Republican state Sen. Guy Reschenthaler will now represent the southwestern corner of Pennsylvania in Washington after winning the race for Pennsylvania’s 14th congressional district.
Reschenthaler defeated Democrat Bibiana Boerio, a first-time candidate.
Under Pennsylvania’s new congressional map, the 14th district spans Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland counties.
Reschenthaler, a resident of Peters Township, was elected to the state Senate in 2015. He is a Navy veteran and a former magisterial district judge.
While running for Congress, he pushed for more tax cuts and a repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
Boerio, of Unity Township, is a former auto industry executive and worked as chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, a Democrat. Boerio made health care a focus of her campaign, advocating for protecting insurance for people with pre-existing medical conditions.
Reschenthaler's victory was widely expected in the newly drawn Republican-friendly district. But it sets up another potential fight: His 37th state Senate District seat in the region's South HIlls will become vacant, with a special election necessary to fill the seat.
