32nd District Democrats to get first full chance at naming late Rep. DeLuca's successor

For the first time since 1982, the Democrat ballot for Pennsylvania’s 32nd House District won’t feature Tony DeLuca.

The late lawmaker of 40 years died in October 2022, one month before the general election and too late to print new ballots. He won nonetheless, triggering a special election.

Joe McAndrew emerged from an Allegheny County Democratic Committee contest as the nominee to succeed DeLuca, beating out Penn Hills Mayor Pauline Calabrese and six other candidates.

Only committee members who lived in the 32nd District, comprising Penn Hills, Oakmont, Verona and parts of Plum, could vote. McAndrew earned 47 votes in a decisive fifth round of voting to Calabrese’s 30.

He went on to defeat Republican Clayton Walker in 2023, keeping the district for Democrats.

Calabrese, a family law attorney, former Penn Hills School Board member and two-term mayor, is taking another crack at the nomination, this time in a traditional primary. She claims the public deserves a greater say than it got in the race to replace DeLuca.

“(Voters) tell me that they feel they’ve been disenfranchised by the special election process,” Calabrese said.

In some of her campaign materials, Calabrese portrays herself as “ready to pick up” where DeLuca left off, particularly on property tax reform that would freeze rates for older Pennsylvanians and cap increases for all.

Many of her mailers include images of DeLuca.

One quotes DeLuca endorsing Calabrese when she unsuccessfully ran for Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas in 2021.

“Both my close relationship with Rep. DeLuca, who was my mentor, and my extensive experience as mayor make me a natural successor to DeLuca,” Calabrese said.

McAndrew disagrees with how Calabrese has framed her relationship with DeLuca. He also noted that he kept some of DeLuca’s staffers.

“Nobody is handed anything,” McAndrew said. “I would also like to say that Tony DeLuca never mentioned who he wanted to succeed him before his passing,” McAndrew said.

McAndrew, 33, is leaning on his short time in Harrisburg to make his case for reelection. In February, he was named chair of the House Subcommittee on Public Transportation.

In his first year in office, McAndrew has co-sponsored nine bills that became law, mostly symbolic. He also has served as prime sponsor for two bills that recently advanced to the state Senate: one to eliminate filing fees for volunteer fire departments and another to recruit bone marrow donors.

Before ascending to the state House, McAndrew worked as a staffer for U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Aspinwall, and served as executive director of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee.

He fell short in a run for Oakmont mayor in 2017.

McAndrew moved to Penn Hills shortly after and became chair of the Penn Hills Democratic Committee. Calabrese has made this a point of contention, noting she has lived in Penn Hills, which makes up a bulk of the district, for 26 years.

His win in February 2023 gave Democrats a one-seat majority in the Pennsylvania house.

“This broke the tie for the Democratic majority in Harrisburg, and we are reaping the benefits across the whole state,” McAndrew said. “The ability to pass bills and get them to Gov. Josh Shaprio has really made (voters) feel that Harrisburg is working for them.”

In her time as Penn Hills mayor, Calabrese has touted her record on growing the municipality’s fund balance, upgrading sewers and bringing the police department to full staffing.

She said the school district’s woes and rising sewer bills in Penn Hills can only be dealt with through state action.

“Since 2022, Mr. McAndrew has done nothing on these issues,” Calabrese said. “He is completely unaware of them.”

McAndrew notes he pushed for and received increased funding for all three of the jurisdiction’s school districts — $25.2 million for Penn Hills, $17.3 million for Plum and $4.4 million for Riverview. He said he also secured more than $3 million for sewer and water improvements.

“Some of the largest grants I advocated for, and we received from the state, were funding for sewage and school-increased funding initiatives,” he said.

The primary is Tuesday, April 23. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in the 32nd District by about two to one. Combined with the lack of a Republican nominee, the winner of the Democratic contest is likely to be the representative.