Welcome to the LehighValleyNews.com 2022 General Election Voter's Guide.
This guide is a comprehensive tool available to help readers make informed decisions at the polls. As part of our coverage, you'll find a full review of the key state and local races on the ballot, including the candidates for the U.S. Senate, where Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Mehmet Oz are vying to replace two-term fiscal conservative Pat Toomey.
The Pennsylvania governor's race is another one to watch closely, with Democrat Josh Shapiro and Republican Doug Mastriano in a fight to replace outgoing Gov. Tom Wolf. That race is considered “one of the most consequential in the country,” according to the New York Times, with Mastriano vowing to ban abortion without exceptions if he wins.
Finally, with several lawmakers in the state legislature now running in a different district, elections in our area will alter how both chambers look in the future.
Not every candidate listed on your ballot will be listed in this guide, which focuses on the established frontrunners. Find your sample ballot for your county & district below.
VIEW: Lehigh County Sample Ballots | VIEW: Northampton County Sample Ballots
READ our FAQ of the most commonly asked questions related to the election.
READ MORE on the statewide races between Shapiro and Mastriano, Fetterman vs. Oz and Wild vs. Scheller.
Governor
Facing a two-term limit, Gov. Tom Wolf will be replaced by either Democrat Josh Shapiro or Republican Doug Mastriano.
Democrat Josh Shapiro
Since 2017, Shapiro has served as the state’s attorney general and made headlines during his tenure for exposing a decades-long coverup of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. Now, he’s running to be the next governor and has vowed to defend Pennsylvanians’ reproductive rights and a woman’s right to choose.
Republican Doug Mastriano
A retired Army colonel and current state senator representing the 33rd district, Mastriano cruised to the Republican nomination for governor behind the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. If elected, he has pledged to enact new voting restrictions and has vowed to ban abortion without exceptions. He also promised other statewide conservative changes during a recent campaign stop in Allentown.
Lt. Governor
Democrat Austin Davis
A member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives serving the 35th district, Davis is running on a ticket with Shapiro to become the next lieutenant governor. A lifelong resident of western Pa., Davis has used his time in the state legislature to focus on issues such as economic equality and fair funding for education.
Republican Carrie DelRosso
A state representative serving the 33rd district, DelRosso is running on a ticket with Mastriano and touts herself as a small businesswoman, mother of three and community leader. A Scranton native and current resident of western Pa., DelRosso’s platform highlights a pro-growth, pro-jobs economy and cutting spending.
U.S. Senate
This race could be crucial in deciding which party controls the U.S. Senate after the midterms. The winner will replace Republican Sen. Pat Toomey, who is not seeking reelection.
Democrat John Fetterman
Fetterman, the 34th lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania since 2019, is also the former mayor of Braddock, a borough of Allegheny County. He launched his Senate bid in February but suffered a stroke months later that kept him off the campaign trail and put his health firmly in the spotlight. He resumed holding public events in September and has vowed to fight for abortion rights, making it a major theme in his stump speeches. A five-point plan to “fix the economy” is also front-and-center on his website.
Republican Mehmet Oz
The Turkish-American celebrity known as “Dr. Oz” is making his first foray into American politics with his run for US Senate in Pennsylvania. He squeaked through an expensive primary behind the endorsement of former President Trump but has come under attack by Fetterman’s campaign as an out-of-touch elitist from New Jersey. He said he was motivated to run after “witnessing our nation’s failings” during the Covid-19 pandemic.
U.S. Rep. 7th Congressional District
It’s a rematch in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District as Democratic incumbent Susan Wild faces Republican challenger Lisa Scheller for the second time. Wild won their first race two years ago by 4 percentage points, but redistricting has seemingly tilted things more favorably to Republicans with the addition of Carbon County to the 7th. The district also includes Lehigh and Northampton counties, as well as part of Monroe County.
Democrat Susan Wild
Wild became the first woman to represent the Lehigh Valley in Congress in 2018. She succeeded retiring Rep. Charlie Dent in the 15th District, filling the balance of his term after winning a special election. She ran for reelection in 2020, where she was unopposed in the primary and faced Scheller in the general election. Wild won that contest with 51.9% of the vote. Improving access to mental health care has been one of her top priorities, along with a focus on voting rights and corruption, the economy and health care.
Abortion rights have also become a major part of the campaign, and Wild says she will always fight for a woman’s right to control her own body and make her own health care decisions.
Republican Lisa Scheller
Scheller, CEO of Silberline Manufacturing in Tamaqua, is a former Lehigh County commissioner who says she’ll bring a true business perspective to Congress. She has advocated for workforce development and lowering taxes, among other issues. On her website, she says she’s running to “save the American Dream that is so out of reach for so many Americans” and is focused on growing the economy.
Scheller says that while she's anti-abortion, she supports exceptions such as instances of rape, incest and preserving the life of a mother. Her website says, “She supports prohibitions on abortion such as parental notification for minors seeking abortions, a ban on late-term abortions, and a prohibition on taxpayer funding for abortions."
