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Davon Magwood
Davon Magwood (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to represent District 55. He lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Magwood completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Davon Magwood was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He earned a high school diploma from Schenley High School. His career experience includes working as a chef.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Pennsylvania House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 55
Incumbent Jill Cooper defeated Davon Magwood in the general election for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 55 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jill Cooper (R) | 67.6 | 26,389 |
 | Davon Magwood (D)  | 32.1 | 12,535 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 91 | ||
| Total votes: 39,015 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 55
Davon Magwood advanced from the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 55 on April 23, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Davon Magwood (Write-in) | 53.6 | 354 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 46.4 | 307 | ||
| Total votes: 661 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 55
Incumbent Jill Cooper defeated Jamie Lingg in the Republican primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 55 on April 23, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jill Cooper | 78.1 | 6,034 |
| Jamie Lingg | 21.7 | 1,676 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 18 | ||
| Total votes: 7,728 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Magwood in this election.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Davon Magwood completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Magwood's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I've worn many hats throughout my life, including working as a chef and line cook. These experiences taught me the value of hard work, long hours, and the importance of standing up for fair wages and workers' rights. As a stand-up comedian and screenwriter, I’ve built a career on being real and connecting with people, and now I’m ready to bring that same authenticity to Harrisburg.
I’m running to fight for affordable housing, higher wages, and better schools because I believe everyone deserves the chance to succeed, no matter their background. I know what it means to struggle, and I’m committed to ensuring that no one else has to endure the same obstacles without support. Together, we can build a fairer, more inclusive community where everyone has access to the opportunities they need to thrive.- Affordable Housing & Renters' Rights Davon Magwood is dedicated to ensuring affordable housing for all and holding slumlords accountable. He will fight for policies that protect renters and build stronger, more vibrant communities.
- Living Wages for Working Families As someone who’s worked multiple jobs to make ends meet, Davon understands the importance of raising the minimum wage. He’s committed to ensuring every worker earns a living wage to reduce inequality and support hardworking families.
- Investing in Education Davon will prioritize increasing state funding for public schools, ensuring that all children have access to quality education without burdening homeowners with higher taxes. He also supports earmarking marijuana sales tax revenue to fund public education.
1. "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass" by Frederick Douglass – This autobiography beautifully illustrates the fight for human dignity, justice, and freedom, all of which resonate with my own views on standing up for the underprivileged and fighting for equality.
2. "Second Treatise of Government" by John Locke – This essay highlights natural rights, the role of government, and the importance of liberty, which align with my belief in protecting individual freedoms and ensuring government serves the people.
Empathy: I’ve lived through the struggles many people in my district face—dealing with slumlords, working multiple jobs to get by, and balancing family responsibilities. These experiences give me a deep understanding of what others are going through, and I’m committed to making sure their voices are heard.
Authenticity: I pride myself on being real and transparent. Whether it's on stage as a stand-up comedian or in the community as an advocate, I’ve always been honest with people, and I bring that same authenticity to my work as a candidate.
I want my legacy to reflect that I never backed down from the tough fights and that I put people first, even when it was difficult. Whether it’s through the policies I help pass, the lives I touch, or the sense of unity I help foster, I hope to be remembered as someone who truly cared about making a difference and left things better than I found them.
The governor should provide visionary leadership and work with the legislature to advance policies that benefit the state. At the same time, the legislature must act as a check on executive power, ensuring that decisions are made democratically and with broad input from elected representatives.
Economic Inequality: One of the state’s most pressing issues is the widening gap between the wealthy and working-class families. We need to raise the minimum wage, invest in job training, and create opportunities for economic mobility to ensure that all Pennsylvanians can thrive.
Affordable Housing: As housing costs continue to rise, more residents will struggle to afford safe, stable housing. Addressing this requires policies that promote affordable housing development and stronger protections for renters.
Education Funding: Pennsylvania’s reliance on property taxes to fund schools has led to deep inequalities in education. The challenge is to create a more equitable funding model that ensures every child has access to quality education, regardless of where they live.
Climate Change and Environmental Justice: As the effects of climate change become more apparent, Pennsylvania must address environmental challenges, including clean air, water, and sustainable energy. Transitioning to renewable energy, holding corporate polluters accountable, and preparing for climate adaptation will be critical.
Healthcare Access: Access to affordable healthcare, particularly in rural areas, will continue to be a major issue. Expanding Medicaid and protecting reproductive healthcare services are crucial to ensuring everyone has the medical care they need.
Infrastructure: Aging infrastructure, particularly in rural and underserved urban areas, poses a challenge for Pennsylvania. Modernizing transportation systems, investing in broadband access, and improving public transit will be necessary to support economic growth.
Experience in government can provide useful knowledge of how policies are created and how to navigate the political system. However, fresh perspectives from those without traditional political backgrounds are equally important. People with diverse life experiences, such as working-class individuals, educators, healthcare workers, or small business owners, can bring valuable insights into the challenges their communities face.
On the legislative front, I admire John Lewis, who served in Congress. His unwavering commitment to civil rights, voting rights, and justice serves as an example of a public servant who stayed true to his values while working within the political system to create real change. Lewis’s approach of "good trouble" reminds me of the importance of fighting for what’s right, even when it’s difficult.
That said, if I’m able to effectively serve my community and make real progress, I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of running for a different office in the future. Whether it’s U.S. Congress or another role, I would only consider it if I felt I could continue to bring positive change and serve in a way that truly benefits the people I represent.
It reinforced for me that the work we need to do isn’t just about addressing surface-level symptoms like addiction, but tackling the root causes—creating economic opportunities, ensuring access to mental health services, and rebuilding a sense of community and hope. Her story is a constant reminder of why I’m running: to restore that hope and to ensure that no one feels left behind or forgotten. It’s stories like this that drive my commitment to making real, systemic change.
Transparency means making budgets, spending, and decisions accessible and understandable to the public. I strongly support efforts to provide clear, open reporting on government spending and to ensure that every dollar is spent wisely and for the benefit of the community.
However, there are also potential downsides. Ballot initiatives can sometimes be influenced by well-funded special interest groups that push policies that may not benefit the broader population. There’s also a risk that complex issues could be oversimplified in the initiative process, leading to unintended consequences in the implementation of laws.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 55 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on September 4, 2024
