This week’s biggest Winners & Losers

Republican state Rep. Bryan Cutler, the minority leader of the state House of Representatives, survived a primary challenge this week from conservative Dave Nissley. Cutler won the race with 5,020 votes, while Nissley conceded after finishing with 4,349 votes, according to LNP, paving the way for the House GOP leader to win another term in the state House in this fall’s general election.

Former WGAL television anchor Janelle Stelson had good news to share with supporters on Tuesday night after she won a six-way primary race for the Democratic nomination in the state’s 10th Congressional District. Her campaign also reported raising more than $110,000 in the first 24 hours following her primary win. The victory sets Stelson up for a matchup against U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, who has already traded shots with Stelson ahead of the general election.

In the Lehigh Valley, it could be the turn for the Mack – Ryan Mackenzie. The Republican state representative from Lower Macungie Township won a three-way primary race for the GOP nomination in the 7th Congressional District. Mackenzie – who defeated Kevin Dellicker and Maria Montero Tuesday night – will go up against incumbent Democrat Susan Wild in November. Wild’s seat, which she held onto with a 5,837-vote win in 2022, is seen as an achievable flip for the Republican Party. 

It’s not bizarro world, it’s politics in 2024. Nearly four years after the Democratic incumbent state treasurer was upset by now-treasurer Stacy Garrity, state Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, who some viewed as the Democratic favorite for state treasurer this year, fell short in his bid for the nomination. Bizzarro, who rolled out more than 100 endorsements from the members of the state’s congressional delegation, General Assembly and local leaders within a day of launching his 2024 campaign, lost the Democratic primary bid to Erin McClelland, an Allegheny County substance abuse and mental health counselor. The upset loss, with some similarities to Democratic incumbent Joe Torsella’s upset in 2020, could spur a change in the party’s approach to fiscally-focused roles.

GOP state Rep. Jim Gregory lost a Republican primary race in the state’s 80th House District to former pastor and radio station operator Scott Barger, with Gregory conceding the race on Tuesday. Gregory, a victim and advocate for survivors of childhood sex abuse, was part of a deal to propeled Democratic state Rep. Mark Rozzi to the speakership in 2023 – a move that became an issue in this year’s GOP primary in the 80th House District, per the Altoona Mirror. 

International affairs are continuing to impact local politics. Allegheny County Councilmember Bob Macey lost a reappointment bid to the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission this week after he made comments about immigration during a debate over a ceasefire resolution in the Israel-Hamas war. Macey’s comments suggested immigrants “may have came with a hidden agenda,” which led to jeers and boos by audience members at the time. County Executive Sara Innamorato had recommended his reappointment, and Macey apologized for the comments, but multiple public commenters urged the council to reject the reappointment – and seven of the 13 councilmembers ultimately agreed.