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State Representative, 44th District

Vote for
1
Term
2 years
Candidates
2
Election
Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: A state representative votes on Pennsylvania laws and the state budget in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Entirely in Allegheny County: Aleppo, Crescent, Findlay, Leet, Moon and North Fayette townships and the boroughs of Bell Acres, Edgeworth, Glen Osborne, Glenfield, Haysville, Leetsdale, Sewickley, Sewickley Heights and Sewickley Hills.

CandidatesCompare by issue

Taxes & budget

  • Hadley HaasDemocratic

    No documented position found.

  • Valerie GaydosRepublican

    • Voted for the $50.8 billion 2026-27 budget, saying it avoids broad-based tax increases and Rainy Day Fund use.In office
    • Voted for HB 1678 to expand property tax rebates, with a focus on seniors.In office

Public safety

  • Hadley HaasDemocratic

    • Supports universal background checks and extreme risk protection orders.

  • Valerie GaydosRepublican

    • Proposes making registered sex offenders report any address used 30+ days a year, consecutive or not.In office

Education

  • Hadley HaasDemocratic

    • Opposes diverting public school funds to private schools; supports fair teacher pay.

  • Valerie GaydosRepublican

    No documented position found.

Housing

  • Hadley HaasDemocratic

    • Pledges to make housing affordable and homeownership attainable for working families.

  • Valerie GaydosRepublican

    • Proposes letting tenants pay a fee instead of a security deposit if the landlord agrees.In office

Economy & jobs

  • Hadley HaasDemocratic

    • Supports raising the minimum wage and the right to organize.
    • Calls for ending taxpayer-funded incentives to large corporations.

  • Valerie GaydosRepublican

    • Says families should not bear higher energy costs from data center demand.In office

Roads & infrastructure

  • Hadley HaasDemocratic

    • Calls for clear rules on data centers, including no utility hikes passed on to residents.

  • Valerie GaydosRepublican

    No documented position found.

Environment & parks

  • Hadley HaasDemocratic

    No documented position found.

  • Valerie GaydosRepublican

    • Co-sponsored and voted for HB 2145 banning intentionally added PFAS in products like cosmetics and floss.In office

Health & human services

  • Hadley HaasDemocratic

    • Supports lower prescription drug costs and opposes Medicaid cuts.
    • Supports expanding affordable child care and early education.

  • Valerie GaydosRepublican

    No documented position found.

Government & transparency

  • Hadley HaasDemocratic

    No documented position found.

  • Valerie GaydosRepublican

    • Sponsors HB 981 ("Voter Motor") to share voter-registration address updates with state and local agencies.In office
    • Proposes amending the existing redistricting commission, e.g. a 4/5 vote for maps, rather than a new one.In office

Courts & justice

  • Hadley HaasDemocratic

    No documented position found.

  • Valerie GaydosRepublican

    • Voted against the House-amended HB 1042; backs the Senate's second-degree murder sentencing framework.In office

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 10 issues covered in this race.