Politics Election category
Scott Timko edges out Ethan Nicholas to earn GOP nod in 12th state House District
The third time turned out to be a charm for Cranberry’s Scott Timko as he earned the Republican nomination in Tuesday’s primary election race in the 12th state House District after coming up short in two previous bids. Timko collected nearly 52% of votes cast compared to 48% for his...
Facing intense internal pressure, DNC releases postelection autopsy
NEW YORK — Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin released a critical study of the party’s performance in the 2024 campaign on Thursday, bowing to intense internal pressure from frustrated Democratic operatives who had publicly demanded the release of the postelection autopsy. The 192-page report, which was concluded last December...
At 1 Kentucky bar, young Republicans wrestle with their disappointment in Trump and their party
COVINGTON, Ky. — On a recent evening in northern Kentucky, over a dozen young Republicans gathered with beers and brightly colored cocktails at a bar called dEcORa, its neon interior as eccentric as its capitalization, ribbing each other and picking apart the presidential administration they welcomed with high hopes last...
Democrats are hoping for a breakthrough as the House takes another Iran war vote
WASHINGTON — The House is expected to vote on legislation Thursday to compel President Donald Trump to withdraw from the war with Iran, a significant test of lawmakers’ willingness to go along with a conflict the president launched over two months ago without congressional approval. The vote is the latest...
House committee discusses modernizing the TSA as Trump seeks to privatize airport screening
NEW YORK — A House committee on Wednesday expressed bipartisan support for ensuring Transportation Security Administration officers get paid during future government shutdowns and are equipped with the latest technology, discussing the agency’s future as the Trump administration lobbies to make airport screening a job for private contractors. Members of...
Republicans expected to abandon $1B security proposal for White House and Trump’s ballroom
WASHINGTON — Senate Republican leaders are expected to abandon a proposal for $1 billion in security money for the White House complex and President Donald Trump’s ballroom on Thursday after members of their own party questioned the timing and the lack of detail in the Secret Service request. Pressured by...
Mayes cruises to primary win in 24th state House race
State Rep. La’Tasha D. Mayes, D-East Liberty, is in line to return to Harrisburg for a third term. Unofficial tallies show the Democratic incumbent collected nearly 88% of the votes counted in Tuesday’s primary to defeat challenger Will Anderson of Homewood in the 24th state House District. No Republicans appeared...
Voter turnout for primary election lags with few contested races on spring ballots
Westmoreland County’s political leaders have a simple plan for November. Democratic and Republican party heads Wednesday said that plan will be to drive up vote totals after a lackluster spring primary that saw turnout dip to 24% of all eligible voters. According to unofficial results released by the county election...
The ‘misstep’: Catena explains controversial mailer following primary loss
A day after losing the Democratic primary in Pennsylvania’s 45th state House District to political newcomer Brittany Bloam, Allegheny County Council President Pat Catena said he does not believe a controversial campaign mailer targeting transgender athletes cost him the race. Bloam, a Robinson land use and zoning attorney, defeated Catena...
Barney Frank, a liberal congressman and trailblazer for gay rights, diesVideo
WASHINGTON — Barney Frank, the longtime Democratic congressman and leading liberal who brought new visibility to gay rights and crafted the most significant reforms to the financial system in a generation, has died. He was 86. Frank died late Tuesday, according to Jim Segel, Frank’s former campaign manager and close...
Where Trump falters with Republicans — and where he holds steady, according to a new AP-NORC poll
WASHINGTON — Republicans are unhappier with President Donald Trump’s handling of the economy than they were a few months ago, but they’re largely continuing to stand behind him as the war with Iran continues, a new AP-NORC poll finds. About 6 in 10 Republicans approve of how Trump is handling...
The GOP’s YOLO caucus is small but growing. That may spell trouble for Trump’s congressional agenda
WASHINGTON — The YOLO caucus is in session. In a Republican-led Congress defined by deference to President Donald Trump, there’s a small but steadily growing cohort who have found themselves more willing to break with the White House. Although the president maintains a firm grip on Republican voters, the expanding...
Camera Bartolotta wins GOP nod in contentious state Senate race
State Sen. Camera Bartolotta defeated challenger Al Buchtan by nearly 7 percentage points Tuesday night in a contentious primary race for the Republican nomination in the 46th District. As of 11 p.m., with all of the Senate district’s precincts reporting unofficial results, Bartolotta had collected 53.1% of the votes tallied...
Former Senate rivals Tommy Tuberville and Doug Jones head to rematch in Alabama governor’s race
MONTGOMERY — Former Senate race rivals U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville and Doug Jones are headed to a rematch in the Alabama governor’s race. Tuberville easily won the GOP nomination and Jones did the same in the Democratic primary. “I’m not running against a person. I’m running against an ideology that...
State Sen. Wayne Fontana secures victory against newcomer in the 42nd District
State Sen. Wayne Fontana, D-Brookline, secured another victory Tuesday, fending off his first challenger in more than two decades to win the Democratic primary in the 42nd District. Fontana, 76, defeated political newcomer Paul Steenkiste, a software engineer whose campaign marked the longtime incumbent’s first contested race since winning a...
Tony Guy wins Republican nomination in 17th Congressional District
Beaver County Sheriff Tony Guy won his Republican primary race against Robinson springmaker Jesse James Vodvarka on Tuesday night in the 17th Congressional District. Guy, 65, will face U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Fox Chapel, in the November election. Deluzio, who was unopposed in the Democratic primary, is seeking a third...
U.S. Rep. Summer Lee wins Democratic nomination in reelection bid
An outspoken Democratic congresswoman from Allegheny County’s eastern suburbs is poised to earn her party’s nomination to run for another term in Washington in the November election. As of 10:30 p.m., with 96% of the 12th Congressional District’s precincts reporting unofficial results, U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, D-Swissvale, had collected 81%...
Tennessee man jailed over Charlie Kirk post wins $835,000 settlement
Tennessee officials will pay $835,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a man who was jailed for more than a month over a Facebook post he made about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. While many people across the country lost their jobs over social media comments about Kirk’s...
Jordan Omlor defeats Lisa Gephart for 59th District Democratic nomination
Newcomer Jordan Omlor defeated Lisa Gephart on Tuesday night in the Democratic primary for the 59th District state House seat. He will face Republican incumbent Leslie Rossi in November. With all precincts reporting in the district — which includes Latrobe, Ligonier, Derry, Mt. Pleasant and Unity in Westmoreland County —...
Brittany Bloam beats out Pat Catena to land Democratic nod in 45th state House District
Political newcomer Brittany Bloam declared victory Tuesday night in her race for the Democratic nomination and a spot on the November ballot in Pennsylvania’s 45th state House District. Bloam, a Robinson native, fought off Allegheny County Council President Pat Catena to earn the Democratic nomination. “I’m relieved. I’m happy. I’m...
Democrats settling House primaries in Pennsylvania swing districts, with Shapiro’s clout on the line
WARMINSTER — Democrats in Pennsylvania settled primary fights Tuesday to shape their congressional slate for the fall election, in which they hope — with Gov. Josh Shapiro’s help — to capture the state’s four swing districts and ultimately a U.S. House majority. Janelle Stelson, Bob Harvie and Bob Brooks won...
Jason Richey secures primary victory over John Ventre for GOP lieutenant governor nomination
Republican Jason Richey cruised to a landslide victory over retired UPS executive John Ventre on Tuesday night in the primary election for lieutenant governor. Richey, 54, of Sewickley, declared victory shortly after 10 p.m. as he held a commanding lead to serve as the running mate to GOP gubernatorial candidate...
U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie loses Kentucky GOP primary to Ed Gallrein in another victory for Trump
HEBRON, Ky. — Kentucky U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie lost his Republican House primary Tuesday, becoming the latest Republican lawmaker to anger President Donald Trump and then fall to a primary challenger backed by the president. Trump handpicked and endorsed Ed Gallrein, whose victory demonstrated the president’s influence over GOP voters...
2026 Western Pennsylvania primary election results roundup
The polls closed at 8 p.m. for primary election day in Western Pennsylvania. Polling places in Pittsburgh, as well as in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, saw a slow trickle of voters Tuesday. The primary will decide the Democratic and Republican nominees for the pivotal midterm election in November. Pennsylvania has...
Election 2026: Pennsylvania voters decide today in primariesVideo
Polls across Pennsylvania are now closed for those voting in person in this year’s primary election. A right and a privilege Sisters Anne-Michelle and Anna-Marie McMuldren were the only two voters in the basement of Grace Community Presbyterian Church in Lower Burrell to vote Tuesday afternoon. “The sun is shining,...
