Bill Petulla and Jeremy Shaffer battle for an open Pennsylvania State House 28th District seat
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — In most State House and Senate districts in Western Pennsylvania, incumbents are running for reelection often without an opponent, but voters in the 28th District are electing a brand-new representative.
"I'm a career prosecutor," said Bill Petulla, Democratic candidate for the seat. "I've worked in the district attorney's office for the last 16 years."
Petulla is running against Republican Jeremy Shaffer, who two years ago ran unsuccessfully for Congress. Shaffer and Petulla are running in a district that includes Marshall, Pine, Richland, West Deer, and parts of Hampton.
"Ended up getting a PhD from Carnegie Mellon and started a small business that created jobs all right here in Pittsburgh," Shaffer said.
Petulla, who calls himself a moderate Democrat, father of three, and a local coach, says he's running because as a homicide prosecutor, he wants to develop solutions to prevent crime — from more mental health counseling to better-funded police.
"I'm kind of the guy at the end of the line, and I really want to be in Harrisburg to be a voice not only for victims but police officers and the larger community," Petulla said.
Shaffer says he's running to reverse population losses.
"We suffer under the second-highest gas tax, high property tax, as well as highest per mile Turnpike tolls, and we are driving people and businesses away from our region," Shaffer said.
The Republican says his biggest problem with Petulla is that he's a Democrat.
"The Democratic Party is controlled by progressives," Shaffer said. "If the Democrat Party maintains control of the state House, they will continue to be led by Philadelphia progressives."
While the district usually votes Republican, Democrat Petulla thinks as a moderate he can attract Republican votes.
"The person that I'm running against is far from moderate," Petulla said. "He's run a handful of races, sort of a serial politician that's gone after just about every race, and he has been rejected because of his extremism."
This seat is open with no incumbent because the current state representative, Rob Mercuri, is now running for Congress.