EDITOR'S NOTE (March 16, 2022): This story has been updated to reflect the candidates who filed petitions to run in the May 17 primary. For a comprehensive look at candidates running in Pennsylvania's gubernatorial and congressional races, click here.
The dust has settled in the monthslong quest by both major political parties searching for the right candidates to run for the open U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania on this year's ballots.
Current Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey's decision to resign rather than run for a third six-year term left both parties scrambling for a replacement to fill an elected office that could ultimately decide who controls Congress for the last two years of President Joe Biden's first term.
Dozens of candidates initially filed to run, but only 12 Democratic and Republican candidates submitted petitions to be on May 17 primary ballots. Here's a brief rundown of all the candidates (their campaign websites are linked below and anyone crossed out has suspended their campaign or dropped out).
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Who are the PA Senate Race Candidates?
John Fetterman (Democrat): Former mayor of Braddock, a city in western Pennsylvania, and the current lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania
Decision 2022
Coverage of the 2022 elections
Conor Lamb (Democrat): A second-term congressman who represents a portion of Pittsburgh and the city's surrounding northwestern suburbs
Malcolm Kenyatta (Democrat): A state representative from Philadelphia
David McCormick (Republican): A former CEO of one of the world's largest hedge funds who graduated from West Point and served nine years in the Army after growing up in Bloomsburg
Kathy Barnette (Republican): A businesswoman who lives in Montgomery County and has frequently appeared on Fox News as a commentator
Carla Sands (Republican): A central Pennsylvania native from the town of Mechanicsburg who served as an ambassador to Denmark during the Trump administration
George Bochetto (Republican): A Philadelphia defense attorney who made headlines for suing the city over its boxing-up of a statue of Christopher Columbus in South Philly
Jeff Bartos (Republican): A businessman from Montgomery County who previously ran for lieutenant governor
Mehmet Oz (Republican): A TV celebrity doctor who rose to fame as a frequent guest on Oprah Winfrey's show
Val Arkoosh (Democrat): A medical doctor and current chairwoman of the Montgomery County Commissioners
Sean Gale (Republican): A lawyer from Montgomery County whose older brother, Joe, is a Montgomery County Commissioner running for governor
David Xu (Republican): An Army veteran of 30 years, Xu promises to "continue with the Trump agenda."
Kevin Baumlin (Democrat)
Alexandria Khalil (Democrat)
Everett Stern (Republican)
Bobby Jeffries (Republican)
John McGuigan (Democrat)
Martin Rosenfeld (Republican)
Kyle Norton (Democrat)
Ronald Johnson (Republican)
Lew Tapera (Democrat)
John Debellis (Republican)
Kael Dougherty (Democrat)
Walter Sluzynsky (Democrat)
Max Richardson (Republican)
Larry Johnson (Democrat)
John Eichenberg (Republican)
Erik Chase Gerhardt (Libertarian)
Alan Shank (Democrat)
Richard Mulholland (Republican)
What are the odds for candidates running in the election?
There have been very few public polls conducted on the Senate race in Pennsylvania, so far, with the field so unsettled until January. Two national organizations that track and rate statewide elections describe Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate race as a "toss-up," meaning its any candidate's to win.
When Is the Deadline to Register to Vote in PA's May 2022 Primary? What Is the Last Day to Apply for a Mail-in Ballot?
The last day to register to vote before the May 17 primary is May 2. To vote for specific candidates of a party, you must register as a member of that party. However, independent voters can still vote on ballot questions, of which there are expected to be many this year.
The last day to apply for a mail-in ballot is May 10.
Here is a list of all the important dates that voters should be aware of in 2022.
When Are the Primary and General Elections in 2022 in PA?
The primary election in Pennsylvania is May 17. The general election is Nov. 8.
