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.


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A final check-in on female candidates

All of today's congressional primary contests where women were running have been projected, according to ABC News. There aren't too many surprises, here. In most places where Democratic women lost, another woman won (e.g. Summer Lee fended off Bhavini Patel in the 12th; Janelle Stelson prevailed over Shamaine Daniels in the 10th). The exception is Tracey Gordon who was mounting a challenge to Democratic incumbent Dwight Evans in the 3rd. For the GOP, in the 7th, Maria Montero would've advanced to a competitive November race, but failed to win. In the 5th, Alfeia Goodwin was uncontested, but she will face an uphill battle in that blue district.

—Meredith Conroy, 538 contributor


Final check-in with anti-abortion Republicans

Tonight I've been tracking anti-abortion Republicans, and there was one notable loss: Houck, a far-right anti-abortion activist, lost to moderate incumbent Fitzpatrick. In most of the other races, anti-abortion Republicans ran unopposed, and in Pennsylvania's 7th, all three Republican primary candidates were on our list. As Kaleigh noted, Mackenzie is the projected winner in that race to take on Wild in what's expected to be one of the most competitive House races this fall.

—Monica Potts, 538


Answer: It was B!

Meredith called it with the Matty Healy reference wrapped in a namedrop of "The Starting Line" (who subsequently thanked T Swift for the shoutout). In her song “The Black Dog,” Swift sings about an ex, asking how he can not miss her when in a pub and somebody plays "The Starting Line," but "she’s too young to know this song.” That said, Swift has dropped a political reference or two before, though more general. She uses the term “also ran” on this latest album and has the cutting line “did you hear my covert narcissism I disguise as altruism like some kind of congressman?” in “Anti-Hero,” her big single from her last album.

—Kaleigh Rogers, 538


Answer: No idea, but politics?

For kicks, I'll guess D, Kaleigh. If the song is about corruption, Fumo would be a good reference: In 2009, he was convicted of 137 corruption counts for various schemes, defrauding various institutions and obstruction of justice.

—Geoffrey Skelley, 538


Some key General Assembly races in Pennsylvania tonight

In tonight's primaries, voters aren't just deciding on federal candidates for November's general election; they're also setting up the battles for control of the state House and Senate. In 2022, Democrats won the governorship, and they currently hold a one-vote majority in the House they've struggled to maintain through a series of special elections. The party is looking to expand that House majority and gain control of the Senate for a trifecta by targeting opportunities (and defending some vulnerable seats) in the purple areas of this purple state. And, of course, Republicans want to keep their Senate majority, which they've held for 30 years, and take back the House.

Republicans have a six-vote majority in the state Senate, so Democrats need to pick up at least three seats for a tie, which could be broken by Democratic Lt. Gov. Austin Davis. Half the chamber is up for election this cycle. Among the handful of key races, Democrats will be defending an Allegheny County seat and challenging Republicans for a Harrisburg-based seat that are both opening up because of retirements. In both districts, each party is holding a contested primary today and redistricting could give Democrats a boost in November. Democrats are also challenging Republican incumbents in two seats that flipped to red in 2016 and 2020; one will hold a competitive Democratic primary today between Erie County Democratic Party Chair Jim Wertz and former Sen. John Fetterman staffer Selena King.

In the House, the hot primary action will largely be on the Democratic side, as the party's more progressive and centrist flanks face off in districts around Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. In West Philadelphia, Rep. Amen Brown is defending his seat against two challengers, Sajda Blackwell, whose family has a history in area politics, and progressive community activist Cass Green. Brown ran unsuccessfully for mayor on a tough-on-crime stance, and has sided with Republicans in criticizing progressive Philly DA Larry Krasner. Elsewhere in the city, three incumbents endorsed by progressive group Reclaim Philadelphia are facing challengers of their own. And in the Pittsburgh area, state Rep. Abigail Salisbury, who stepped into U.S. Rep. Summer Lee's former seat, is facing a challenge from Ashley Comans, a progressive school board member who lost to Salisbury last year and is endorsed by Lee herself.

Tonight's results will have an effect on their party's chances to hold onto the state House majority in November, and also the direction the Democratic party may try to take should it seize a trifecta.

—Monica Potts, 538