3 candidates vie for state House in Mon Valley special election race
A special election in the Mon Valley will determine control of the state House.
The chamber has been gridlocked, with 101 Democrats and 101 Republicans, since the January death of state Rep. Matt Gergely, D-McKeesport. Gergely had represented the 35th Legislative District for just under two years.
Looking to fill the vacant seat are McKeesport Democrat Dan Goughnour, White Oak Republican Chuck Davis and White Oak Libertarian Adam Kitta.
In-person voting will occur at polling places in the Mon Valley district on Tuesday. The district includes McKeesport, White Oak, Clairton, Duquesne, Homestead, Liberty, Lincoln, Munhall, Port Vue, Versailles, West Homestead, Whitaker, South Versailles and part of West Mifflin.
Democrats hold a significant voter registration edge in the district, with 60.7% of voters registered as Democrats compared with 24.8% as Republicans. Since 1969, five Democrats have represented the district.
Davis, 67, acknowledges the challenge facing him from a voter registration standpoint.
Yet, he said, “A lot of people are tired to see what’s going on around them and see nothing’s changing.”
Davis pointed to blight and the poor condition of many bridges in the Mon Valley district, along with financial challenges facing volunteer fire companies and ambulance services.
“There needs to be more money coming into this part of the state” to address such issues, Davis said.
Davis said property tax reform also is needed, because “we can’t keep increasing taxes on people here and expect them to stay.” Regarding economic development, Davis said tax abatements have successfully attracted some businesses to the region, but some have left after those tax exemptions or reductions expired. He proposes “some kind of longevity incentives to keep them and their employees here.”
Davis, a power technician, has been a member of Rainbow Volunteer Fire Company in his native White Oak for nearly 50 years, including formerly serving as chief for 22 years. He also has been a White Oak councilman for the past 22 years.
Goughnour did not return messages.
His campaign website says he has served as a McKeesport police officer for 16 years and is the department’s captain of detectives. A McKeesport High School graduate, he has served on McKeesport Area School Board for the past three years.
Goughnour said on his website that, if elected, he would work to increase funding for public safety, boost job training programs, support public schools and reduce the cost of groceries and everyday essentials.
“Dan is a good candidate. He is well-known in the community and he cares deeply about the district,” said Sam Hens-Greco, chairman of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee.
Despite the Democratic registration advantage, Hens-Greco said, Goughnour’s campaign and the Democratic committee have made a frenzied push to urge voters to support Goughnour in the special election since he entered the race.
“Keeping the House (with a Democratic majority) is tremendously important,” Hens-Greco said.
Jason Richey, chairman of the Republican Committee of Allegheny County, said Republicans also have been working feverishly in the district. The GOP had controlled the House for a dozen years before Democrats gained the majority in 2023.
While Democrats hold a sizable registration edge, Richey said Republicans have performed well in the district before. Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr., a Democrat who ran for reelection as a Republican in 2023, trounced his Democratic opponent in the district in 2023. In the race for Allegheny County executive the same year, Republican Joe Rockey lost to Democrat Sara Innamorato by only about 500 votes in the district, Richey said.
“We have a reason for optimism,” Richey said. “We feel like we’re going to win.”
The race also features Adam Kitta, a Libertarian from White Oak.
Kitta, 26, said his top priority, if elected, would be looking for ways to stimulate the local economy. One way, he said, would be to bring a tech or trade school to the area, which he said would help people get the training they need for in-demand jobs and help potential employers find more qualified workers.
He said he also would like to see criminal justice reform that better focuses on rehabilitating incarcerated people and preparing them for life after they leave jail or prison. Kitta studied criminal justice at the former Pittsburgh Technical College.
“Even though I’m running as a Libertarian, my goal is to represent the people of this district wholeheartedly. I just want to do what’s best for our people, for our district. I have no ties to either (major) party, so I’m all about working to bring people together to make that happen,” said Kitta, who is assistant director for the Salvation Army’s emergency disaster services.
Tom Fontaine is director of politics and editorial standards at TribLive. He can be reached at tfontaine@triblive.com.
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