The Gist
Home

State

State Representative, 55th 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 Westmoreland County: the cities of Arnold and New Kensington and part of Lower Burrell; Murrysville; Bell, Loyalhanna, Salem, Upper Burrell and Washington townships and part of Derry Township; and the boroughs of Avonmore, Delmont, Export, New Alexandria and Oklahoma.

Photo of Davon Magwood
Davon MagwoodCampaign photo — Magwood for PA

Davon Magwood

Democratic

Restaurant manager · New Kensington

The gist

  • Supports raising the minimum wage and says he would co-sponsor a bill to do so.
  • Supports lowering Pennsylvania's Corporate Net Income tax rate to attract businesses.
  • Supports legalizing marijuana to create a tax base that could fund schools and lower property taxes.
  • Supports lowering prescription drug costs, protecting and expanding Medicaid, and mental health access.
  • Supports protecting access to legal abortion.
  • Supports policies that hold landlords accountable for exploitation and substandard rentals.
  • Calls for well-funded schools so every child gets a quality education regardless of zip code.
  • Supports holding corporate polluters accountable and investing in renewable energy and public transit.
More about Davon
View sources (2)
  1. Supports raising the minimum wage and says he would co-sponsor a bill to do so.

    Issues | Magwood for PA

    Campaign website · Magwood for PA 2026 · Raising the Minimum Wage · magwoodforpa.com

    “Davon Magwood strongly supports raising the minimum wage.”
    Candidates share desires for 55th state House District ahead of election

    News coverage · TribLive · Aug 25, 2026 · triblive.com

    “Raising the minimum wage, too, is a crucial bill he would co-sponsor, he said.”
  2. Supports lowering Pennsylvania's Corporate Net Income tax rate to attract businesses.

    Issues | Magwood for PA

    Campaign website · Magwood for PA 2026 · Economic Growth Through Tax Reform and Infrastructure Investment · magwoodforpa.com

    “supports bipartisan efforts to make Pennsylvania a more attractive place for businesses by lowering the state's Corporate Net Income (CNI) tax rate”
  3. Supports legalizing marijuana to create a tax base that could fund schools and lower property taxes.

    Candidates share desires for 55th state House District ahead of election

    News coverage · TribLive · Aug 25, 2026 · triblive.com

    “He said legalizing marijuana could create a new tax base and generate money for schools, which could in turn lower property taxes for homeowners.”
  4. Supports lowering prescription drug costs, protecting and expanding Medicaid, and mental health access.

    Issues | Magwood for PA

    Campaign website · Magwood for PA 2026 · Healthcare Access and Affordability · magwoodforpa.com

    “Davon supports policies that would lower prescription drug costs, protect and expand Medicaid, and ensure that every resident has access to mental health services.”
  5. Supports protecting access to legal abortion.

    Issues | Magwood for PA

    Campaign website · Magwood for PA 2026 · A Woman's Right to Choose · magwoodforpa.com

    “Davon is committed to safeguarding access to safe and legal abortion services”
  6. Supports policies that hold landlords accountable for exploitation and substandard rentals.

    Issues | Magwood for PA

    Campaign website · Magwood for PA 2026 · Fair Housing · magwoodforpa.com

    “Davon is committed to ensuring that renters are protected from exploitation and substandard living conditions by supporting policies that hold landlords accountable”
  7. Calls for well-funded schools so every child gets a quality education regardless of zip code.

    Issues | Magwood for PA

    Campaign website · Magwood for PA 2026 · Rebuilding Communities, Strengthening Schools, and Ending Food Deserts · magwoodforpa.com

    “he advocates for policies that ensure every child has access to a quality education, regardless of their zip code”
  8. Supports holding corporate polluters accountable and investing in renewable energy and public transit.

    Issues | Magwood for PA

    Campaign website · Magwood for PA 2026 · The Environment … The Environment · magwoodforpa.com

    “He advocates for holding corporate polluters accountable to protect the health and well-being of those who work and live in the district. … Davon supports significant investments in renewable energy, public transit, and climate adaptation initiatives.”
Photo of Jill Cooper
Jill CooperOfficial portrait — Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Jill Cooper

RepublicanIncumbent

State representative · Murrysville

The gist

  • Voted for the 2026-27 budget but says it still spends too much and leaves a structural deficit.
  • Supports expanding school choice.
  • Supports natural gas, coal and other energy production to keep energy prices low.
  • Sponsored a bill to suspend pay for the governor, lieutenant governor and legislators during budget impasses.
  • Seeks a law letting ambulance services bill insurers directly instead of billing patients.
  • Supports ending sanctuary city policies in Pennsylvania.
  • Sponsored HB 2152, enacted in the 2026-27 budget, helping districts that choose later school start times.In office
  • Joined a Westmoreland delegation bill to require lifetime registration for youths released from the state SRTP program.In office

In office = from the candidate's own official statements or legislation as an officeholder, not their campaign.

More about Jill
View sources (5)
  1. Voted for the 2026-27 budget but says it still spends too much and leaves a structural deficit.

    On the Issues | Cooper for PA House

    Campaign website · Friends of Jill Cooper · Fighting Inflation · votejillcooper.com

    “supporting policies that keep taxes low and curb unnecessary government spending”
    Cooper: Budget is Improvement on First Proposal, But PA Has More Work to Do

    Public statement · Office of Rep. Jill Cooper · Jul 12, 2026 · repjillcooper.com

    “this budget still spends too much and doesn't fully deal with our long-term structural deficit”
  2. Supports expanding school choice.

    On the Issues | Cooper for PA House

    Campaign website · Friends of Jill Cooper · Improving School Choice · votejillcooper.com

    “I will continue to fight for policies that expand school choice, giving parents more options for their children's success.”
    Cooper: Budget is Improvement on First Proposal, But PA Has More Work to Do

    Public statement · Office of Rep. Jill Cooper · Jul 12, 2026 · repjillcooper.com

    “It also misses an opportunity to expand school choice for families who are waiting for better options.”
  3. Supports natural gas, coal and other energy production to keep energy prices low.

    Candidates share desires for 55th state House District ahead of election

    News coverage · TribLive · Aug 25, 2026 · triblive.com

    “natural gas is a huge benefit for us”
    On the Issues | Cooper for PA House

    Campaign website · Friends of Jill Cooper · Affordable Energy · votejillcooper.com

    “ensuring energy prices remain low for Pennsylvania families by supporting the production of clean coal, natural gas, and other energy resources”
  4. Sponsored a bill to suspend pay for the governor, lieutenant governor and legislators during budget impasses.

    Candidates share desires for 55th state House District ahead of election

    News coverage · TribLive · Aug 25, 2026 · triblive.com

    “She is also the sponsor of a bill that would suspend pay for the governor, lieutenant governor and state Legislature during budget impasses.”
  5. Seeks a law letting ambulance services bill insurers directly instead of billing patients.

    Candidates share desires for 55th state House District ahead of election

    News coverage · TribLive · Aug 25, 2026 · triblive.com

    “she hopes to pass a law allowing emergency medical services to bill insurance companies directly for ambulance trips rather than sending bills to patients”
  6. Supports ending sanctuary city policies in Pennsylvania.

    On the Issues | Cooper for PA House

    Campaign website · Friends of Jill Cooper · Ending Sanctuary Policies · votejillcooper.com

    “I will work to end sanctuary city policies in Pennsylvania that undermine federal immigration law and put our citizens at risk.”
  7. Sponsored HB 2152, enacted in the 2026-27 budget, helping districts that choose later school start times.

    Cooper Bill to Help Schools Choosing to Delay Start Times Passed

    Public statement · Office of Rep. Jill Cooper · Jul 12, 2026 · repjillcooper.com

    “This proposal gives districts the flexibility to make that change if they choose, without imposing an unfunded mandate.”
  8. Joined a Westmoreland delegation bill to require lifetime registration for youths released from the state SRTP program.

    Westmoreland County House Delegation Works to Better Protect Citizens from Juvenile Sex Offenders

    Public statement · Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus · Jun 11, 2026 · repjillcooper.com

    “All individuals discharged from the SRTP to be subject to lifetime sexual offender registration and oversight requirements, regardless of when they were adjudicated delinquent.”

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; 8 issues covered in this race.