What’s at stake: The new 14th State House District is made up of the northern and eastern portions of Beaver County, including the working-class city of Beaver Falls and surrounding communities including Big Beaver and North Sewickley. Republican incumbent Jim Marshall has represented a previous version of the district since being elected in 2006; he supports school choice, gun rights and government transparency. His opponent, Bruce Carper, is vying to flip the seat back to the Democratic Party, which lost the district to Marshall and the GOP amidst public outrage over legislative pay raises.
Bruce Carper
Carper, a single father of three, says he champions solutions that better support schools, seniors and local municipalities — regardless of party. He has adopted “Bridge the Gap” as a campaign slogan and advocates for a stronger response to the opioid crisis in southwestern Pennsylvania. He says he wants to provide more access to new pardon and expungement initiatives because constituents who make mistakes in life should have a chance to redeem themselves and become productive members of society. He wants to provide the working class with sustaining jobs and a living wage, and he supports abortion rights, marriage equality and better access to voting.
Party: Democratic
Experience: TRAILS Ministries (2022 – present)
IRS (2022)
Education: Beaver Falls Senior High School
Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Candidate surveys: League of Women Voters
Major endorsements: Progressive Turnout Project; more here.
Fundraising: Has not filed
Worth reading: "Who is running in the Beaver County 2022 midterm primary" (The Beaver County Times)
Jim Marshall
As a fiscal conservative who believes in small government, Marshall is the type of Republican candidate who does well in Beaver County. He appeals to business and conservative groups because he advocates for an economic environment that enables businesses — such as the energy and manufacturing sectors — to flourish and produce. He opposes regulations that he says interfere with innovation and growth. Marshall adheres to the Republican platform on numerous issues. He's voted with the GOP 77% of the time on bills rated by the American Conservative Union, which includes his opposition to abortion rights and firearm restrictions.
Party: Republican
Experience: Pennsylvania House of Representatives – 14th District (2006 – present)
Vice president, Big Beaver Falls Borough Council (1996 – 2006)
Education: Beaver Falls High School
Links: Website | Facebook | LinkedIn
Candidate surveys: League of Women Voters
Major endorsements: PA Chamber of Business and Industry; National Federation of Independent Business.
Fundraising:
Total contributions (2021-2022): $98,390
Total expenditures (2021-2022): $85,126.66
Worth reading: "'Who is running in the Beaver County 2022 midterm primary" (The Beaver County Times)
"State Rep. Marshall seeks re-election against Wilson for the 14th District" (Dani Fitzgerald, The Beaver County Times)
