Endorsed Democratic State House Candidate Denies She Supported Donald Trump Despite Facebook Posts

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A candidate for a Pa. House of Representatives seat received a big endorsement despite a controversial series of online postings.

The Allegheny County Democratic Party overwhelmingly endorsed Heather Kass of Carrick for an open State House seat on Sunday.

Kass defeated Jessica Benham of the Southside Slopes by 49 to 19 for the Democratic Party endorsement.

But Benham says Kass is really a Donald Trump supporter and points to some social media posts to prove it.

"I thought it was interesting that someone running as a Democrat supported Trump," said Benham on Monday.

Benham points to social media posts that Kass made 4-6 years ago that said she hated Obamacare with the words 'Go Trump.'

Kass also shared a Facebook post that says "Stop Hillary,' along with other posts that have since been deleted.

Benham says this primary is a clear cut choice.

"Voters in the district get to decide between myself, who is running as a progressive champion, and a Trump supporter."

But in an interview with KDKA political editor Jon Delano on Monday, Kass denied Benham's claim that she is a Trump supporter, noting she never supported Trump in 2016 or will support him now in 2020.

"I did not support anybody," says Kass.

Kass says she sat out the 2016 presidential, and those posts were a mistake.

"At the time, I was going through a lot of issues with health. And whenever I made the post — not only about that but about other things — I was under a lot of stress, had huge medical bills that had come in, and I was aggravated," she said.

She now says her views back then were wrong.

"I apologize for what I said five years ago. What I said was wrong. I don't want to be chained to my past," Kass said.

But Kass does acknowledge she's a moderate Democrat, while Benham is more liberal.

Democrats will decide their nominee for the seat of the retiring PA Rep. Harry Readshaw on April 28th.