Breaking: PA House Seat Flips to GOP Column
Republican Guy Reschenthaler is projected to defeat Democrat Bibiana Boerio in the race for Pennsylvania’s 14th Congressional District.
The two were fighting for a seat in a region President Donald Trump won handily in 2016.
#BREAKING: The Associated Press reports Republican Guy Reschenthaler has won election to the U.S. House in Pennsylvania’s 14th congressional district. https://t.co/deS9V40Rz1
— KDKA (@KDKA) November 7, 2018
The election is also a first for new boundaries that revamped Pennsylvania’s congressional districts. The court-imposed boundary changes altered the 14th and 18th districts, which cover western Pennsylvania in and around Pittsburgh, Ballotpedia reported. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Mike Doyle, who currently represents the 14th District, is seeking re-election in the newly drawn 18th District.
The changes also impacted the 17th District, so that incumbent Democratic Rep. Conor Lamb of the current 18th District and Republican Rep. Keith Rothfus of the current 17th District must compete against each other, while newcomers Boerio and Reschenthaler fought it out in the 14th District.
Boerio, 64, said her election was necessary to fight against the GOP’s “systematic attack” on health care participation, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. She has said that Reschenthaler wanted to eliminate coverage for pre-existing conditions.
Reschenthaler campaign spokesman Dennis Roddy denied the claim, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
“Bibiana Boerio’s preposterous claim contains no details because it’s a complete fabrication — unsupported by fact, and issued by an out-of-touch liberal millionaire who would turn everyone’s medical coverage over to faceless bureaucrats in Washington,” Roddy said.
Reschenthaler, 35, is currently a Pennsylvania state senator. He has emphasized the economy, while also saying that critical entitlements must remain in place.
“What we need to do is grow the economy so we can afford Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, and we can honor the promises we made to seniors and those who are vulnerable,” he said recently. “But we can only do it with a growing economy.”
Reschenthaler, a lawyer, served with the Navy Judge Advocate General Corps in Iraq, where his biography said prosecuted nearly 100 terrorists.
Boerio spent 30 years with Ford Motor Co. and served as the chief financial officer for Ford Motor Credit Co. She was later chief of staff for Rep. Joe Sestak.
Reschenthaler has said stronger mental health system is necessary to address the twin concerns of gun violence and opioid abuse.
“I truly believe that’s gonna make a huge difference in the opioid crisis because too many young people who have depression will start to self medicate with marijuana and underage drinking and that leads to opioid addiction and heroin abuse,” he said, according to WESA.
After last month’s Pittsburgh shooting he cited the need for greater access to mental health care and creating a system in which individuals with “mental derangements” do not get guns.
Reschenthaler also noted on his website that he supports strong policies to reform immigration.
“I am the prime sponsor of the bill to end the dangerous practice of sanctuary cities. I know the immigration issue well and I know the chilling effects illegal immigration has on our communities,” he said in a statement on his website.
“In Congress, I will fight to secure our border and reform our outdated immigration system to stop the flow of drugs and opioids, crackdown on child sex trafficking, end sanctuary cities nationwide, and protect the jobs and wages of American workers,” he said.
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