Here's your guide to statewide races for the primary election
U.S. senator
The U.S. Constitution prescribes that the Senate be composed of two senators from each state (therefore, the Senate currently has 100 members) and that a senator must be at least 30 years of age, have been a citizen of the United States for nine years, and, when elected, be a resident of the state from which he or she is chosen. A senator's term of office is six years and approximately one-third of the total membership of the Senate is elected every two years. The Senate has several exclusive powers not granted to the House, including consenting to treaties, a precondition to their ratification consenting or confirming appointments of Cabinet secretaries, other federal executive officials, military officers, regulatory officials, ambassadors and other federal uniformed officers, as well as trial of federal officials impeached by the House.
Salary: $174,000
Term: 6 years
- Choose 1 candidate
Democrat
Bob Casey Jr.
Municipality: Scranton
Candidate did not provide information.
Republican
Lou Barletta
Mailing address: P.O. Box 128 Hazleton, PA 18201
Campaign phone: 570-501-8683
Campaign email: info@loubarletta.com
Municipality: Hazleton City
County: Luzerne
Website: www.LouBarletta.com
Twitter: twitter.com/louforsenate
Facebook: Facebook.com/louforsenate
Education: Bloomsburg State College (Bloomsburg University)
Qualifications: Former small business owner, mayor of Hazleton and member of Congress.
Q: What are your top three priorities in office?
A: My top three priorities are keeping Pennsylvania’s families safe, protecting Pennsylvania jobs and standing up for the men and women who serve our communities. More than anything, people want someone willing to fight for them, when no one else will. That’s what I have always done, and that’s why I’m running for the U.S. Senate.
Q: If elected, what will you do to ensure that the voting rights of all Americans are protected and that our elections are accessible and secure from internal and external threats?
A: Congress has a constitutional duty to preserve the integrity of our democracy and ensure that our elections are both free and fair. As a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, I have worked with my colleagues to make sure our voting systems are secure. I recently voted for increased funding for states to improve their election security, as well as increased funding to counter Russian cyberattacks. I also spoke out against the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s decision to throw out Pennsylvania’s bipartisan, constitutionally-drawn congressional map in the middle of the election, creating chaos and confusion among voters.
Q: What steps will you take to ensure that the upcoming census is fully funded, accurate and avoids under-counting?
A: The census is important to provide legislators with accurate information to make informed policy decisions that are in the best interest of our country. I continue to support efforts to fund the census and ensure that it accurately reflects our nation’s demographics.
Jim Christiana
Municipality: Brighton
County: Beaver
Candidate did not provide information.
Governor
The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provides that “the supreme executive power shall be vested in the governor, who shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.” In addition to serving as chief officer of the executive branch of state government, the governor is commander-in-chief of the military forces of the commonwealth, except when they are called into the actual service of the United States.
Salary: $194,850
Term: 4 years
Choose 1 candidate
Democrat
Tom Wolf
County: York
Candidate did not provide information.
Republican
Laura Ellsworth
Mailing address: 605 Beaver St., Sewickley, PA 15432
Campaign email: info@ellsworth2018.com
Date of birth: Aug. 13, 1958
Municipality: Ohio Township
County: Allegheny
Website: ellsworth2018.com
Twitter: twitter.com/LauraforPA
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LauraforPA
Education: University of Pittsburgh, J.D. magna cum laude 1983. Princeton University, B.A., 1980
Q: What are your top 3 priorities in office?
A: Jobs/economic development; education/workforce; restoring financial integrity (e.g. No Budget No Pay; fiscal transparency)
Q: Do you support reforming our congressional and legislative redistricting process to implement an independent citizen's redistricting commission? Why or why not?
A: I have long supported the creation of a bipartisan citizen commission, because districts should be drawn to protect the value of citizens’ votes, not the self-interest of politicians.
Q: Which voting modernization reforms (such as no-excuse absentee voting, early voting, same day voter registration, additional funding for voting technology upgrades) would you support to ensure that our elections are accessible, efficient and secure?
A: I support the development of cybersecurity standards; simplification of absentee/early voting; and updates of technology to enhance verification of results.
Paul Mango
Mailing address: 3915 Union Deposit Road No. 449 Harrisburg, PA 17109
Campaign phone: 717-550-2161
Campaign email: info@mangoforpa.net
Date of birth: Feb. 1, 1959
Municipality: Pine Township
County: Allegheny
Website: www.mangoforpa.com
Twitter: twitter.com/mangoforpa
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MangoforPA
Education: Distinguished cadet, United States Military Academy, 1981; MBA, Harvard Business School, 1988
Qualifications: Served as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division; successfully built a $500M global health care business during his nearly 30 year career at McKinsey and Company’s Pittsburgh office; supported numerous veteran-related causes in the community
Q: What are your top three priorities in office?
A: 1. Bringing our jobs and children back to Pennsylvania by prioritizing job growth in all regions in the state. This includes reducing our obscene business tax structure that kills jobs, empowering counties to eliminate school property taxes and alleviating Harrisburg's enormous regulatory burden and anti-business culture. 2. Tackling the opioid epidemic more comprehensively by addressing the social and criminal aspects of the problem in addition to the criminal elements of the problem. I was the first candidate to call for a statewide emergency declaration nine months ago. We must go further to eliminate "diseases of despair" that lead to drug addiction. 3. Reimagining our education system to prioritize two outcomes: are our children competitive in a global economy and are they good citizens? This involves eliminating Harrisburg mandates and rethinking standardized testing, bringing dignity back to the trades and vocational education, and tying programs to the needs of local employers.
Q: Do you support reforming our congressional and legislative redistricting process to implement an independent citizen's redistricting commission? Why or why not?
A: I support the model established in the state constitution. Any proposed replacement process can be corrupted as easily as the existing process. Elections have consequences and I believe that the constitution was quite clear on the process for drawing districts. I believe the Supreme Court overstepped its bounds by changing the congressional districts in this instance.
Q: Which voting modernization reforms (such as no-excuse absentee voting, early voting, same day voter registration, additional funding for voting technology upgrades) would you support to ensure that our elections are accessible, efficient and secure?
A: Voting is an essential element of our American democracy, and I support efforts to increase accessibility and confidence in our elections. There have been several proposals in other states that we should adopt in Pennsylvania. I support early voting, either in person or via no-excuse absentee voting. I also support requesting absentee ballots online. Finally, I would also advocate for continued federal funding for replacing voting machines that are approaching the end of their useful lives based on funding from 15 years ago.
Scott R. Wagner
Municipality: Spring Garden Township
County: York
Candidate did not provide information.
Lieutenant governor
The lieutenant governor is president of the Senate and chair of the Board of Pardons. He presides over the Senate, but has no vote unless the Senate is equally divided. The constitution provides that he shall be chosen at the same time, in the same manner, for the same term and subject to the same provisions as the governor, and that in case of the death, conviction or impeachment, failure to qualify, resignation or other disability of the governor, the powers, duties and emoluments of the office for the remainder of the term or until the disability be removed shall devolve upon the lieutenant governor.
Salary: $163,700
Term: 4 years
- Choose 1 candidate
Democrat
Nina Ahmad
Mailing address: 836 South St., Philadelphia, PA 19147
Campaign phone: 215-375-4441
Campaign email: info@ninaforpa.com
Date of birth: Dec. 29, 1958
Municipality: Philadelphia
County: Philadelphia
Website: ninaforpa.com
Twitter: twitter.com/NinaAhmadPHL
Facebook: facebook.com/NinaforPA
Education: Ph.D. in Chemistry from University of Pennsylvania
Qualifications: Former deputy mayor of public engagement of the city of Philadelphia, former president of National Organization for Women — Philadelphia Chapter, member of President Obama's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
Q: What are your top three priorities in office?
A: (1) Gov. Wolf has already expanded access to health care, moving the needle from 14 percent of Pennsylvanians uninsured to 10 percent. I want to bring that number down to zero. I believe that health care is a fundamental human right. (2) I will make sure that every child, regardless of the ZIP code they live in, has access to quality public education. This can happen through increased funding and legislative accountability. (3) I will fight mass incarceration and work with the legislature to make clemency easier to achieve, as well as end the Board of Pardons’ three-year backlog.
Q: Do you support reforming our congressional and legislative redistricting process to implement an independent citizen's redistricting commission? Why or why not?
A: Absolutely. Partisan legislators have long abused their redistricting power to silence poor and minority voters. Pennsylvania should form an independent redistricting commission that not only allows but encourages everyone to get involved, and most importantly, we need to actually approve and implement fair maps.
Q: Which voting modernization reforms (such as no-excuse absentee voting, early voting, same day voter registration, additional funding for voting technology upgrades) would you support to ensure that our elections are accessible, efficient and secure?
A: There are so many things we can do as a state to increase voter turnout and ensure that every Pennsylvanian feels involved in the democratic process. I fully support no-excuse absentee voting, as well as online absentee voting applications. I also support early voting, same day voter registration, open primaries and funding for voting technology upgrades. Additionally, I believe election day should be a state holiday, and would advocate for legislation prohibiting employers from punishing employees who leave work to vote. Voting is the most fundamental building block of democracy, and it must never be restricted.
Kathi Cozzone
Mailing address: P.O. Box 1385 Exton, PA 19341
Campaign phone: 717-850-6354
Campaign email: amf0501@gmail.com
Date of birth: Sept. 2
Municipality: Uwchlan Township
County: Chester
Website: www.cozzoneforpa.com
Twitter: twitter.com/KathiCozzone
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Commissioner-Kathi-Cozzone-for-LieutenantGovernor-275272922538004
Education: College of New Jersey — 1984
Qualifications: In addition to representing more than 500,000 people as Chester County commissioner for the past decade, I also serve on two statewide advisory committees, and serve as first vice president of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania.
Q: What are your top three priorities in office?
A: My top three priorities are criminal justice reform, workforce development and pipeline infrastructure and safety.
Q: Do you support reforming our congressional and legislative redistricting process to implement an independent citizen's redistricting commission? Why or why not?
A: Yes, the redistricting process should be a nonpartisan effort conducted by an independent commission.
Q: Which voting modernization reforms (such as no-excuse absentee voting, early voting, same day voter registration, additional funding for voting technology upgrades) would you support to ensure that our elections are accessible, efficient and secure?
A: Early voting and same-day registration are important ways to increase voter turnout, and I support them, provided counties have a say in how these measures are enacted, so the cost is not onerous to counties, and subsequently to property taxpayers.
John Fetterman
Mailing address: P.O. Box F Braddock, PA 15104
Campaign phone: 804-519-5233
Campaign email: hello@johnfetterman.com
Date of birth: Aug. 15, 1969
Municipality: Braddock
County: Allegheny
Website: www.johnfetterman.com
Twitter: twitter.com/JohnFetterman
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JohnFettermanPA
Education: Albright College 1991; Harvard University master's in public policy 1999
Qualifications: Mayor of Braddock for 13 years — drastically reduced food and clothing insecurity. eliminated heat insecurity this year, successfully implemented community policing model; founder of Braddock Redux Director for Out-Of-School Youth Program.
Q: What are your top three priorities in office?
A: I will be a progressive backstop for the governor, advocate for economic justice and our forgotten communities in Pennsylvania, and utilize and transform the office of the lt. governor to its fullest potential.
Q: Do you support reforming our congressional and legislative redistricting process to implement an independent citizen's redistricting commission? Why or why not?
A: Congressional and legislative districts should be drawn to ensure that candidates and elected officials are held accountable by voters. Boundaries should protect the interests of all voters and protect voting rights and should not show preference to one political affiliation. We recently had a huge win with redistricting in Pennsylvania. I would certainly support formalized citizen input for a more fair and unbiased redistricting process.
Q: Which voting modernization reforms (such as no-excuse absentee voting, early voting, same day voter registration, additional funding for voting technology upgrades) would you support to ensure that our elections are accessible, efficient and secure?
A: I support any reform that gets more people to turn out to vote, and makes voting easier. In addition to the above measures I think we should make Election Day a holiday and get more working people to the polls.
Ray Sosa
Mailing address: P.O. Box 213 Wyncote, PA 19095
Campaign phone: 215-534-4941
Campaign email: ray@raysosa4pa.com
Date of birth: Aug. 16, 1966
Municipality: Cheltenham Township
County: Montgomery
Website: raysosa4pa.com
Twitter: twitter.com/raysosa4pa
Education: B.S. in business administration; marketing minor. Insurance license in life, accident, health and annuities.
Qualifications: Appointed by three governors providing legislative support and coordinating emergency management response and was chairman of the Governor's Human Rights Advocacy Committee for 10 years.
Q: What are your top three priorities in office?
A: 1) Advocate for compulsory education for our prisoners and post prison opportunities. 2) Establish a permanent and reliable funding formula for our schools that protects our homeowners. Provide a safe environment for children in our schools. 3) Help for the farming community through fair taxation, infrastructure, broadband and subsidies to give our farmers the upper hand.
Q: Do you support reforming our congressional and legislative redistricting process to implement an independent citizen's redistricting commission? Why or why not?
A: I do support reforming our congressional and legislative process. It must have nonpartisan civilian oversight to make sure districts are drawn fairly.
Q: Which voting modernization reforms (such as no-excuse absentee voting, early voting, same day voter registration, additional funding for voting technology upgrades) would you support to ensure that our elections are accessible, efficient and secure?
A: I would support additional funding for voting technology upgrades. I would also support early voting and same day voting registration. I however consider no-excuse absentee voting risky and it exposes our system to fraud.
Mike Stack
Campaign phone: 412-352-0317
Campaign email: martymarks75@gmail.com
Date of birth: June 5, 1963
Municipality: Philadelphia
County: Philadelphia
Website: www.stackforpa.com
Education: LaSalle College HS, LaSalle College, Villanova University Law School
Qualifications: 14 years senator from NE Philadelphia; three years lieutenant governor
Q: What are your top three priorities in office?
A: Reforming our criminal justice system to make the pardons process more accessible for lay people and to reignite the commutation process to end death by incarceration. Expanding the Lieutenant Governor's Veterans Task Force to include experts from all corners of the commonwealth and ensuring that every veteran in every county has access to a specialized Veterans Treatment Court. Ending partisan gerrymandering.
Q: Do you support reforming our congressional and legislative redistricting process to implement an independent citizen's redistricting commission? Why or why not?
A: Yes. I was a defendant in the League of Women Voters lawsuit, but I instructed my attorney not to seek removal from the case, but to help expose the secretive partisan process that produced the 2011 maps. At a fraction of the cost of the other defendants, we were successful in showing the court the partisan nature of the maps and producing our own map for the court's review. We must build in this success to reform the state legislative map-making process. It is highly suspicious that all statewide officeholders are Democrats but the Senate is two-thirds Republican. The current system is not working.
Q: Which voting modernization reforms (such as no-excuse absentee voting, early voting, same day voter registration, additional funding for voting technology upgrades) would you support to ensure that our elections are accessible, efficient and secure?
A: I support all of these reforms as well as the governor's mandate that any future voting machines have paper backup.
Republican
Jeff Bartos
Municipality: Lower Merion Township
County: Montgomery
Candidate did not provide information.
Kathy Coder
Mailing address: P.O. Box 4181 Pittsburgh, PA 15202
Campaign phone: 412-716-0445
Campaign email: info@electkathycoder.com or kacoder@inta-great.com
Date of birth: Sept. 21, 1959
Municipality: Bellevue
County: Allegheny
Website: www.electkathycoder.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kathycodervoiceforPA
Education: MSOL Geneva College; BA Communications/BS Business Edinboro University
Qualifications: For the last 18 years I have owned a business where I help organizations develop leaders, create change and get results. I have been a local elected official for the last nine years where I have used good leadership practices to get results.
Q: What are your top three priorities in office?
A: 1. Leadership — Based on my experience, I will implement good leadership practices to this office and work with the governor to set a culture of cooperation and results. We need to bring alignment at the top through creating a clear mission, vision and plan while setting goals and a budget to accomplish the vision. 2. Accountability — This office is loosely defined and highest paid in the country. I believe the people of Pa. should be able to see what the lt. gov is accomplishing. I would create a clear set of goals and share them with the public to have transparency. 3. Attract new businesses and work with local governments. I would use my business development background to work with the Department of Economic Development to recruit new businesses to Pa. Using my local government experience I would help create programs to align and help municipalities save money and use resources more effectively.
Q: Do you support reforming our congressional and legislative redistricting process to implement an independent citizen's redistricting commission? Why or why not?
A: Yes — I believe there needs to be accountability in place to make this a non-political process. A truly independent commission that would have nothing to gain from the process, but to look at the redistricting from a logical, unbiased, fresh perspective. The challenge would be the process of appointing these people to the commission. As we know from past practices, these commissions end up being highly political and appointed by politicians with much to lose or gain.
Q: Which voting modernization reforms (such as no-excuse absentee voting, early voting, same day voter registration, additional funding for voting technology upgrades) would you support to ensure that our elections are accessible, efficient and secure?
A: I am in favor of looking at ways to modernize voting around better technology. I think our state would have to research the best technology and practices that are most secure and efficient. I'm not sure our current system is the most effective way to make voting accessible and accurate. Also, there needs to be better training for the judge of elections, local election boards and election workers. I have seen many inconsistencies. I would like to study states who are currently using some of the other reforms to see if it's working and learn from their successes and mistakes. Without seeing how it is working it is hard for me to make a hard decision on early voting, same day registration, etc.
Peg Luksik
Municipality: Brownstown
County: Cambria
Candidate did not provide information.
Diana Irey Vaughan
Mailing address: 146 Dyers Stone Drive Eighty Four, PA 15330
Campaign phone: 724-260-0583
Campaign email: Diana@irey.com
Date of birth: Aug. 20, 1962
Municipality: Nottingham Township
County: Washington
Website: dianaforpa.com
Twitter: twitter.com/DianaforPA
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dianaforpa
Education: West Virginia Business College
Qualifications: Washington County commissioner for 23 years, with a strong record of fiscal responsibility and outcome-based requirements for all government programs. Washington County has low taxes, economic growth, a healthy pension fund and a AA S&P bond rating.
Q: What are your top three priorities in office?
A: Bringing our jobs and children back to Pennsylvania by increasing the economic fortunes for all people, in all regions in the state. This includes: creating a corporate tax structure that is encouraging, not discouraging, empowering counties to eliminate school property taxes and alleviating Harrisburg's enormous regulatory burden and anti-business culture. Tackle the opioid epidemic by taking a comprehensive approach that acts swiftly and compassionately by going after suppliers of the drugs, improving treatment and reinstating mandatory minimum sentences for dealers. Criminal aliens are going unpunished by fleeing to sanctuary cities. One of my priorities will be to end sanctuary cities in Pennsylvania. If you commit a crime you should be punished; illegal aliens shouldn't be given special treatment by the law when legal citizens are not.
Q: Do you support reforming our congressional and legislative redistricting process to implement an independent citizen's redistricting commission? Why or why not?
A: I support the model established in the state constitution. Elections have consequences; however, I believe the Supreme Court overstepped its bounds by changing the congressional districts.
Q: Which voting modernization reforms (such as no-excuse absentee voting, early voting, same day voter registration, additional funding for voting technology upgrades) would you support to ensure that our elections are accessible, efficient and secure?
A: Voting is an essential element of our American democracy. Some voting reforms and modernization proposals I support include: early voting — two week period prior to Election Day ending the week before Election Day for voters who will be out of town on Election Day, or those just wishing to vote early; no excuse absentee voting — It would eliminate the requirement of voting in person on Election Day if your plans changed and it would eliminate sending voted absentee ballots to the polls for poll workers to "void" if a voter voted in person. Sending the voted absentee ballots to polls can result in lost ballots because of poll worker error; submit requests for absentee voting online via the votespa.com website. I also support funding for upgraded voting machines that ensure the accuracy, security and reliable verification of votes cast.
This story was originally published April 27, 2018 at 12:48 PM with the headline "Here's your guide to statewide races for the primary election."