Democrat Jen Mazzocco of Dormont defeated Republican Joseph Leckenby of Mt. Lebanon to win Pennsylvania’s 42nd House District seat in a special election held on February 24th. The election was triggered by the December resignation of Rep. Dan Miller following the November general election in which he won a seat on the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. Mazzocco won the race by capturing 81.7% of the vote to Leckenby’s 18.3%. The 42nd District includes Mt. Lebanon, Baldwin Township, Castle Shannon, Dormont, and parts of Upper St. Clair.
“I’m proud of the campaign we ran, especially our ability to knock on 4000 doors in the dead of winter. It was important to me that we talked to as many voters as possible, because it wasn’t just about their vote — they’re also my future constituents. I want them to know their Representative, have a chance to ask questions, and know that I care what they think,” said Representative-Elect Mazzocco who, at press time, was scheduled to be sworn in on Monday, March 23.
Rep.-Elect Mazzocco seems ready to hit the ground running. Asked about her goals, she replied, “I am really excited to represent District 42. We have five wonderful communities in this district, and I want to make sure they have the resources to stay that way. But more importantly, people in this district care about the well-being of folks beyond our boundaries. I’m ready to fight to keep our public schools strong, make sure things are affordable for working people everywhere, and to protect our civil rights. I’m excited to get to work.”
With her win, Representative-Elect Mazzocco will serve the remainder of Rep. Miller’s term (through the end of 2026) in his former office, located in uptown Mt. Lebanon at 650 Washington Road, Suite 102.
Mazzocco has already announced that she will be seeking the Democratic nomination in the May 19 primary. At press time, it wasn’t known if she will have any Democratic challengers or if there will be any Republicans vying for their nomination. The April issue of Lebo Beat will cover candidates running in the primary election.
