What's at stake: Encompassing a large swath of Allegheny County’s West Hills communities from Sewickley to Imperial, Pennsylvania’s 44th District seat has been held by a Republican since 1997, most recently by incumbent Valerie Gaydos since 2019. During her first bid for the seat in 2018, Gaydos beat Democrat Michele Knoll by about 1,000 votes. The two faced each other again in 2020, with Gaydos prevailing with 55% of the vote. Both prior to and since electoral boundaries were redrawn earlier this year, state data shows party registration in the district more or less evenly split between Democrats and Republicans.
Valerie Gaydos
First elected in 2018, Gaydos, of Aleppo Township, is seeking a third term representing Allegheny County’s western suburbs in the General Assembly. An entrepreneur and angel investor before entering the state legislature, she touted her private sector credentials during her initial run for office. She has continued to style herself as a pro-business, small-government conservative during her tenure in Harrisburg and currently chairs the state House Subcommittee on Small Business. Socially conservative as well, Gaydos calls herself “pro-life” and “pro-Second Amendment.” She was one of dozens of GOP state lawmakers earlier this year to sponsor a bill that would require transgender student athletes to participate in sports associated with their gender assigned at birth, a measure ultimately vetoed by Gov. Tom Wolf.
Party: Republican
Experience: Pennsylvania House of Representatives – 44th District (2019 – present)
Education: Dickinson College (B.A.)
Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Candidate surveys: WESA Candidate Survey; League of Women Voters
Major endorsements: Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation; Firearm Owners Against Crime; Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association; Pennsylvania Association of Realtors; Pennsylvania Farm Bureau
Fundraising:
Total contributions (2021-2022): $109,261.94
Total expenditures (2021-2022): $94,300.49
Worth reading:
“Pa. Legislature approves constitutional amendments to declare residents don't have the right to an abortion, to require voter ID” (Gillian McGoldrick, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
"Suburban race in House District 44 promises 2018 rematch" (Ariel Worthy, WESA)
Debbie Turici
Initially not intending to run for public office, Turici, of suburban Pittsburgh’s West Hills, says she was motivated to enter the May primary as a write-in candidate due to concerns about public education, women’s reproductive rights and gun safety. A retired elementary school art teacher with the West Allegheny School District, she’s served in leadership roles with the West Allegheny Education Association and PSEA. She’s currently chair of the West Hills Women’s Democratic Organization and a member of the Moon Township Democratic Committee. Turici says her top legislative priorities would be preserving public school funding, safeguarding reproductive rights and passing sensible gun laws.
Party: Democratic
Experience:
Committeeperson, Moon Township Democratic Committee (2022 – present)
West Hills Women’s Democratic Organization (2018 – present)
Political Action Chair, PSEA-Retired (2014 – present)
Education: Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (Penn West) (B.F.A, B.S.)
Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Candidate surveys: WESA Candidate Survey; League of Women Voters
Major endorsements: Pennsylvania AFL-CIO; Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers; Pennsylvania State Nurses Association; Chartiers Valley Democrats; Allegheny County Democratic Committee; Represent PA
Fundraising:
Total contributions (2021-2022): $31,636.70
Total expenditures (2021-2022): $19,714.39
Worth reading: “ Successful write-in candidates to challenge for 6 Pittsburgh-area state House seats in November” (Julian Routh, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
