The No-B.S. Guide to the 2024 Pennsylvania Primary

Who will emerge from the 2024 Pennsylvania primary? / Photograph by Mark Makela/Getty Images

The biggest-ticket races in this year’s Pennsylvania primary election have been snoozes for some time. The major-party nominees for the presidential election on November 5th have been set for months. (Democrat Dean Phillips and Republican Nikki Haley both appear on the Pennsylvania primary ballot but each dropped out in early March after Super Tuesday.) The only major question is how many Democratic voters will abstain or write in a vote of “uncommitted” in protest of President Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war. In the all-important race for one of Pennsylvania’s two U.S. Senate seats, both major-party candidates — Democratic incumbent Bob Casey and Republican challenger Dave McCormick — are running unopposed.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t several important races to vote on this Tuesday. The results of the race to become Pennsylvania’s Attorney General will guarantee a fresh face in the seat — but which one? And the races for auditor general, treasurer and the Pennsylvania House will have implications for the balance of power in the state.

It’s okay if you haven’t kept up with all of the drama surrounding these races — we don’t blame you, there’s a lot going on. That’s what this election guide is for. It’s a simple, brutally honest breakdown of the candidates’ pros and cons as we prepare for the April 23rd Pennsylvania primary. Here are your choices.

The offices up for grabs in the Pennsylvania primary:

• U.S. Senate
• U.S. Congress
• Attorney General
• Auditor General
• Treasurer
• Pennsylvania State House and Senate Races
• Ballot Questions

U.S. Senate

Democratic incumbent Senator Bob Casey is running unopposed in the Democratic primary. Same for opponent David McCormick in the Republican primary. Pennsylvania is one of the battleground states that will determine whether Democrats keep control of the Senate in 2025. If Republicans turn out in large numbers to vote for Donald Trump in the fall, that would hurt Casey’s chances.

Congress

This cycle, there’s only one competitive Congressional election in Philadelphia. The showdown is between veteran incumbent Dwight Evans and former Register of Wills Tracey Gordon.

Dwight Evans

The basics: Congressman from Northwest Philly seeking his fifth term. He previously served as a State Rep for 35 years.

The case for Evans …

• He’s a shrewd politician. He’s got nearly 50 years of political experience, from the state House to the U.S. House of Representatives. And he’s an elder statesman; Evans’s work in D.C. has touched on affordable housing and securing funding to combat the region’s gun-violence crisis.
• He’s an establishment darling. He’s heavily backed by the Democratic Party machine alongside the powerful Northwest Coalition (which also includes the likes of Mayor Cherelle Parker and kingmaker Marian Tasco). In a presidential election year, such endorsements are a competitive advantage, particularly in a contested primary race.

The case against Evans …

• He’s been in power for a very, very long time. Seniority matters in politics, but Evans, who’s closing in on half of a century in elected office, is in many ways the embodiment of the status quo. If you don’t like the status quo …

Tracey Gordon

The basics: Former one-term Philadelphia Register of Wills; she’s previously run for three other seats over the years.

The case for Gordon …

• She could make history. A Black woman has never been elected to Congress in the Philadelphia area.
• She’s not afraid to challenge establishment candidates. Gordon has run for different seats throughout various election cycles, including City Commissioner, City Council and State Representative. She broke through in 2019 with a victory that made her the the first woman elected Philadelphia’s Register of Wills.

The case against Gordon …

• She recently lost her reelection as Register of Wills. Can she convince voters to send her to D.C. after serving just one term in a Philly row office?
• That one term was … controversial.

Attorney General

Five Democrats and two Republicans are running to fill the seat previously held by now-Governor Josh Shapiro. (Michelle Henry, who was appointed to the AG role after Shapiro’s gubernatorial win, isn’t running.) Whoever wins the general election will have large shoes to fill.

Democrats:

Keir Bradford-Grey

The basics: Longtime chief public defender who has served in both Philadelphia and Montgomery counties.

The case for Bradford-Grey …

• She could make history. If elected, she would be the second woman elected and first Black person to serve as AG in Pennsylvania.
• She is arguably the most progressive candidate in the race. Keir has garnered a reputation for advancing criminal justice reform and protecting consumers. She previously helped to replace cash bail penalties with community service for those charged.

The case against Bradford-Grey …

• She’s is arguably the most progressive candidate in the race. At a time when progressive DAs across the nation (such as Philly’s Larry Krasner) are under harsh scrutiny, will Pennsylvanians really steer away from the “tough on crime” appeal that predecessor-now-governor Josh Shapiro made a winning strategy?

Eugene DePasquale

The basics: Former State Rep from York County who recently served two terms as Auditor General.

The case for DePasquale …

• He has already run and won statewide. He’s arguably got the most name recognition. He parlayed a successful run as a State Rep (2007-2012) into two-terms as the state’s Auditor General. One could argue this gives him a big advantage.
• He’s gotten results. In Harrisburg, he’s helped reduce the number of untested rape kits by 90 percent and influenced policy that’s shaped the Commonwealth’s response to unanswered state child-abuse hotline calls.

The case against DePasquale …

• Is he too ambitious? DePasquale is always running for something. (In 2020, he lost his bid for U.S. Rep.) Does he view the AG seat as an opportunity to excel in a specific role — or as a stepping stone?

Joe Khan

The basics: He’s the Bucks County Solicitor, and was notably runner-up to Larry Krasner for Philly DA in 2017.

The case for Khan …

• He’s taken on Trump and won. During the 2020 election, Khan successfully pushed back against Trump’s challenges to absentee ballots in his county.
• Unlike most candidates in this race, he’s actually got tons of prosecutorial experience. He has previously served as an assistant district attorney in Philadelphia and is a former federal prosecutor. At a time when many Pennsylvanians want tougher responses to crime, this gives him an advantage.

The case against Khan …

• He’s politically middle-of-the-road, without much previous statewide reach. It’s one thing for a candidate like Khan to succeed in his county race (lots of direct experience and appeal on a smaller scale) — but can he win statewide in a crowded field when he’s neither starkly progressive nor decidedly moderate?

Jared Solomon

The basics: He’s been a State Rep in Northeast Philly since 2016.

The case for Solomon …

• He’s raised more money than the other AG candidates. With over a million dollars in the bank, Solomon is running TV ads and speaking on his record. It’s impressive and shows that he’d be prepared to take on a Republican opponent in November.
• He has no problem calling out the B.S. in his own party. In Pennsylvania, where both Democrats and Republicans have noticeable flaws, it’s refreshing to see elected officials call out the problems on their own team. Solomon was among the first to speak out about corruption involving now-disgraced former City Councilmember Bobby Henon and has advocated for institutional changes (such as open primary elections).

The case against Solomon …

• Fund-raising advantage aside, he lacks a strong base of political support. Nearly two dozen state House officials have endorsed him, but he didn’t come close to the delegate count needed for endorsement by the state party. The state couldn’t come to a consensus on an endorsement, but in those proceedings, Solomon didn’t fare well.  

Jack Stollsteimer

The basics: He’s been the District Attorney in Delaware County since 2019.

The case for Stollsteimer …

• He’s successfully flipped a seat. As the first Democrat to ever serve as the District Attorney of Delaware County, that’s nothing to gloss over. As Democrats strive to flip other seats across the Commonwealth, a case can be made that Stollsteimer’s crossover political appeal is an advantage.

The case against Stollsteimer …

• He might be too moderate to appeal to some Democratic voters. Diverse activist groups within his county have criticized him for his office’s response to the death of eight-year-old Fanta Bility, a young Black girl who was shot by police officers. (They would later have their manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter charges dropped as part of a plea deal.)

Republicans:

Dave Sunday

The basics: He’s been the District Attorney of York County since 2018.

The case for Sunday …

• He’s a career prosecutor. Before serving as York County’s DA, he served as the chief deputy prosecutor. He was previously appointed as special assistant U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, where he took on controversial matters pertaining to criminal cases.
• He was endorsed by the Pennsylvania GOP. Early backing by one’s party doesn’t hurt a candidate who’s going against a Democrat who can’t say the same thing. (The Democratic State Committee didn’t endorse a candidate for AG this primary.) As a result, Sunday appears to be the favorite to win in this primary.

The case against Sunday …

• He’s a party favorite at a time when that could be a liability. His opponent argues that voters need an AG who “focuses on prosecution, not political posturing.” Ouch. As Republicans face more scrutiny across the board due to their ties to Trump, could such an endorsement backfire? It’s the risk Sunday — and his party — will have to take for themselves.

Craig Williams

The basics: He’s a State Rep in Chester and Delaware counties.

The case for Williams …

• He’s taken on controversial Philly DA Larry Krasner. For Republicans, Williams serving as the impeachment manager against Krasner in the state House is considered an ultimate flex.
• He has strong prosecutorial and legal experience. He’s previously served as a federal prosecutor, a corporate lawyer, and deputy legal counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, along with other roles.

The case against Williams …

• He doesn’t have as much political support (or momentum) as Sunday. While Sunday has notable endorsements from the likes of the PA Republican Party, Republican Attorneys General Association, and Pennsylvania Sheriffs Association PAC, Williams doesn’t have any major endorsements for his contested race. Not a good look.

Auditor General

Two Democrats are running to flip the seat currently held by Republican Timothy DeFoor, who’s running unopposed. Whoever wins the general election will either strengthen (Democrats) or reinforce (Republicans) what political power that party has statewide.

Democrats:

Malcolm Kenyatta

The basics: He’s been a State Rep in North Philly since 2018.

The case for Kenyatta …

• He could make history. If elected, he would be the third Black candidate (following DeFoor and Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis) and first openly LGBTQ person to win a statewide race in Pennsylvania history.
• He’s backed by the Pennsylvania Democrats. To earn one’s party backing during a contested statewide primary is no easy feat. That alone makes Kenyatta the favorite to win on April 23rd.

The case against Kenyatta …

• He lacks relevant experience for this seat and appears perhaps too politically ambitious. Unlike his primary opponent, Kenyatta has no experience in auditing or government finance. This could spell trouble for him in a November head-to-head with incumbent DeFoor — the first Black candidate to ever win a statewide race in Pennsylvania. It doesn’t help that Kenyatta — who’s also running in a contested race for reelection to his state House seat — lost in a bid for U.S. Senate in 2022. That’s a lot for his party (and more importantly, voters) to keep up with as we head into a competitive November.

Mark Pinsley

The basics: He’s the Lehigh County Controller since 2020 and previously the commissioner in Whitehall Township.

The case for Pinsley …

• He’s the only candidate with relevant experience. Unlike Kenyatta, Pinsley — like DeFoor before winning Auditor General in 2020 – has served as controller in his respective county.
• He’s gotten results. Throughout his campaign, he touts that as controller, he’s saved Lehigh County an astounding $3 million in workforce health-care spending and an impressive $100,000 in banking fees.

The case against Pinsley …

• His campaign lacks political enthusiasm and momentum. While Pinsley has notable experience, he’s a long shot due to Kenyatta’s near total-domination in endorsements.

Treasurer

Two Democrats are running in the Pennsylvania primary to take the seat currently held by Republican Stacy Garrity, a devout Trumper and 2020 presidential election denier, who is running unopposed. Again, whoever wins the general election will either strengthen or reinforce what political power that party has statewide.

Democrats:

Ryan Bizzarro

The basics: He’s been a State Rep in Erie County since 2012.

The case for Bizzarro …

• He’s a longtime elected official. He has more tenure in elected office than all of the other candidates running for this position. With six terms in the state House, he can lean on his experience and connections.
• He’s backed by the Pennsylvania Democrats. With the state party’s endorsement and the backing of several prominent party leaders, Bizarro is a clear front-runner to win the primary.

The case against Bizzarro …

• He has no relevant experience for this seat. Neither he nor his primary opponent has experience in finance-related work. This could spell trouble in November when going head-to-head against the incumbent Garrity.

Erin McClelland

The basics: She’s an addiction counselor and entrepreneur from Western Pennsylvania.

The case for McClelland …

• She’s an outsider. Unlike Bizzarro, McClelland isn’t an establishment darling. She’s running a grassroots campaign focused on advocating for public sector workers.

The case against McClelland …

• She lacks political experience and campaign momentum. With no relevant experience or major endorsements, she’s a long shot due to the overwhelming support Bizzarro has garnered.

State House and Senate Races

There is a contested primary race in the 5th Senatorial District as well as in the 10th, 172nd, 181st, 188th, and 190th House Districts. The Committee of Seventy has a helpful guide on the races.

Ballot Questions

Philadelphians voting in the Pennsylvania primary will see one ballot question when they enter the voting booth Tuesday, regarding whether or not the city should provide legal support for Registered Community Organizations for their efforts on zoning matters. Billy Penn broke down the question into really, really plain English here.