Chris Deluzio is rated a slight favorite in Western Pa.’s only competitive congressional race
Plus, federal funding coming for Parkway East improvements, and Thompson opposes cuts in agriculture spending
WASHINGTON — Inside Elections, which tracks congressional races, just released its latest House overview and rates freshman U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio a slight favorite over state Rep. Rob Mercuri.
The publication rates the 17th District race as the only competitive one in Western Pennsylvania in 2024. Mr. Mercuri, R-Pine, is the only announced challenger to Mr. Deluzio, D-Aspinwall, now that the Rev. Jim Nelson has ended his campaign.
While former state Rep. Sara Innamorato, a Democrat, was elected Allegheny County executive last month, Republican Joe Rockey won the portion of the county in Mr. Deluzio’s district.
As for U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, DSwissvale, she is considered a shooin for re-election if she can get past a primary challenge from Edgewood Borough Council member Bhavini Patel, Inside Elections said.
Ms. Lee’s re-election prospects depend, in part, on how financially involved the pro-Israel community gets behind Ms. Patel. “If pro-Israel outside groups get involved in this primary, the freshman congresswoman could be vulnerable,” the publication said.
Ms. Lee overcame $4 million in spending by the pro-Israel super PAC affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee to win the seat in 2022.
Overall, Inside Elections has Republicans favored to win 217 of the 218 seats they need to retain their House majority, with Democrats favored in 206 districts and 12 rated as tossups.
In other Washington news:
Federal funding coming for Parkway East improvements
The government is spending $142.3 million from the bipartisan infrastructure law for safety improvements to the Parkway East and the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway. The announcement was made by Mr. Deluzio, Ms. Lee, and U.S. Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman,D-Pa.
The money will go to rehabilitate 10bridges, install a barrier to prevent flooding along the parkway’s Downtown section, use technology to control traffic flow, and improve sections of South Braddock Avenue and Route 30/LincolnHighway/ArdmoreBoulevard.
Thompson opposes cuts in agriculture spending
House Agriculture Committee chairman Glenn Thompson, RCentre, warned against severe spending cuts in agriculture programs as he moved ahead on legislation setting U.S. farm policy for the next five years.
“It will be virtually impossible to create a robust and resilient farm safety net without significant investment,” he said during a hearing Dec. 6.
Mr. Thompson made his comments at a committee meeting to hear from fellow House members as to their priorities.
“We can craft a bipartisan farm bill that aligns the farm safety net with the needs of producers, expands market access and trade promotion opportunities, strengthens program operations to demand transparency and accountability to the taxpayer, and reinforces not only the importance of helping our neighbors in need, but doing so without indiscriminate expansion of our nutrition safety,” he said.