Pennsylvania primaries 2024: Lee and Fitzpatrick survive, matchups set for November

538 tracked congressional and downballot primary races in the Keystone State.

By538 Staff via five thirty eight logo
Last Updated: April 23, 2024, 6:00 PM EDT

Pennsylvania is already in the thick of campaign season for November's presidential and U.S. Senate races, but on April 23, Democrats and Republicans in the Keystone State chose their candidates in a slate of other consequential races down the ballot this fall.

Among the key races to watch: a couple of incumbent House members — progressive Democrat Summer Lee and moderate Republican Brian Fitzpatrick — both fended off challengers from their right, and ballots are now set for a few other consequential contests that could help determine control of the House next year. Plus, some key battle lines for control of the state government in November are set, with the parties finalizing their candidates for attorney general, auditor, treasurer and both chambers of the state legislature.

538 reporters and contributors broke down the election results as they came in with live updates, analysis and commentary. Read our full live blog below.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing.
Kaleigh Rogers Image
ByKaleigh Rogers
Apr 23, 2024, 10:22 PM EDT

Question: While we wait for more results, how about a little Pennsylvania 'pop' quiz?

Some of you may know I’m a bit of a Taylor Swift fan. The pop star, who grew up in Pennsylvania before moving to Nashville as a teen to start her career, released a heroic, 31-song double album last week. It’s chock full of references to all kinds of things including, by my count, at least one hat tip to her home state. So for my fellow live bloggers, can you guess which of these Keystone State staples was mentioned in Swift’s lyrics on "The Tortured Poets Department?"

A) The Philadelphia Eagles
B) Pop-punk band The Starting Line
C) West Reading, PA, Taylor’s hometown
D) Former state Sen. Vince Fumo

—Kaleigh Rogers, 538

ByMary Radcliffe
Apr 23, 2024, 10:17 PM EDT

Republican Jeffrey Olsommer on track to win Pennsylvania's only special election

In the 139th state House District special election tonight, the only special for state legislative seats of the evening, Jeffrey Olsommer is on track to hold the seat for his party after former state Rep. Joe Adams resigned in February due to health concerns. Olsommer currently leads Democrat Roberta Skibber by about 6 percentage points, a margin that will likely grow as more election day votes are counted, according to the state election returns site. However, he does appear on track for an underperformance in this seat that Trump won by 28 points in 2020.

—Mary Radcliffe, 538

Geoffrey Skelley Image
ByGeoffrey Skelley
Apr 23, 2024, 10:15 PM EDT

Only one contested U.S. House Democratic primary is still unprojected

The 14th District in southwest Pennsylvania is a solidly Republican seat, but incumbent GOP Rep. Guy Reschenthaler will have an opponent in November. The question is, who? With 96 percent of the expected vote reporting, Navy veteran Chris Dziados leads business owner Ken Bach 54 percent to 46 percent in the Democratic primary. This makes Dziados a pretty clear favorite to win his party's nomination at this point, although the race is unprojected at this time.

—Geoffrey Skelley, 538

Irena Li Image
ByIrena Li
Apr 23, 2024, 10:10 PM EDT

Checking in on candidates of color

All of today's congressional primary contests where nonwhite candidates were running have been projected, according to reporting by ABC News. Incumbent Reps. Dwight Evans and Summer Lee successfully fended off primary challengers, while Shamaine Daniels and Blake Lynch were both defeated by Janelle Stelson in a crowded Democratic primary for Pennsylvania's 10th. On the GOP side of things, only one candidate of color was running in a contested primary race tonight: Maria Montero lost to state Rep. Ryan Mackenzie in the 7th District, which Republicans have been eyeing as a potential flip this November.

—Irena Li, 538