Candidates and super PACs have spent over $81 million in the Pennsylvania senatorial race, making it one of the most competitive. | Courtesy of Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons
Credit: Carson Kahoe | Photo EditorBesides the obvious contenders for the highest level of civil service, Democratic and Republican presidential nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, there are several other candidates voters will choose between when they head to the polls on Nov. 8.
U.S Senate:
In one of the closest (and most expensive) Senate races in the country, incumbent Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) is in the fight of his political life against Philadelphia native Katie McGinty. Recent polling gives McGinty a slight edge. Other contenders include Libertarian candidate Edward Clifford III and independent candidate Everett Stern.
U.S. House of Representatives, 2nd District:
The race to elect Penn’s local congressman will take on extra significance this year, as perennial Rep. Chaka Fattah will no longer be in the running. Fattah resigned in June after being convicted on corruption-related charges. The candidates to fill his seat, which has been vacant since Fattah’s ouster, include Democratic state Rep. Dwight Evans and Republican James Jones. Evans, who already assured Fattah’s term would come to an end by beating him in the April 26 Democratic primary, is expected to cruise to victory in this deep-blue district.
Pennsylvania Attorney General:
The race for the state’s top law enforcement official is between two candidates, Democrat Josh Shapiro and Republican John Rafferty. The office has been under much scrutiny in recent months amid the downfall of former Attorney General Kathleen Kane, who resigned from her post on Aug. 16 and was sentenced to 10-23 months in prison on Oct. 24 on perjury-related charges.
Pennsylvania Auditor General:
A slew of candidates are running for the state’s chief fiscal officer: Democratic incumbent Eugene DePasquale, Republican John A. Brown, Green Party candidate John Sweeney and Libertarian candidate Roy Minet.
State Treasurer:
This office has quite the eventful history as of late: interim treasurer Timothy Reese has been in office since June 2015 after Democratic treasurer Rob McCord resigned following an investigation of campaign finance violations. Reese is not running for a full term, leaving the race up to Democrat Joseph Torsella, Republican Otto Voit III, Libertarian James Babb and Green Party candidate Kristin Combs, a 2010 GSE graduate.
Pennsylvania General Assembly:
Democrat James Roebuck should have the 188th District’s seat in Pennsylvania’s General Assembly all tied up. He’s the only candidate running.
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