In state House District 35, covering Allegheny County, both Democrats and Republicans complained about DOGE-driven government cuts and tariffs.
MUNHALL, Pa.—In the quiet suburban sprawl of Pittsburgh is one of the most important counties on the U.S. electoral map: Allegheny County, with its population of 1.2 million.
Allegheny County is a confluence of demographics that define national politics: urban professionals, steel workers, college students, retirees, and unionized labor. Despite its Democratic lean, a shift in support here—even by a few votes—can change the outcome of Pennsylvania’s elections, which are seeing ever narrower margins.
President Donald Trump gained such votes in the 2024 election, and they helped him win.
Two months after Trump’s second administration began, Allegheny County will be back at the polls on March 25 to vote for a new state representative.
The death of state Rep. Matthew Gergely (D-McKeesport) on Jan. 19 created a vacancy for his seat in House District 35, which covers the towns of Munhall, McKeesport, and Homestead, among others.
State House elections are usually local affairs, with candidates focused on community-based issues over national political currents. Special elections are even more intricate, with most voters unaware of them and turnout quite low. But with Trump’s moves to restructure the federal government, the effect of federal policies on the state is top of voters’ minds.
The Trump administration has shocked many by the scale and pace of its initiatives to reduce the federal government’s size and spending, prompting criticism at town halls across the country. Voters in both Allegheny County and Pennsylvania writ large enabled this outcome, and their view on Trump’s performance is a cue for the national political climate.
Moreover, as a sign of Pennsylvania’s fine political divide, Gergely’s death also deadlocked the state House of Representatives—at 101 Democrats to 101 Republicans. The party that wins this seat will, thus, control the state Legislature, which must consider Gov. Josh Shapiro’s last full budget proposal before he runs for reelection. The voters of District 35, therefore, have extraordinary influence on the state’s political future.
The Epoch Times visited District 35 to speak with the candidates, the voters, and Pennsylvania’s political leaders on this crucial political battle.
By Arjun Singh
