The Gist
Home

State

State Senator, 22nd District

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

What this office does: A state senator votes on Pennsylvania laws and the state budget and confirms many of the Governor's appointments.

Lackawanna County part: the City of Scranton (all 48 precincts); Dickson City, Dunmore, Throop, Taylor, Old Forge, Moosic, Clarks Summit, Clarks Green and Dalton boroughs; and Benton, Glenburn, Greenfield, La Plume, Newton, North Abington, Ransom, Scott, South Abington, Waverly and West Abington townships. Luzerne County part (per the Census district maps): the cities of Pittston and Wilkes-Barre; Avoca, Dupont, Duryea, Hughestown, Laflin, Laurel Run, West Pittston, Wyoming and Yatesville boroughs; and Jenkins, Pittston, Plains and Wilkes-Barre townships.

CandidatesCompare by issue

Taxes & budget

  • Sharon Soltis SparanoRepublican

    No documented position found.

  • Marty FlynnDemocratic

    • Supports a natural gas severance tax and closing the "Delaware loophole" in corporate taxes.
    • Calls for taxing nonprofits that he says "aren't nonprofits."

Housing

  • Sharon Soltis SparanoRepublican

    No documented position found.

  • Marty FlynnDemocratic

    • Calls for a state tax credit for investors who build public, low-income or middle-income housing.

Roads & infrastructure

  • Sharon Soltis SparanoRepublican

    No documented position found.

  • Marty FlynnDemocratic

    • Introduced legislation requiring data centers to pay grid and transmission costs instead of ratepayers.

Environment & parks

  • Sharon Soltis SparanoRepublican

    • Opposes the industrial data centers, gas plants and diesel generators proposed for the area.

  • Marty FlynnDemocratic

    • Opposes data center projects moving forward without transparency, municipal involvement and regulatory safeguards.

Government & transparency

  • Sharon Soltis SparanoRepublican

    No documented position found.

  • Marty FlynnDemocratic

    • Says he could support a data center moratorium of 180 days or a year, but not three years.
    • Supports campaign contribution limits and a ban on gifts to legislators; opposes legislative term limits.

Courts & justice

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; 6 issues covered in this race.