2026 Pennsylvania Voter Guide

This fall, voters in Pennsylvania’s tightly contested 8th Congressional District have the chance to flip the district in favor of gun safety. Paige Cognetti, the first woman to be elected mayor of Scranton, offers voters a pragmatic, solutions-oriented candidate focused on reform and transparency. Cognetti is a mother with experience serving on her local school board and as a special assistant to the Pennsylvania Auditor General, where she rooted out corruption in both parties. As mayor, she launched her city’s first community violence intervention program to break cycles of violence in Northeast Pennsylvania (NEPA). A member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, she has invested more than $5 million in public safety measures, including hiring more police officers with improved training methods. And in Congress, Cognetti will work to stop corrupt stock trading by members of Congress, fight for NEPA families, and address the gun lobby’s crooked practices.

Pennsylvanians can thank Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Gov. Austin Davis for increased gun violence prevention programs and public safety initiatives. Shapiro’s multifaceted political background includes serving three terms in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, as Montgomery County Commissioner, and as Pennsylvania Attorney General. Across his many roles, he has stabilized budget deficits, worked to create jobs, bring down costs, and invested in public safety. He re-established the Pennsylvania Office of Gun Violence Prevention, created the Pennsylvania Gun Tracing Analytics platform, and established the Violence Intervention and Prevention program (VIP), which funds programs to reduce and prevent gun violence. With these programs in place, gun homicides in Pennsylvania have fallen 46.5% since their 2022 pandemic peak. Re-electing both Shapiro and Davis will ensure these numbers continue to drop.

Lindsey Williams has spent her time in public service uplifting working-class families and advancing community safety initiatives. She was named the 2016 Allegheny County Young Democrat of the Year for helping to elect candidates who support working families and public education. After flipping her state Senate seat in 2018 as a first-time candidate, she has made gun violence prevention a leading issue, urging her Republican senate colleagues to endorse common-sense gun safety bills and cosponsoring bills to expand background checks on gun sales and codify secure-storage requirements. Securing Williams’ third term in the upcoming election will continue her good work in protecting and strengthening Pennsylvania communities.

Voters have the opportunity to flip Pennsylvania State Senate District 40 in favor of gun safety in the 2026 election with Brian Wrightson. Wrightson has spent his career as a public servant. He worked for ten years in county government in the technology sector, building and managing networks and updating communications infrastructure. Later, as director of emergency services for the Red Cross, he oversaw disaster response across ten Northeastern Pennsylvania counties, modernizing emergency response systems and coordinating efforts with first responders. He now owns and operates Fire Tower Communications, which manages broadband expansion across the region and ensures residents have access to life-saving emergency services. Wrightson brings the same goals of connectivity, increased opportunity, and wider accessibility to public office.

Voters can trust that Arvind Venkat will prioritize public safety for Pennsylvanians. As an emergency room physician, he has treated countless victims of gun violence firsthand. Called “Pennsylvania’s Physician-Legislator,” he is the first physician to serve in the General Assembly in nearly 60 years and the first Indian American in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. His personal experiences as an emergency room physician underscore his support for accessible healthcare, reducing gun violence, and preserving reproductive rights. Venkat’s dedication to public service as both physician and legislator makes him a clear choice for re-election in 2026.

Brad Chambers, currently a labor administrator, is back for his second run for the District 41 seat. Undeterred by his narrow loss to gun-lobby-backed incumbent Rep. Brett Miller, Chambers has entered the 2026 race with a myriad of top-level endorsements and broad-based support. Fueled by his own experience growing up in a working-class, single-parent household in Lancaster, PA, Brad Chambers’ goal is to better support working-class families in ways that previous elected officials have not. He is advocating for improved policies around healthcare, education, and affordable housing, which include fair funding for public schools, expanding access to healthcare for all Pennsylvanians, and common-sense gun laws.

As a Pittsburgh teacher and parent, Jen Mazzocco has a keen understanding of what Allegheny County families need from their local representative. She boasts 15 years of experience as a high school teacher, is a proud member of the Pittsburgh Teachers’ Union, has served three terms on the Dormont Borough Council as both council president and vice president, and is a volunteer in several local organizations, including the Dormant Free Pantry, which she helped launch. As a mother, Mazzocco’s commitment to gun violence prevention is unwavering: she is a Moms Demand Action volunteer and active participant in events to increase gun violence prevention awareness. Mazzocco’s re-election in 2026 will ensure Allegheny families continue to have a champion in the state legislature focused on investments in education, expanding access to affordable healthcare, and growing economic opportunity for all Pennsylvanians.

As a mother, the Sandy Hook tragedy fundamentally changed Hadley Haas’s trajectory as a public servant. Her two hearing-impaired sons inspired her to volunteer for the DePaul School for Hearing and Speech and to form the Friends of the Hearing Center at Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, where she ultimately served as chair of the board. But it was Sandy Hook that pushed her to volunteer with Moms Demand Action, urging lawmakers to take action against gun violence, and as a volunteer, she was encouraged to take part in the Demand a Seat training program. Allegheny County voters have the opportunity to flip the district for gun safety by electing Haas, who pledges to support common-sense gun laws, support a more robust healthcare system, increase affordability for Pennsylvania families, and safeguard and strengthen the public school system.

In 2026, Sara Agerton has returned to the race for PA HD-88, with the potential to flip the open seat in favor of gun safety. With twenty years of experience as a social worker, Agerton saw an opportunity to strengthen her community through the Mechanicsburg Borough Council. She ran and won a place on the Council, where she bolstered local infrastructure, increased support for small businesses, and secured new green spaces for her community. A volunteer with the Pennsylvania chapter of Moms Demand Action, Agerton has also participated in the Demand a Seat training program, demonstrating her dedication to gun violence prevention initiatives. This fall, voters have the opportunity to elect a candidate focused on strengthening the community for working families.

Pennsylvania District 137 is a crucial seat that voters can flip in favor of gun safety this fall. Jeff Warren is a longtime public servant and resident of Northampton County. In 2007, Warren was elected to the Easton City Council, where he helped revitalize the Simon Silk Mill into a multi-use complex for local businesses, secured funding for the Easton Public Market, and strengthened the police and fire departments. Currently serving as the Northampton County Council commissioner, he has focused on protecting the county’s open lands and growing the local economy. Warren is a 2025 graduate of the Demand a Seat training program, demonstrating his commitment to passing common-sense gun initiatives to keep Pennsylvania families and communities safe.

The 2026 election presents a critical opportunity to flip the Bucks County district in favor of gun safety. With over 20 years as a public school teacher, Kristin Egan understands the pivotal pipeline to success that a strong education system creates. A dedicated union leader, current teachers’ union president, and school board director, she has witnessed firsthand the issues affecting Bucks County families and the strategies required to address their needs. As a graduate of the Demand a Seat training program, Egan pledges to prioritize gun violence prevention and community safety, while striving to support a stronger Bucks County where families can thrive.

Voting for Elizabeth Moro will flip a critical seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. A graduate of the Demand a Seat training program, Moro is closely connected to the issues that face Chester and Delaware County residents. A mother, author, small business owner, and real estate broker, she knows the challenges of expensive healthcare, rising costs, and affordable housing. Her background in political science and public policy gives her insight into the relationships between strong communities and effective government. She is also deeply rooted in preserving and strengthening her community, having founded Neighbors for Crebilly, an organization working to preserve Crebilly Farm, and remains committed to defending voters’ rights, reproductive freedom, and a strong public education system.

This fall, voters in Pennsylvania’s tightly contested 8th Congressional District have the chance to flip the district in favor of gun safety. Paige Cognetti, the first woman to be elected mayor of Scranton, offers voters a pragmatic, solutions-oriented candidate focused on reform and transparency. Cognetti is a mother with experience serving on her local school board and as a special assistant to the Pennsylvania Auditor General, where she rooted out corruption in both parties. As mayor, she launched her city’s first community violence intervention program to break cycles of violence in Northeast Pennsylvania (NEPA). A member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, she has invested more than $5 million in public safety measures, including hiring more police officers with improved training methods. And in Congress, Cognetti will work to stop corrupt stock trading by members of Congress, fight for NEPA families, and address the gun lobby’s crooked practices.

Pennsylvanians can thank Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Gov. Austin Davis for increased gun violence prevention programs and public safety initiatives. Shapiro’s multifaceted political background includes serving three terms in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, as Montgomery County Commissioner, and as Pennsylvania Attorney General. Across his many roles, he has stabilized budget deficits, worked to create jobs, bring down costs, and invested in public safety. He re-established the Pennsylvania Office of Gun Violence Prevention, created the Pennsylvania Gun Tracing Analytics platform, and established the Violence Intervention and Prevention program (VIP), which funds programs to reduce and prevent gun violence. With these programs in place, gun homicides in Pennsylvania have fallen 46.5% since their 2022 pandemic peak. Re-electing both Shapiro and Davis will ensure these numbers continue to drop.

Lindsey Williams has spent her time in public service uplifting working-class families and advancing community safety initiatives. She was named the 2016 Allegheny County Young Democrat of the Year for helping to elect candidates who support working families and public education. After flipping her state Senate seat in 2018 as a first-time candidate, she has made gun violence prevention a leading issue, urging her Republican senate colleagues to endorse common-sense gun safety bills and cosponsoring bills to expand background checks on gun sales and codify secure-storage requirements. Securing Williams’ third term in the upcoming election will continue her good work in protecting and strengthening Pennsylvania communities.

Voters have the opportunity to flip Pennsylvania State Senate District 40 in favor of gun safety in the 2026 election with Brian Wrightson. Wrightson has spent his career as a public servant. He worked for ten years in county government in the technology sector, building and managing networks and updating communications infrastructure. Later, as director of emergency services for the Red Cross, he oversaw disaster response across ten Northeastern Pennsylvania counties, modernizing emergency response systems and coordinating efforts with first responders. He now owns and operates Fire Tower Communications, which manages broadband expansion across the region and ensures residents have access to life-saving emergency services. Wrightson brings the same goals of connectivity, increased opportunity, and wider accessibility to public office.

Voters can trust that Arvind Venkat will prioritize public safety for Pennsylvanians. As an emergency room physician, he has treated countless victims of gun violence firsthand. Called “Pennsylvania’s Physician-Legislator,” he is the first physician to serve in the General Assembly in nearly 60 years and the first Indian American in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. His personal experiences as an emergency room physician underscore his support for accessible healthcare, reducing gun violence, and preserving reproductive rights. Venkat’s dedication to public service as both physician and legislator makes him a clear choice for re-election in 2026.

Brad Chambers, currently a labor administrator, is back for his second run for the District 41 seat. Undeterred by his narrow loss to gun-lobby-backed incumbent Rep. Brett Miller, Chambers has entered the 2026 race with a myriad of top-level endorsements and broad-based support. Fueled by his own experience growing up in a working-class, single-parent household in Lancaster, PA, Brad Chambers’ goal is to better support working-class families in ways that previous elected officials have not. He is advocating for improved policies around healthcare, education, and affordable housing, which include fair funding for public schools, expanding access to healthcare for all Pennsylvanians, and common-sense gun laws.

As a Pittsburgh teacher and parent, Jen Mazzocco has a keen understanding of what Allegheny County families need from their local representative. She boasts 15 years of experience as a high school teacher, is a proud member of the Pittsburgh Teachers’ Union, has served three terms on the Dormont Borough Council as both council president and vice president, and is a volunteer in several local organizations, including the Dormant Free Pantry, which she helped launch. As a mother, Mazzocco’s commitment to gun violence prevention is unwavering: she is a Moms Demand Action volunteer and active participant in events to increase gun violence prevention awareness. Mazzocco’s re-election in 2026 will ensure Allegheny families continue to have a champion in the state legislature focused on investments in education, expanding access to affordable healthcare, and growing economic opportunity for all Pennsylvanians.

As a mother, the Sandy Hook tragedy fundamentally changed Hadley Haas’s trajectory as a public servant. Her two hearing-impaired sons inspired her to volunteer for the DePaul School for Hearing and Speech and to form the Friends of the Hearing Center at Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, where she ultimately served as chair of the board. But it was Sandy Hook that pushed her to volunteer with Moms Demand Action, urging lawmakers to take action against gun violence, and as a volunteer, she was encouraged to take part in the Demand a Seat training program. Allegheny County voters have the opportunity to flip the district for gun safety by electing Haas, who pledges to support common-sense gun laws, support a more robust healthcare system, increase affordability for Pennsylvania families, and safeguard and strengthen the public school system.

In 2026, Sara Agerton has returned to the race for PA HD-88, with the potential to flip the open seat in favor of gun safety. With twenty years of experience as a social worker, Agerton saw an opportunity to strengthen her community through the Mechanicsburg Borough Council. She ran and won a place on the Council, where she bolstered local infrastructure, increased support for small businesses, and secured new green spaces for her community. A volunteer with the Pennsylvania chapter of Moms Demand Action, Agerton has also participated in the Demand a Seat training program, demonstrating her dedication to gun violence prevention initiatives. This fall, voters have the opportunity to elect a candidate focused on strengthening the community for working families.

Pennsylvania District 137 is a crucial seat that voters can flip in favor of gun safety this fall. Jeff Warren is a longtime public servant and resident of Northampton County. In 2007, Warren was elected to the Easton City Council, where he helped revitalize the Simon Silk Mill into a multi-use complex for local businesses, secured funding for the Easton Public Market, and strengthened the police and fire departments. Currently serving as the Northampton County Council commissioner, he has focused on protecting the county’s open lands and growing the local economy. Warren is a 2025 graduate of the Demand a Seat training program, demonstrating his commitment to passing common-sense gun initiatives to keep Pennsylvania families and communities safe.

The 2026 election presents a critical opportunity to flip the Bucks County district in favor of gun safety. With over 20 years as a public school teacher, Kristin Egan understands the pivotal pipeline to success that a strong education system creates. A dedicated union leader, current teachers’ union president, and school board director, she has witnessed firsthand the issues affecting Bucks County families and the strategies required to address their needs. As a graduate of the Demand a Seat training program, Egan pledges to prioritize gun violence prevention and community safety, while striving to support a stronger Bucks County where families can thrive.

Voting for Elizabeth Moro will flip a critical seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. A graduate of the Demand a Seat training program, Moro is closely connected to the issues that face Chester and Delaware County residents. A mother, author, small business owner, and real estate broker, she knows the challenges of expensive healthcare, rising costs, and affordable housing. Her background in political science and public policy gives her insight into the relationships between strong communities and effective government. She is also deeply rooted in preserving and strengthening her community, having founded Neighbors for Crebilly, an organization working to preserve Crebilly Farm, and remains committed to defending voters’ rights, reproductive freedom, and a strong public education system.