Our team has researched candidates in key races to provide voters with information on their track records. We primarily consider their words and deeds related to Jewish wellbeing. When candidates associate with the far-left or far-right in ways that undermine democracy or pluralism, we note that as well, because these values are also important to Jewish safety.
We recognize that there are numerous other critical issues at stake in this election. We encourage all voters to consider our findings alongside other resources to understand each candidate as broadly as possible.
These assessments were published on September 26, 2024 based on information then available.
U.S. Senate
Bob Casey (D) â incumbent
Senator Bob Casey has served as a U.S. Senator since 2007. He has a longstanding record of allyship to the Jewish community in words, deeds, and votes. In the past year he co-sponsored the Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2024, which aims to empower the Dept. of Education to utilize the IHRA definition of antisemitism to investigate complaints of discrimination, and he also co-sponsored the U.S.-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act and the Combating BDS Act. Sen. Casey has spoken out against antisemitism on the right and left, including condemning the attempted Pittsburgh BDS ballot referendum and other antisemitic incidents. He joined the March for Israel in Washington, D.C. in November 2023.
Dave McCormick (R)
Dave McCormick was appointed to Under Secretary roles in President George W. Bush’s administration. McCormick has been a loud voice standing against antisemitism on the left. We found no public evidence of his calling out antisemitism from the right, but when asked by Beacon Coalition, he condemned Tucker Carlson for giving a friendly platform to a Holocaust denier. McCormick has joined the Pittsburgh Jewish community at its vigils for the Israeli hostages. He has opposed the âStop the Stealâ effort on the grounds that it discourages Republicans from voting.
PA Attorney General
Eugene DePasquale (D)
Eugene DePasquale previously served as Pennsylvaniaâs Auditor General (2013-2021) and state representative (2007-2013). DePasquale has spoken out against antisemitism coming from the right and the left. He spoke at one of the Pittsburgh Jewish communityâs vigils for the Israel hostages. During the second encampment at Pitt, he deemed the demand to terminate Hillel âunacceptable,â adding, âAs Attorney General I will protect speech and not tolerate threats against anyone. Antisemitism is on the rise and I will do my part to combat it.â In response to a question from Beacon Coalition, DePasquale stated his opposition to BDS.
Dave Sunday (R)
Dave Sunday has been the District Attorney for York County since 2018. He has called out antisemitism on the left on multiple occasions. He has publicly endorsed the Pennsylvania State Senateâs bipartisan anti-BDS bill âthat strongly fights the dangerous and horrific spread of antisemitism in Pennsylvania.â
PA Treasurer
Stacy Garrity (R) â incumbent
Stacy Garrity has served as Pennsylvania State Treasurer since 2020. Her record demonstrates a strong commitment to the State of Israel and strong opposition to BDS. On Jan. 5, 2021, Garrity spoke at a protest in Harrisburg to raise questions about a Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision that altered ballot requirements. In 2022, Garrity campaigned alongside Doug Mastriano during his gubernatorial campaign. Following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, Garrityâs office purchased additional Israel bonds. In August 2024, Garrity spoke out against the attempted Pittsburgh BDS ballot referendum, calling it âterrifying and embarrassing for our Commonwealth.â Over the past year she has spoken out against antisemitism coming from the right and the left.
Erin McClelland (D)
Erin McClelland has not held prior political office. She has made her opposition to Pennsylvaniaâs current investment in Israel Bonds a key platform of her campaign. She has campaigned extensively with Bethany Hallam, the Allegheny County councilperson who posted on October 7 to celebrate Hamasâ atrocities and who joked in July about the political violence in Pennsylvania that claimed two lives. McClellandâs social media also repeatedly emphasizes her connection to Hallam.
PA Auditor General
Timothy Defoor (R) â incumbent
Timothy Defoor has served as Pennsylvaniaâs Auditor General since 2021. Beacon Coalition can find no information about his positions or past interaction with the Jewish community. In response to Beacon Coalitionâs question about the Republican Partyâs ongoing relationship with Tucker Carlson after his giving a friendly platform to a Holocaust denier, Defoor said: âI stand against antisemitism no matter the political ideology it serves.â
Malcolm Kenyatta (D)
Malcolm Kenyatta has served as the Pennsylvania State Representative for part of Philadelphia County since 2019. Kenyatta has a record of allyship to the Jewish community, having attended Israel rallies and spoken out after antisemitic incidents, including the recent vandalism of a Pittsburgh Chabad. He attended a Philadelphia Jewish community hostage vigil, and he visited Israel through the American Jewish Committeeâs Project Interchange. In the State House he sponsored hate crime legislation and the resolution to support Israel after October 7. His website cites support from the Working Families Party, which pushes for BDS and a unilateral ceasefire.
U.S. House PA-12
Pennsylvania’s 12th congressional district is located in southwestern Pennsylvania, including Pittsburgh and much of Allegheny County, as well as some of Westmoreland County.
Summer Lee (D) â incumbent
Rep. Summer Leeâs voting record in the House largely reflects extreme minority positions on issues related to antisemitism and Israel. She voted no on the bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act and voted against numerous bills to defend Israel and fund Iron Dome. Following the April 2024 primary, Rep. Lee connected her success to her anti-Israel positions, stating that âopposing genocide is good politics and good policy,â and she went to the encampment at Pitt to support the protestors. Rep. Leeâs messaging often pits the Black and Jewish communities against each other, for example when she tweeted, âAIPAC is an existential threat to the Black community.â She has also undermined trust in elections by implying that they are being âbought,â which was her explanation for why Jamaal Bowman lost his June 2024 primary. In August, Rep. Lee publicly met with Rev. Munther Isaac, who has justified the Hamas attacks on October 7th. In September Lee called for an arms embargo on Israel.
James Hayes (R)
James Hayes has not held prior political office. He has attended and spoken at the Pittsburgh Jewish communityâs vigils in support of the hostages, as well other local Jewish events. Much of his campaign messaging consists of calling out âSummer Leeâs blind hatred of the Jewish community.â In response to efforts to change Pittsburghâs Home Rule Charter to boycott Israel, Hayes stated, âWhether knowingly or unwittingly, the proponents of this referendum are practicing antisemitism at a level not seen since the 1930s.â
U.S. House PA-17
Pennsylvania’s 17th congressional district is located in southwestern Pennsylvania, which includes the entirety of Beaver County and northwestern parts of Allegheny County.
Chris Deluzio (D) â incumbent
Chris Deluzio has held this seat in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2022. During his term, he voted for condemning Hamas, for funding Iron Dome, and for the Antisemitism Awareness Act (to empower the Dept. of Educationâs Office for Civil Rights to utilize the IHRA definition of antisemitism). He co-sponsored bills to stand with Israel and for Hamas to release the hostages. Rep. Deluzio has attended the Pittsburgh Jewish communityâs weekly hostage vigils and is engaged with the Pittsburgh Jewish community. In response to Beaconâs outreach about his positions, Deluzio stated, âI do not support BDS efforts.â
Rob Mercuri (R)
Representative Robert Mercuri has served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives since 2021. He voted to support Israel in the wake of October 7th, and he voted across party lines to support the hate crime legislation bills sponsored by Rep. Dan Frankel (D). Mercuri called the campus protests âunacceptableâ and was one of three sponsors of an anti-BDS bill covering both the state itself and state-funded universities. Mercuri attacked Congressman Deluzio for taking money from the Soros family. Beacon Coalition can find no reports of his attending Jewish community events. Mercuriâs campaign did not respond to the Beacon Coalitionâs questionnaire.
PA Senate District 37
Pennsylvania State Senate District 37 includes the western and southern parts of Allegheny County.
Devlin Robinson (R) â incumbent
Devlin Robinson has served as a Pennsylvania State Senator since 2020. Sen. Robinson voted in favor of the bipartisan bills to condemn Hamas and support Israel in the wake of October 7, as well as to restrict public funding from institutions that engage in BDS. In 2022 and 2023 Robinson supported Republican-led bills to tighten Pennsylvania election rules. In response to Beacon Coalition, Robinson said that the Republican Partyâs maintaining an ongoing relationship with Tucker Carlson after his giving a friendly platform to a Holocaust denier âreminds me of the scholar Deborah Lipstadtâs response when she turned down an appearance alongside a Holocaust denier: There is no âother sideâ to some questionsâŚI have never lost sight of the moral clarity of rejecting antisemites and their enablers, whatever their place on the spectrum of American politics.â
Nicole Ruscitto (D)
Nicole Ruscitto previously served a term on the Jefferson Hills Borough Council. Limited information is available about her positions or past interaction with the Jewish community. When asked by Beacon Coalition for her stance on the bipartisan Pennsylvania Senate bill to prohibit Pennsylvania public entities from participating in BDS, she responded, âWith anti semitism on the rise in our community and across the country, we need stronger protections against hate. Iâd support this legislation and others like it that are targeted to the prevention and enforcement of hate crimes.â
PA Senate District 45
Pennsylvania State Senate District 45 includes the eastern and southern parts of Allegheny County.
Jen Dinitini (R)
Jen Dinitini has not held prior political office. Limited information is available about her positions or past interaction with the Jewish community. Dinitiniâs campaign did not respond to Beacon Coalitionâs candidate questionnaire.
Nick Pisciottano (D)
Nick Pisciottano has served as a state representative since 2021. Rep. Pisciottano has a strong legislative background supporting Jewish priorities, including co-sponsoring hate crime legislation and a resolution condemning Hamas after October 7. He attended the Fight with Light event in response to the antisemitic graffiti painted on Squirrel Hill Chabad. When asked by Beacon Coalition for his stance on the bipartisan Pennsylvania Senate bill to prohibit Pennsylvania public entities from participating in BDS, he stated, âI support the bill in its current form. Itâs imperative that the Jewish community in Allegheny County feels safe in their homes, neighborhoods, and places of worship. We must fight back against the rise of antisemitism and other hate speech across the world and in our region.â
PA House District 44
The 44th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is located in southwest Pennsylvania and contains the western part of Allegheny County.
Valerie Gaydos (R) â incumbent
Valerie Gaydos has held this seat since 2019. Her legislative record demonstrates allyship with the Jewish community, including voting across party lines to support the hate crime legislation bills sponsored by Rep. Dan Frankel (D). Rep. Gaydos has worked with the Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition to introduce and support amendments to combat antisemitism. She told Beacon Coalition, âI have heard and seen anti-Semitic statements and behavior by individuals who identify themselves with various political parties and I have immediately condemned Antisemitism in all its forms including and especially the âBDSâ movement.â
Hadley Haas (D)
Hadley Haas has not held prior political office. Limited information is available about her positions, although she has retweeted posts both condemning Hamas and condemning Netanyahu. She has not engaged formally with the Jewish community in her district. She did not publicly raise an objection to her campaign manager signing a petition in favor of a Pittsburgh BDS ballot referendum that would have, if passed, directly targeted Pittsburgh Jewish organizations including synagogues and day schools. When asked by Beacon Coalition, Haas would not express any position on the bipartisan Pennsylvania Senate bill to prohibit Pennsylvania public entities from participating in BDS.
U.S. House PA-8
Pennsylvania’s 8th congressional district includes all of Wayne, Pike, and Lackawanna Counties and parts of Luzerne and Monroe counties.
Matt Cartwright (D) â incumbent
Rep. Matt Cartwright has held this seat in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2019. His voting record in Congress reflects allyship to the Jewish community, including votes across party lines. He sponsored bills to create a special envoy on antisemitism, to oppose BDS, to stand with Israel after October 7, and to call on Hamas to release the hostages. He was the only Pennsylvania Congressperson to speak out against the BDS referendum attempted in Pittsburgh, stating, âI abhor this measure. It is ill-conceived and harmful on many levels.â
Rob Bresnahan (R)
Rob Bresnahan has not held prior political office. He has posted publicly about supporting Israel, and he condemned the UN for its anti-Israel bias. He spoke at a Trump rally, although he confined his remarks to local issues. He has raised some general concerns around illegal immigration.
U.S. House PA-10
Pennsylvania’s 10th congressional district is located in the south-central region of the state, including Dauphin County and parts of Cumberland and York County. It includes the cities of Harrisburg and York.
Scott Perry (R) â incumbent
Scott Perry has held this seat in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2013. Perry has a history of sharing antisemitic memes, such as one that depicted bearded men with hooked noses controlling the economy, as well as promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories, such as the âGreat Replacementâ Theory. Perry supported voter fraud claims, encouraged Trump to overturn the election results, and pushed for pardons for participants in the events of January 6, 2021. Scott Perry twice voted against bills related to Israelâs defense.
Janelle Stelson (D)
Janelle Stelson has not held prior political office. She has spoken out strongly against antisemitism coming from both the right and the left. She has also spoken about Israelâs right to defend itself, stating, âIsrael is our most important ally in the Middle East.â She shared that she decided to run for Congress in part as a response to Rep. Perryâs role on January 6.
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