Goughnour Victorious in 35th Special Election

McKeesporter looking forward to starting new job

By Jason Togyer
The Tube City Almanac
March 26, 2025
Posted in: Politics & Elections

Related Story: Davis concedes race, congratulates opponent

(Submitted photo)

Dan Goughnour will be the next state representative for the 35th District.

With all but one precinct reporting, unofficial results from the Allegheny County Elections Division on Wednesday showed the McKeesport Democrat with a commanding 63 to 35 percent lead over his rival, Republican Chuck Davis, in Tuesday’s special election.

Libertarian candidate Adam Kitta received around 1.5 percent of the vote.

Goughnour said he expects to be sworn into office sometime in April, following the completion of the vote count and certification of the ballot, but wants to hit the ground running.

“I’m obviously going to be learning a lot at first,” he said. “I want to make sure I’ve got my feet under me. But I’m planning to get to work right away.”

A longtime McKeesport police officer and a member of the McKeesport Area School Board, Goughnour said he expects to resign both positions shortly, and is working on a transition plan for his successor at the police department.

County officials said about 25 percent of registered voters participated in Tuesday’s special election, held to fill the remaining 21 months in the term of the late state Rep. Matt Gergely, who died Jan. 19 after a brief illness. According to the county, 10,738 ballots were cast.

One of the very first issues that Goughnour will need to consider as a legislator is the upcoming state budget for 2025-26 fiscal year. Analyzing the spending plan proposed by Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is like “peeling back the layers of an onion,” he said.

“Obviously, something I’m looking at very closely, and that I’m very concerned about, is funding for public education,” Goughnour said. “And let’s make sure we’re taking care of our senior citizens.”

The future of Penn State Greater Allegheny is also of great concern, he said.

The McKeesport-based campus is one of seven whose future has been left in doubt after university officials announced that financial pressure is forcing them to reconsider the future of Greater Allegheny and 11 other regional facilities.

“We cannot lose Penn State,” Goughnour said. “Penn State is vital to the 35th District, and we will be working diligently to make sure Penn State Greater Allegheny remains viable.”

The 35th District includes McKeesport, Clairton, Duquesne, Homestead, Liberty Borough, Lincoln Borough, Munhall, Port Vue, South Versailles Twp., Versailles, West Homestead, Whitaker, White Oak and portions of West Mifflin.

Because of state laws governing special elections, Davis, Goughnour and Kitta were forced to run a highly condensed campaign in just about 60 days. Goughnour said that concerns he heard as he campaigned around the district included public safety, reducing blight and increasing economic development.

“People also expressed concern about some of the things going on in Washington, D.C.,” Goughnour said. “And they wanted to make sure that their communities aren’t going to be lost in the shuffle. They want to make sure that all of the communities in the district are going to be represented equally.”

In addition to a district office in McKeesport, Gergely had satellite offices in Clairton and Munhall. Goughnour said he anticipates no changes to the offices or to office staff, and in fact would like to add resources in the district, if possible.

Goughnour thanked local volunteers and elected officials, including former state Sen. Jim Brewster, former state Rep. Mark Gergely, state Sen. Nick Pisciottano, McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko, Clairton Mayor Rich Lattanzi and Munhall Mayor Rob Falce for helping with his campaign.

“They’ve been incredible from day one,” he said. “I was fortunate — I credit our hard work and surrounding myself with good people. And I think the messaging that we put out there, about returning common sense back to Harrisburg, resonated with people.”

Originally published March 26, 2025.

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