Incumbent state Senator Brewster faces GOP challenge from Lower Burrell attorney

A Lower Burrell attorney is challenging a Democratic incumbent known for working both sides of the aisle in the 45th State Senate District, which includes parts of Allegheny and Westmoreland counties and stretches from McKeesport to the Alle-Kiski Valley.

While both candidates assign importance to similar issues, like the economy, they have different ideas of what needs to be done.

“We have wonderful, hard-working people in this district who don’t have enough places to find work,” said the Republican challenger, Nicole Ziccarelli.

An attorney who is a political newcomer, Ziccarelli, 39, would like to bring more industry into the district, particularly from the energy sector.

“I want to go out there and drive business to our district,” she said.

Sen. Jim Brewster, D-McKeesport, said the economy is tied to controlling the pandemic and reopening businesses. Brewster, 72, has been a state senator for a decade, and before that, was the mayor of McKeesport and a retired vice-president of Mellon Bank.

“I believe you can deal with covid-19 and the economy concurrently and keep it going,” he said.

Brewster said he has worked on legislation to help businesses in a way that is mindful of pandemic containment.

“We can get people back to work, we have to react quickly,” he said.

Ziccarelli said as a newcomer, she could bring much needed change and energy to the district.

“We need a champion and fighter and I don’t believe we have that,” Ziccarelli said, pointing to less-than-ideal economic conditions in the Mon Valley, where she grew up.

Brewster said he shepherded McKeesport during the Great Recession of 2008.

“I helped keep the City of McKeesport out of bankruptcy and never raised taxes,” he said.

He said his experience in the banking industry and financial knowledge has helped him work effectively with budgetary issues.

“If you need brain surgery, will you choose the doctor who just graduated and is intelligent and charming or the other doctor who has worked on thousands of cases successfully?” he said.

Other important issues cited by Ziccarelli include doing more for early childhood education and increasing access to health care for residents.

Ziccarelli served with the Pittsburgh Association for The Education of Young Children, now Trying Together.

“During this time, we have such a divide between the haves and the have-nots and we need to improve education and access to it for young children,” she said.

Ziccarelli said she wants to improve access to health care for residents in the district who live in small towns and rural areas.

”Some need access to information and services while others need transportation to access health care services,” she said. “Residents need to feel secure and safe.”

Other important issues cited by Brewster include working on the state budget, with an estimated $4 billion shortfall, for the remainder of fiscal year 2020-2021.

“We won’t raise taxes, but the budget will be as difficult to get done as it has been in many decades,” he said.

Brewster said he also would like to work on addiction and mental health services, which have been sidelined by covid-19 issues.