to the state House. A police officer for two decades and now in private security, Pagane says he offers something different.
"Who better to be in Harrisburg to talk about what is actually going on in society than guys who have been out there doing police work," he said.
Salisbury, an attorney who represents non-profit organizations and small businesses, is a Swissvale councilwoman who ran against Lee for state House. She says her focus is a bit different than Lee's.
"I voted for her for Congress," Salisbury said. "I think that the social issues that she talks about are incredibly important, and I'm glad she's talking about them. But we also have a really, really severe infrastructure problem."
Salisbury cites crumbling bridges, frequent landslides, sinkholes and building decay in the 34th District as her priority.
"I understand grants, and I really want to make my office a resource where elected officials in these boroughs can come and get help," she said.
Voters in the 34th will vote on Tuesday, Feb. 7. There are three special elections that day. If Democrats win all three, they will take control of the state House. If Republicans win one of the three, they will keep control.
