A special election to fill the late state Rep. Tony DeLuca’s vacant seat will be Feb. 7, outgoing House Speaker Bryan Cutler announced Wednesday.
DeLuca, D-Penn Hills, passed away in October after a brief battle with lymphoma, but his name still appeared on the November ballot, and he was reelected by more than a 6-to-1 margin.
The 32nd Legislative District includes Oakmont, Verona, Plum and most of Penn Hills. Democrats hold a more than 2-to-1 voter registration advantage over Republicans in the district.
In November, Democrats won back control of the state House for the first time in more than a decade — though, with DeLuca’s death and victories by two Democrats who won races for higher office, Republicans will retain a narrow advantage until special elections can be held to fill three vacancies.
Cutler, a Republican from Lancaster, said, with the state House majority dependent on the outcome of the special election races, it was “imperative” to call the special election as soon as possible.
“With a vacancy created now, and more likely to come, it is a fundamental obligation of the House, and its speaker, to bring about predictability and certainty in representation for Pennsylvanians,” Cutler said in a statement.
Democratic House Leader Joanna McClinton, who will become House Speaker next session, questioned in a tweet whether Cutler has the authority to call a special election given that Democrats will be taking over leadership roles soon. But she said she agrees the special elections should be called “at the earliest possible date.”
Therefore, in my capacity beginning tomorrow as Majority Leader and Acting Speaker, I will issue a writ of election when the new session begins to do just that.
— Joanna McClinton (@RepMcClinton) November 30, 2022
It is possible special elections could also be held in the 34th and 35th legislative districts the same day. Democrat Summer Lee of Swissvale was reelected in the 34th District but also was elected to Congress in the 12th Congressional District. Austin Davis of McKeesport was reelected in the 35th Legislative District but also was elected as lieutenant governor.
McClinton said, after she is seated as majority leader, she will set dates for those special elections.
No candidates have declared they are running to replace DeLuca. Carrie DelRosso, a Republican from Oakmont and lieutenant governor candidate who unsuccessfully ran with gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano, said she was considering her options when asked recently if she is interested in running for the seat.
Nominees in that race will be selected by political parties, who typically choose their nominees through nominating sessions. After parties pick, those nominees will be placed on the ballot for the special election, which is open to all registered voters in that district.
