Everything you need to know about ranked-choice voting in one spot. Click to learn more!

Pennsylvania Attorney General election, 2024 (April 23 Democratic primary)

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search


Ballotpedia Election Coverage Badge-smaller use.png
U.S. Senate • U.S. House • Attorney General • State executive offices • State Senate • State House • Special state legislative • Local ballot measures • How to run for office
Flag of Pennsylvania.png


← 2020
Pennsylvania Attorney General
Ballotpedia Election Coverage Badge.png
Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: February 13, 2024
Primary: April 23, 2024
General: November 5, 2024
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voting in Pennsylvania
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2024
Impact of term limits in 2024
State government trifectas
State government triplexes
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2024
Pennsylvania
executive elections
Attorney General

Auditor
Treasurer

Eugene DePasquale (D) defeated four other candidates to win the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania Attorney General on April 23, 2024: Keir Bradford-Grey (D), Joe Khan (D), Jared Solomon (D), and Jack Stollsteimer (D). Incumbent Michelle Henry (D) did not run for re-election, leaving the office open. As of April 24, 2024, DePasquale had 38.6% of the vote, followed by Stollsteimer with 18.4%, Khan with 15.6%, Bradford-Grey with 14.3%, and Solomon with 12.9%.

According to Muhlenberg College professor Chris Borick, "It's hard to see if there's a clear frontrunner in the field because of the crowded field, nobody stands out in terms of name recognition, and you have a number of folks that are pretty competitive in terms of fundraising...So this one is very interesting to look at in terms of its unpredictable nature."[1] None of the candidates received enough votes at the Democratic Party of Pennsylvania's nominating convention to receive the state party's endorsement.[2]

DePasquale was a former state auditor and state legislator. DePasquale ran on his record as state auditor, where he said he "earned a reputation as a transparent, independent watchdog of the taxpayer’s money," referencing reports his office produced on access to abortion, backlogs in rape kit testing, and environmental regulations.[3] DePasquale said his priorities were "protecting our democracy, defending reproductive freedom, and protecting against corporate greed."[4]

Bradford-Grey was, at the time of the election, an attorney in private practice and former public defender.[5] Bradford-Grey said she was "a leader who has spent her life fighting for those too often overlooked...Raised in a proud union household, Keir was the first in her family to graduate college."[6] Bradford-Grey ran on her record as Montgomery County's chief defender, where she said she transformed the office while overseeing a staff of 500 people and a budget of $50 million.[7]

Khan was, at the time of the election, an attorney in private practice and former Bucks County solicitor. Khan said he was running "because I think Pennsylvania ought to have an attorney general who can keep us safe, not only from crime but corruption and attacking our rights."[4] Khan said he would focus on public safety, enforcement of the Environmental Rights Amendment, and preventing regulations on abortion. Khan said he would create a Housing Justice Unit to focus on crimes committed by landlords and mobile home companies.[8]

Solomon was, at the time of the election, a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and the Pennsylvania National Guard. Solomon said he was "the leading voice against corruption in Philadelphia...one of the only elected officials in Harrisburg publicly advocating for truly transparent, ethical, and good government."[9] Solomon said he was "a proud Democrat who believes that good government can do great things." Solomon said his priorities were maintaining access to abortion, ensuring eligible voters could vote, and expanding restrictions on firearms.[4]

Stollsteimer was, at the time of the election, the Delaware County District Attorney. Stollsteimer said he was "the proud son of a hardworking, union family that helped shape his values and his vision for our shared future."[10] Stollsteimer said he was running "because Pennsylvanians deserve a leader with real experience. I’ve been on the front lines combating drug trafficking and gun violence, and I’m ready to take that fight statewide."[4] Stollsteimer said he was "uniquely qualified because I do that work every single day in the fifth-largest county in Pennsylvania."[11]

According to Borick the general election was considered likely to be competitive: "Anybody that says there's a really strong wind at the back of either [party], I think that's an error...I think this should be highly competitive and a very tight path."[1] In 2020, then-incumbent Josh Shapiro (D) defeated Heather Heidelbaugh (R) 50.9%–46.3%. After the office of state attorney general became an elected position in 1980, Republicans won every election through 2008.[12]

This page focuses on Pennsylvania's Democratic Party Attorney General primary. For more in-depth information on Pennsylvania's Republican Attorney General primary and the general election, see the following pages:

Candidates and election results

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Attorney General of Pennsylvania

Eugene DePasquale defeated Jack Stollsteimer, Joe Khan, Keir Bradford-Grey, and Jared Solomon in the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Pennsylvania on April 23, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Eugene DePasquale
Eugene DePasquale
 
35.2
 
371,911
Image of Jack Stollsteimer
Jack Stollsteimer
 
20.1
 
212,413
Image of Joe Khan
Joe Khan
 
15.9
 
167,895
Image of Keir Bradford-Grey
Keir Bradford-Grey Candidate Connection
 
15.2
 
160,369
Image of Jared Solomon
Jared Solomon
 
13.1
 
137,920
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.4
 
4,577

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 1,055,085
Candidate Connection = 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.

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Keir Bradford-Grey

Image of Keir Bradford-Grey

WebsiteFacebookXYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "I am a national authority on justice system practices and a skilled legal strategist, with a decades-long commitment to advocacy for all members of society, regardless of their means. I was the first African American to lead public defender offices in Montgomery County – where I was initially appointed by now-Governor Josh Shapiro – and Philadelphia County, ultimately overseeing a staff of 500+ and a $50M budget. As Chief Defender, I pioneered innovative solutions to our criminal justice system that have been proven to keep us safe -- such as the creation of ten community justice hubs throughout Philadelphia. Over the course of my career, I've partnered with police, community stakeholders, and local officials to find solutions to the challenges facing Pennsylvania families. I am the only woman running for Pennsylvania Attorney General in 2024."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Throughout my career, I have managed large systems and made substantial and long-lasting change through meaningful collaborations. I have created novel legal theories to ensure that the law is fairly applied and that all perspectives are factored into decision-making. My career has centered fairness, justice and equal protection of the laws. As a public defender for more than two decades, I understand that our justice system, while necessary to advance public safety, has significant flaws that can be counterproductive. It is incumbent on all of us — particularly those in positions of power — to rectify them. As AG, I will always fight to defend our security, dignity and opportunity, and interpret the law in a way that pursues justice.

As Pennsylvania’s next Attorney General, I will take strong action to promote economic justice and consumer protection in communities that have been economically marginalized. I want to give communities the protections they deserve so they can afford their lives. As I have throughout my career, I will partner with actors across the spectrum to increase opportunities to achieve generational wealth. Together, we will not only hold those accountable who erode upward mobility, but also work hand in hand with community members to educate people about financial wellness opportunities.

As Attorney General, I will fight for healthy and safe communities. That means I will vigorously defend the existing state laws that protect a person’s right to choose to have an abortion. And if Pennsylvania enacts new laws or regulations that restrict abortion access and are constitutionally suspect, I will challenge these laws in court. I will work with the governor, state legislators, and stakeholders to advance legislation that protects and expands access to reproductive healthcare services, including abortion. I will also use years of expertise gathered throughout my legal career to direct large-scale investigations that help curtail gun violence by holding accountable those who illegally distribute guns and place profits over people.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Attorney General of Pennsylvania in 2024.

Eugene DePasquale

Image of Eugene DePasquale

WebsiteFacebookXYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

Biography:  DePasquale received a bachelor's degree in political science from The College of Wooster, a master's degree in public administration from The University of Pittsburgh, and a law degree from Widener Law School. Before holding elected office, he was the City of York's director of economic development and deputy secretary for Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

DePasquale ran on his record as Auditor General: "I took on a lot of tough investigations that protected the people of Pennsylvania whether that be child abuse, sexual assault, even finding waste in Harrisburg, and I think those type of skills are exactly what the people of Pennsylvania need to make sure we protect our democracy, protect abortion rights, protect our environment, and track down these criminals that are trying to scam our seniors."

Having had a father who struggled with addiction and a brother who had muscular dystrophy, DePasquale said, "A lot of these battles are personal to me, whether it comes to addiction, gun violence, what happened to my dad... I'm going to make sure that I'm taking those big interests on to fight for everyday Pennsylvanians."

DePasquale said he would prioritize, "protecting democracy. If we don’t have that, then these other issues become a lot less relevant if we don’t have our democracy...Once we have that, certainly it’ll be abortion rights, protecting consumers, protecting our environment and also making sure that we have public safety across the state."

Show sources

Sources: PCNTV, "On The Issues: Eugene DePasquale (2/21/2024)", February 21, 2024; City and State Pennsylvania, "‘These fights are personal to me’: A Q&A with AG candidate Eugene DePasquale," March 29, 2024; LinkedIn, "Eugene DePasquale," accessed August 20, 2024

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Attorney General of Pennsylvania in 2024.

Voting information

See also: Voting in Pennsylvania

Election information in Pennsylvania: April 23, 2024, election.

What was the voter registration deadline?

  • In-person: April 8, 2024
  • By mail: Received by April 8, 2024
  • Online: April 8, 2024

Was absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

N/A

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

  • In-person: April 16, 2024
  • By mail: Received by April 16, 2024
  • Online: April 16, 2024

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

  • In-person: April 23, 2024
  • By mail: Received by April 23, 2024

Was early voting available to all voters?

N/A

What were the early voting start and end dates?

N/A to April 16, 2024

Were all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, was a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When were polls open on Election Day?

7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. (EST)


Election analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about demographics, past elections, and partisan control of the state.

  • Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the state.
  • Statewide elections - Information about recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections in the state.
  • State partisanship - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
  • Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.


See also: Presidential voting trends in Pennsylvania and The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

Cook PVI by congressional district

Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index for Pennsylvania, 2024
District Incumbent Party PVI
Pennsylvania's 1st Brian Fitzpatrick Ends.png Republican Even
Pennsylvania's 2nd Brendan Boyle Electiondot.png Democratic D+20
Pennsylvania's 3rd Dwight Evans Electiondot.png Democratic D+39
Pennsylvania's 4th Madeleine Dean Electiondot.png Democratic D+7
Pennsylvania's 5th Mary Gay Scanlon Electiondot.png Democratic D+14
Pennsylvania's 6th Chrissy Houlahan Electiondot.png Democratic D+5
Pennsylvania's 7th Susan Wild Electiondot.png Democratic R+2
Pennsylvania's 8th Matt Cartwright Electiondot.png Democratic R+4
Pennsylvania's 9th Dan Meuser Ends.png Republican R+21
Pennsylvania's 10th Scott Perry Ends.png Republican R+5
Pennsylvania's 11th Lloyd Smucker Ends.png Republican R+13
Pennsylvania's 12th Summer Lee Electiondot.png Democratic D+8
Pennsylvania's 13th John Joyce Ends.png Republican R+25
Pennsylvania's 14th Guy Reschenthaler Ends.png Republican R+18
Pennsylvania's 15th Glenn Thompson Ends.png Republican R+21
Pennsylvania's 16th Mike Kelly Ends.png Republican R+13
Pennsylvania's 17th Christopher Deluzio Electiondot.png Democratic Even


2020 presidential results by 2024 congressional district lines

2020 presidential results in congressional districts based on 2024 district lines, Pennsylvania[13]
District Joe Biden Democratic Party Donald Trump Republican Party
Pennsylvania's 1st 51.8% 47.2%
Pennsylvania's 2nd 71.0% 28.3%
Pennsylvania's 3rd 90.2% 9.3%
Pennsylvania's 4th 58.9% 40.0%
Pennsylvania's 5th 65.7% 33.4%
Pennsylvania's 6th 56.8% 42.0%
Pennsylvania's 7th 49.7% 49.1%
Pennsylvania's 8th 48.0% 50.9%
Pennsylvania's 9th 31.0% 67.5%
Pennsylvania's 10th 47.2% 51.3%
Pennsylvania's 11th 38.6% 59.9%
Pennsylvania's 12th 59.4% 39.5%
Pennsylvania's 13th 26.8% 72.0%
Pennsylvania's 14th 33.7% 65.2%
Pennsylvania's 15th 30.8% 67.8%
Pennsylvania's 16th 39.0% 59.7%
Pennsylvania's 17th 52.3% 46.5%


2012-2020

How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential elections: Solid, Trending, Battleground, and New. Click [show] on the table below for examples:


Following the 2020 presidential election, 47.2% of Pennsylvanians lived in one of the state's 10 Solid Democratic counties, which voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election from 2012 to 2020, and 41.7% lived in one of 53 Solid Republican counties. Overall, Pennsylvania was Battleground Democratic, having voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2012, Donald Trump (R) in 2016, and Joe Biden (D) in 2020. Use the table below to view the total number of each type of county in Pennsylvania following the 2020 election as well as the overall percentage of the state population located in each county type.

Historical voting trends

Pennsylvania presidential election results (1900-2020)

  • 14 Democratic wins
  • 16 Republican wins
  • 1 other win
Year 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020
Winning Party R R R P[14] R R R R R D D D R R R D D D R D R R R D D D D D D R D

This section details the results of the five most recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections held in the state.

U.S. Senate elections

See also: List of United States Senators from Pennsylvania

The table below details the vote in the five most recent U.S. Senate races in Pennsylvania.

U.S. Senate election results in Pennsylvania
Race Winner Runner up
2022 51.2%Democratic Party 46.3%Republican Party
2018 55.7%Democratic Party 42.6%Republican Party
2016 48.9%Republican Party 47.2%Democratic Party
2012 53.7%Democratic Party 44.6%Republican Party
2010 51.0%Republican Party 49.0%Democratic Party
Average 52.1 45.9

Gubernatorial elections

See also: Governor of Pennsylvania

The table below details the vote in the five most recent gubernatorial elections in Pennsylvania.

Gubernatorial election results in Pennsylvania
Race Winner Runner up
2022 56.5%Democratic Party 41.7%Republican Party
2018 57.8%Democratic Party 40.7%Republican Party
2014 54.9%Democratic Party 45.1%Republican Party
2010 54.5%Republican Party 45.5%Democratic Party
2006 60.3%Democratic Party 39.6%Republican Party
Average 56.8 42.5
See also: Party control of Pennsylvania state government

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of Pennsylvania's congressional delegation as of May 2024.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Pennsylvania
Party U.S. Senate U.S. House Total
Democratic 1 7 8
Republican 1 10 11
Independent 0 0 0
Vacancies 0 0 0
Total 2 17 19

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in Pennsylvania's top four state executive offices as of May 2024.

State executive officials in Pennsylvania, May 2024
Office Officeholder
Governor Democratic Party Josh Shapiro
Lieutenant Governor Democratic Party Austin Davis
Secretary of State Republican Party Al Schmidt
Attorney General Democratic Party Michelle Henry

State legislature

Pennsylvania State Senate

Party As of February 2024
     Democratic Party 22
     Republican Party 28
     Independent 0
     Other 0
     Vacancies 0
Total 50

Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Party As of February 2024
     Democratic Party 101
     Republican Party 100
     Other 0
     Vacancies 2
Total 203

Trifecta control

The table below shows the state's trifecta status from 1992 until the 2024 election.

Pennsylvania Party Control: 1992-2024
One year of a Democratic trifecta  •  Twelve years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Governor D D D R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D R R R R D D D D D D D D D D
Senate R D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
House D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R D D

The table below details demographic data in Pennsylvania and compares it to the broader United States as of 2022.

Demographic Data for Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania United States
Population 13,002,700 331,449,281
Land area (sq mi) 44,741 3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White 77.1% 65.9%
Black/African American 10.8% 12.5%
Asian 3.6% 5.8%
Native American 0.2% 0.8%
Pacific Islander 0% 0.2%
Other (single race) 3.1% 6%
Multiple 5.1% 8.8%
Hispanic/Latino 8.1% 18.7%
Education
High school graduation rate 91.7% 89.1%
College graduation rate 33.8% 34.3%
Income
Median household income $73,170 $75,149
Persons below poverty level 8% 8.8%
Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2017-2022).
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

State profile

Demographic data for Pennsylvania
 PennsylvaniaU.S.
Total population:12,791,904316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):44,7433,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:81.6%73.6%
Black/African American:11%12.6%
Asian:3.1%5.1%
Native American:0.2%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0%0.2%
Two or more:2.1%3%
Hispanic/Latino:6.4%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:89.2%86.7%
College graduation rate:28.6%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$53,599$53,889
Persons below poverty level:15.9%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Pennsylvania.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania voted for the Democratic candidate in five out of the seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

Pivot Counties (2016)

Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, three are located in Pennsylvania, accounting for 1.46 percent of the total pivot counties.[15]

Pivot Counties (2020)

In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Pennsylvania had one Retained Pivot County and two Boomerang Pivot Counties, accounting for 0.55 and 8.00 percent of all Retained and Boomerang Pivot Counties, respectively.

More Pennsylvania coverage on Ballotpedia

See also

Pennsylvania State Executive Elections News and Analysis
Seal of Pennsylvania.png
StateExecLogo.png
Ballotpedia RSS.jpg
Pennsylvania State Executive Offices
Pennsylvania State Legislature
Pennsylvania Courts
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016
Pennsylvania elections: 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016
Party control of state government
State government trifectas
State of the state addresses
Partisan composition of governors

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Courthouse News Service, "Pennsylvania AG race heats up in final primary push," April 16, 2024
  2. ↑ PennLive, "Pa. Democrats make 2024 endorsements, but attorney general’s race remains open," December 16, 2023
  3. ↑ Eugene DePasquale 2024 campaign website, "Home page," accessed April 17, 2024
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 PoliticsPA, "PA Primary Preview: Democrats For Attorney General, " April 15, 2024
  5. ↑ Associated Press, "Ex-chief public defender to run for Pennsylvania attorney general," June 21, 2023
  6. ↑ Keir Bradford-Grey 2024 campaign website, "Home page," accessed April 17, 2024
  7. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named KGBWebsite
  8. ↑ WHYY, "Who is Joe Khan, a Democrat running for Pa. attorney general?" April 11, 2024
  9. ↑ Jared Solomon 2024 campaign website, "Meet Jared," accessed April 17, 2024
  10. ↑ Jack Stollsteimer 2024 campaign website, "Get to Know Jack," accessed April 17, 2024
  11. ↑ Associated Press, "Delaware County’s top prosecutor becomes fifth Democrat to run for Pennsylvania attorney general," November 27, 2023
  12. ↑ DC Velocity, "Kathleen Kane makes history by becoming first elected female attorney general in Pennsylvania's history," November 8, 2012
  13. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2020, 2016, and 2012," accessed December 15, 2023
  14. ↑ Progressive Party
  15. ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
v • e
2024 state executive official elections
Governor
Lieutenant Governor
Attorney General
Secretary of State
Treasurer
Auditor
Commissioners
Education officials


Flag of Pennsylvania
v • e
State of Pennsylvania
Harrisburg (capital)
Elections

What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures

Government

Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy

Retrieved from "https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Pennsylvania_Attorney_General_election,_2024_(April_23_Democratic_primary)&oldid=9513585"