PENNSYLVANIA — Last week, Pennsylvania voters from both major parties chose their nominees for this year’s general election, one which will prove highly consequential for the commonwealth, since residents will choose their next governor as well as a new senator.

Governor race

PA Sen. Douglas Mastriano handily secured the GOP’s nomination in the race for governor, as Gov. Tom Wolf finishes his final term. Mastriano is best known for his participation in the January 6 Capitol riot. He reportedly used campaign funds to send six charter buses to Washington D.C. that day, and was in attendance himself. The House committee investigating the insurrection has recently subpoenaed Mastriano to investigate his involvement further. He will be facing Democrat and Attorney General Josh Shapiro. After the 2020 election, Shapiro was tasked with defending the integrity of Pennsylvania’s electoral process, against Mastriano’s claims that it had been rigged against then-incumbent Donald Trump.

Senate race

Current Lt. Gov. John Fetterman—a Democrat and former mayor of Braddock—was the clear winner in last week’s primary, gaining more than twice the votes of the runner-up. It’s still unclear, however, whom he will face in November. The Republican race between celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz and former hedge fund CEO David McCormick was too close to call at press time and will likely trigger an automatic recount. As of May 22, Trump-endorsed Oz led the race by just 0.08 percentage points. The former president has urged Oz to take a page from his own playbook, and declare himself the winner before the recount takes place.

PA’s Eighth Congressional District

Jim Bognet will get a second chance at unseating incumbent Democrat Rep. Matt Cartwright, who serves the Eighth Congressional District, encompassing most of northeast Pennsylvania. Bognet defeated former Hazleton mayor Mike Marsicano in the recent primaries. He ran against Cartwright in 2020 and lost. But with the endorsement of Trump, Bognet is promising to “turn NEPA red again” this year.

PA’s 139th Legislative District

As Rep. Mike Peifer steps down from serving Wayne and Pike counties in Harrisburg, Republican and Wayne County Commissioner Joe Adams has won his party’s nomination. He will be facing educator and legal professional Meghan Rosenfeld, who defeated scientist Marian Keegan in the Democratic primary, 53 to 47 percent.