Erie-area candidates for State House run unopposed in primary, advance to general election

Tuesday’s primary election delivered a predictable result for Erie-area candidates running for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, as each candidate ran unopposed for their party’s nomination and will move forward to November’s general election.

Here are the results:

1st Legislative District

Incumbent State Rep. Patrick Harkins won the Democratic Party's nod for the 1st Legislative District, which he's represented since 2007. The 1st District is largely made up of the city of Erie, a Democratic stronghold. Harkins received 5,078 votes.

2nd Legislative District

Incumbent State Rep. Bob Merski won the Democratic Party's nomination with 6,739 votes. Matt Strupczewski clinched the Republican nomination with 3,225 votes. The 2nd District covers parts of Erie, along with Greene, Harborcreek and Summit townships and Wesleyville Borough.

Merski, a former member of Erie City Council, first took office in 2019, preceding the late Flo Fabrizio. The former teacher is the vice chairman of the House Game & Fisheries Committee, but also serves on the finance, insurance, gaming oversight and professional licensure committees.

Strupczewski is a 2023 Penn State Behrend graduate with degrees in political science and marketing. Strupczewski, of Erie, is also a 2nd Lieutenant in the Pennsylvania National Guard and a graduate research assistant at the Behrend-based Economic Research Institute of Erie.

Erie County Primary election: Wertz wins state Senate bid; Bizzarro falls in treasurer race

3rd Legislative District

Incumbent State Rep. Ryan Bizzarro won the Democratic Party's nomination with 6,957 votes. Bizzarro is running for a seventh term. Micah Goring, a U.S. Air Force veteran and business owner, won the Republican nomination with 4,749 votes. The 3rd District covers Millcreek and Fairview townships.

Goring was originally born in Indonesia to parents who worked as missionaries to set up churches. The family later lived in the Philippines. After graduating high school in 1997, Goring moved to the U.S. The Fairview resident is running to oppose what he calls "job-crushing over-regulation," to bring new jobs and industries to the area, to address local issues like crime and a flooding problem that has affected residents of the district.

4th Legislative District

Incumbent State Rep. Jake Banta won the Republican Party's nod with 5,364 votes. Joe Cancilla won the Democratic Party's nomination with 3,975 votes. The 4th District covers much of the south of the county.

Banta, a former Navy Seal and local musician, is in his first term after beating Democrat Chelsea Oliver in 2022 to succeed Curt Sonney.

Cancilla, who used to be a Republican, said his reasons for running have not changed, even though his party has, and he still wants to support small business owners, farmers, veterans, first responders and educators.

6th Legislative District

Incumbent State Rep. Brad Roae won the Republican nomination with 5,771 votes. Michael Walker clinched the Democratic nomination with 3,562 votes. The 6th District covers parts of Erie and Crawford counties.

Roae, the minority chairman of the House State Government Committee, has been in office since 2007 and is seeking a 10th term. In announcing his re-election bid, Roae said he would fight against Democratic attempts at gun control, reckless spending, tax increases, and "attempts to phase out fossil fuels" by giving people tax credits for solar power, wind and other forms of green energy.

Walker, of West Mead Township, Crawford County, is unopposed for the Democratic nomination. Walker is a co-owner of Blissful Meads in Meadville.

A.J. Rao can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X @ETNRao.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie-area candidates for Pennsylvania House run unopposed in primary