Pennsylvania primaries 2024: Lee and Fitzpatrick survive, matchups set for November
538 tracked congressional and downballot primary races in the Keystone State.
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:
- Last big projections of the evening: McClelland secures the treasurer upset
- Republican Jeffrey Olsommer on track to win Pennsylvania's only special election
- Mackenzie projected to win PA-07 and take on Rep. Susan Wild
- DePasquale projected to win the Democratic AG primary
- Stelson projected to win Democratic primary in 10th District
Stelson projected to win Democratic primary in 10th District
ABC News reports that Janelle Stelson is projected to win the Democratic nomination in Pennsylvania's 10th District. With 63 percent of the expected vote reporting, she leads with 44 percent, well ahead of Mike O'Brien's 23 percent in second place. Stelson will advance to the general election to face Rep. Scott Perry, who has arguably the most conservative voting record of any Republican who represents a seat that Trump would've won by less than 5 points in 2020 or that Biden would've carried. However, the GOP starts out as favorites for the general election, as ratings outlets view it as a Lean Republican seat.
—Geoffrey Skelley, 538
Kenyatta projected to win Democratic primary for Auditor General
ABC News reports that progressive Philadelphia State Rep. Malcom Kenyatta is projected to win in the Democratic Auditor General primary. He's currently ahead of Mark Pinsley by around 23 percentage points, a significant improvement from the last time he appeared on a statewide primary ballot, winning just 11 percent of the vote in the 2022 Senate primary. He will face Republican incumbent Timothy DeFoor in November, who ran unopposed today.
—Mary Radcliffe, 538
Fitzpatrick projected to win in PA-01
ABC News reports that Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick is projected to win the GOP primary in the 1st District, conquering his right-flank challenge from anti-abortion activist Mark Houck. He's faced a primary challenger in every election since he was first elected in 2016, but has always triumphed. Fitzpatrick will once again go up against Democrat Ashley Ehasz this fall, whom he beat by 10 points in 2022.
—Kaleigh Rogers, 538
Downballot races show incumbents leading
I wrote earlier about some of the races for state House. So far, it looks like state Rep. Brown, in West Philadelphia, and state Rep. Salisbury, in the Pittsburgh area, are fending off challenges from the left, according to The New York Times. In the Brown race, Blackwell and Green may have split the vote against him. In the Democratic race for state Senate in Erie, Erie County Democratic Party Chair Jim Wertz is projected to defeat former Fetterman staffer Selena King, according to The New York Times.
—Monica Potts, 538