2022 Democratic Candidates

John doesn’t look like a typical politician, and more importantly, he doesn’t act like one. He supported legalizing marijuana before it was popular, officiated a same-sex marriage before it was legal, and pushed for single payer healthcare long before it was mainstream. The issues John is running on now are the same issues he’s been working on for the last two decades.

Together, John and Gisele have fought for causes they believe in, from immigration reform to LGBTQ+ rights. When Pennsylvania lawmakers continued to push outdated discriminatory policies banning marriage equality, John stood up and officiated one of the first same-sex marriages in the commonwealth. And when they wanted to build a four-lane interstate highway through Braddock, a town that’s more than 80% Black and already suffered historically high asthma rates, John was the only elected official in Western Pennsylvania who opposed it on the grounds that it was environmental racism.

Chrissy Houlahan, a third-generation military veteran, proudly represents Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District. Raised by a Holocaust survivor and career naval officer, Chrissy learned the values of duty and sacrifice early on.

An engineering graduate from Stanford with an ROTC scholarship, Chrissy later earned an M.S. in Technology and Policy from MIT. Her military service includes three active years and 13 in the Inactive Reserve, reaching the rank of Captain in the USAFR.

Beyond the military, Chrissy excelled in business as the COO of AND1 Basketball and the Founding COO of B-Lab. Committed to education, she taught chemistry in North Philadelphia and later served as President of Springboard Collaborative, focusing on early childhood literacy.

A devoted mother to Molly and Carly, Chrissy, alongside her husband Bart, resides in Devon. As the first woman elected to her district and the first Democrat since the Civil War, she is a trailblazer in Congress, serving on the House Armed Services and Intelligence Committees. Chrissy Houlahan’s diverse background and unwavering commitment make her a dedicated advocate for her constituents.

Throughout his career as a public servant, Josh Shapiro has taken on the status quo, brought people together to solve tough problems, and delivered results for the people of Pennsylvania. Since 2017, he has served as the People’s Attorney General, working every day to stand up to powerful institutions and protect Pennsylvanians’ rights. Now, Josh is running to be Pennsylvania’s next Governor — to move our Commonwealth forward and tackle our biggest challenges.

Josh Shapiro was sworn in on January 17, 2017, as as Pennsylvania’s top lawyer and chief law enforcement officer with a mandate to ensure integrity and be the people’s Attorney General. Some of his top priorities include protecting seniors, veterans, small businesses and consumers from scams and fraud; implementing a comprehensive integrity agenda to ensure people from across the Commonwealth are heard and have faith in the justice system; and directing an aggressive fight against the heroin and opioid epidemic, including treatment for those suffering from addiction. As the Chairman of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, his work on behalf of victims and for criminal justice reform earned him the trust of law enforcement leaders from across the ideological spectrum. Earlier, as Chairman of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners Josh led an historic fiscal turnaround, helped the first LGBT couples in Pennsylvania marry, protected voting rights and fired Wall Street money managers to protect pensions and save retirees millions. As State Representative for Pennsylvania’s 153rd House District he passed some of the toughest ethics laws in state history. Josh graduated magna cum laude from the University of Rochester and earned his law degree at night from Georgetown University Law Center, and was in private practice for over a decade. Josh was raised in Montgomery County, where he met his high school sweetheart, Lori, and where they are raising their four children.

Growing up in the Mon Valley in western Pennsylvania – a longtime industrial center outside Pittsburgh – Austin Davis saw the struggles of working families firsthand. He watched his mom – a hairdresser in McKeesport for more than 40 years – juggle raising a family with putting food on the table, and he watched his dad work hard every day as an ATU bus driver.

Austin knew from an early age he wanted to dedicate his life and career to public service. Throughout his career, he has fought for economic equality, worked to lift people out of poverty and secure fair funding for education, and has been committed to bettering the lives of people in western Pennsylvania.

In high school, when he felt young people needed a voice in city government, Austin founded and served as chairman of the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council under McKeesport Mayor Jim Brewster. Working with city leaders, Austin helped combat rising youth violence and provided the young people of McKeesport with more opportunities to get involved in civic life.

Austin is a first generation college graduate in his family, and after studying political science at the University of Pittsburgh, he began pursuing a career in public service. By the age of 21, the Tribune-Review called him “a veteran at the politics of helping others.”

Beginning in 2012, Austin joined Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald’s team, spearheading the office’s vision and transition teams in the early days of the administration and serving as Fitzgerald’s representative on the Jail Oversight Board; the Kane Foundation; the Minority, Women, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Advisory Board; and the Shuman Detention Center Advisory Board.

Then in 2018, Austin successfully ran for the state House of Representatives to represent the Mon Valley and his hometown of McKeesport.

Rep. Austin Davis took the oath of office to serve the people of the Mon Valley on February 5, 2018. When he was sworn in, Austin became the first African American to serve as state representative for the 35th Legislative District in Allegheny County, and he became one of only four African American lawmakers to represent a majority-white district.

Currently, Austin serves as chair of the Allegheny County House Democratic Delegation and vice chair of the House Democratic Policy Committee, as well as serving on the House Appropriations Committee, House Consumer Affairs Committee, House Insurance Committee, and House Transportation Committee. Austin is also a member of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, Climate Caucus, and PA SAFE Caucus.

Austin remains committed to the Mon Valley and McKeesport, serving as a board member of the Port Authority of Allegheny County, YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh, Communities in Schools of Pittsburgh, and Auberle.

Austin currently resides in McKeesport with his wife, Blayre Holmes Davis. You can follow Austin on Facebook and Twitter!

Melissa Shusterman is a small business owner, wife and mother who was elected State Representative for Pennsylvania’s 157th District in 2018. Raised in Easttown, Melissa graduated from Conestoga High School in 1985, Lafayette College in 1989, then graduate school at American University in 1993.

Melissa began her campaign for the 157th District, in 2017. She was prompted to run by the old boys’ club and special interests that control Harrisburg and prevent progress on important issues in Pennsylvania from being addressed. Her slogan was “Common Sense Before Politics”. Melissa campaigned on government transparency and accountability, education equity, environmental sustainability, and gun control reform. Over the course of the campaign, Melissa knocked on tens of thousands of doors, and gained recognition and support across the county, state, and country. In November 2018, Melissa was elected to office, defeating a four-term Republican incumbent by over 4,000 votes. She was elected in a historic year for women in Pennsylvania, with women increasing their share of representation in the Pennsylvania House and Senate. She was reelected in 2020 and 2022 and is now serving for her third term.

Before running for office, Melissa worked in the video production industry. She worked for large networks like Food Network, VH1, and HGTV before returning to Pennsylvania to raise her son as a single mother. There, she started her own successful business, a video production company. Melissa’s business experience gives her a unique perspective in the legislature. Family includes husband Hans Mueller and son, Paris T. Shusterfallou.

In the legislature, Melissa serves on the Health, Judiciary, Chair of the Family Law Subcommittee, Rules & State Government Committees and Transportation. She is co-chair of both the Autism and Intellectual Disabilities Caucus and the Animal Protection Caucus.