Sean Meloy and Chris Deluzio battle in primary to replace Rep. Conor Lamb
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Pennsylvania's primary election day is just over three weeks away, and there is a contested primary in both the Republican and Democratic parties to replace Congressman Conor Lamb.
Tonight, KDKA takes a closer look at the Democrats who want to succeed Lamb.
Two Democrats are on the May ballot for a swing seat in the U.S. House of Representatives that Lamb is giving up to run for the U.S. Senate.
One Democrat is Sean Meloy, stresses his work as a human rights activist.
"That of a millennial and that of someone who would be the first out LGBTQ member of Congress from Pennsylvania," Meloy told KDKA political editor Jon Delano, "and I think those different perspectives are going to allow me to shake things up and actually have government deliver for the people of this district."
The other Democrat is Chris Deluzio, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, who notes his military service and union organizing as a University of Pittsburgh professor.
"The 9/11 attacks happened my senior year at high school, and it drove me and a lot of other veterans my vintage to serve, and I deployed three times as an officer leading Americans all over the world, including a tour in Iraq," says Deluzio. "Ultimately, came home, became a lawyer. I've been working to protect voting rights in our democracy."
Deluzio, endorsed by the Allegheny and Beaver County Democratic Committees and the Allegheny-Fayette Labor Council, says he can unite moderates and progressives.
"I don't wear a label of being progressive or moderate. If you look at my coalition and endorsers, I have both supporting me. I'm a democrat. I believe we ought to be fighting for our common good. I think we've got to be willing to stand up to corporate power and corporate greed. We've got to protect the union way of life," says Deluzio.
WATCH: More from the candidates
Meloy, who worked for Congressman Mike Doyle in Washington, sees himself as a progressive who can better represent middle-class families.
"I am, you know, a proud progressive when it actually comes to doing work for families of this district," says Meloy.
"A majority of Congress is millionaires, and they're not feeling the same urgency that families like mine are when it comes to health care, gas, groceries, prescription drug costs."
"Working- and middle-class families don't really have a government that's looking out for them, and they're feeling that. When they're working full-time jobs and their wages are not enough to get by. I think that's wrong, and that's why I stepped forward to run," says Meloy.>>
Deluzio says too many people are feeling stressed.
"We made policy choices in this country that I disagree with, that shipped our jobs overseas, that has on relying on foreign supply chains, and we're bearing the costs of that every day. We're buying goods, housing, you name it. We should be making things in this country. We should be making them with union workers," says Deluzio.
"We should be making them here in western Pennsylvania," adds Deluzio.
While Democrats will choose between Chris Deluzio and Sean Meloy, the Republicans have three candidates: Kathy Coder, Jason Killmeyer, and Jeremy Shaffer. KDKA will have more on them in an upcoming newscast.
Most pundits call this suburban congressional district a "toss-up" in November.