Elections are the bedrock of our democracy, and voting is a right that many do not exercise. However, even if every eligible person in the United States voted, voters would still find that their choices, at times, could be better as many elected seats run unopposed. In Southwest Pennsylvania, it happens rather often – especially in primary elections where we are supposed to choose who represents our parties in the general election. Instead, in recent history, our parties tell us who is running in the general election by only running one candidate in the primary. While that’s bad, sometimes those same candidates don’t have opponents in the primary election because the other party doesn’t think it’s “worth it” to spend money running a candidate.
Keep reading to find out how many times the people who represent us right now ran unopposed:
PA Governor
Josh Shapiro
2022: unopposed primary
PA House
District 15 – Josh Kail
2024: unopposed primary
2022: unopposed primary + general
2020: unopposed primary
2018: unopposed primary
District 39 – Andrew Kuzma
2024: unopposed primary
District 40 – Natalie Mihalek
2024: unopposed primary
2020: unopposed primary
District 46 – Jason Ortitay
2024: unopposed primary
2022: unopposed primary + general
2020: unopposed primary
2018: unopposed primary
2016: unopposed primary
2014: unopposed primary
District 48 – Tim O’Neal
2024: unopposed primary + general
2022: unopposed primary + general
2020: unopposed in primary
2018: unopposed in primary
District 50 – Bud Cook
2022: unopposed primary
2018: unopposed primary
2014: unopposed primary
PA Senate
District 46 – Camera Bartolotta
2022: unopposed primary + general
2018: unopposed primary
2014: unopposed primary
United States House
District 14 – Guy Reschenthaler
2024: unopposed primary
2022: unopposed primary + general
2020: unopposed primary
2016: unopposed primary
United States Senate
Bob Casey Jr.
2024: unopposed primary
2018: unopposed primary
2012: unopposed primary
John Fetterman is the only candidate representing Southwest Pennsylvania who has yet to run unopposed for a statewide election. He has had an opponent in every election, even primaries.
As you can see, instead of choice, we are often told who is running and are expected to fall in line behind them. This is not our vision of democracy. Our vision of democracy is one where the voters have a choice at every election – no matter how small. Our vision is that money, party, or power does not influence our options; instead, our candidates will reflect the population. With your help, we can build toward this vision and a government that works for us all.
