In the 46th Pennsylvania State Senate district – covering all of Washington and Greene counties and the southern tip of Beaver County – three‑term Republican Senator Camera Bartolotta is preparing for a general‑election contest against independent candidate Jodi Borello. The race, slated for Nov. 3, pits the incumbent’s focus on affordability and local control against Borello’s push for a statewide data‑center moratorium and a minimum‑wage increase.
Candidate backgrounds
Sen. Bartolotta, 62, of Carroll Township, was first elected in 2014 and won his most recent Republican primary against Al Buchtan with 53.5% of the vote. He describes himself as a defender of families and seniors, emphasizing the need to lower gas, grocery, utility and property‑tax costs. He supports suspending the state gas tax, protecting Pennsylvania’s energy workers, and expanding health‑care and child‑care access through measures such as full‑practice authority for nurse practitioners.
Independent challenger Jodi Borello, 50, is a small‑business owner from South Franklin Township. She entered the race after gathering roughly 3,000 signatures and receiving certification on July 17. Borello’s platform centers on curbing the rapid rise in living expenses, which she attributes in part to unchecked hyperscale data‑center development that she says drives up utility rates.
Key issues
Affordability. Both candidates agree that cost‑of‑living pressures are the district’s top concern. Bartolotta points to his record of supporting tax relief and utility‑cost reductions, while Borello calls for a statewide minimum‑wage increase and stronger consumer protections against utility rate hikes.
Data‑center development. Bartolotta co‑sponsored Senate Bill 1345, giving municipalities the authority to pause or limit data‑center projects and require developers to fund necessary infrastructure upgrades. He also clarifies that Senate Bill 991, which he says is often mischaracterized, merely speeds up cleanup of contaminated brownfield sites, not data‑center permitting.
Borello argues that data‑center construction is draining local resources and proposes a three‑year statewide moratorium via Senate Bill 1359. She also wants to repeal the sales‑tax exemption that currently provides large data‑center operators with substantial tax breaks.
Campaign dynamics
The race highlights a broader debate over state versus local authority. Bartolotta emphasizes that municipalities should retain decision‑making power, with the state providing tools and safeguards. Borello, meanwhile, contends that a uniform state moratorium is needed to protect residents from the cumulative impact of multiple projects.
Both candidates have pledged to keep families and seniors at the forefront of their agendas, reflecting the district’s traditional values and the community’s desire for economic stability.
What’s next
Voters will receive their ballots on Nov. 3, with early‑voting locations opening in early October. The district’s electorate includes a mix of rural communities and small towns, many of which have expressed concern over rising utility costs and the pace of new industrial development. As the campaign enters its final weeks, both candidates are expected to increase outreach through town‑hall meetings, local media appearances, and direct mail.
For residents seeking more information, the Pennsylvania Department of State’s website provides details on polling locations, candidate filing deadlines, and how to submit absentee ballots.
Original reporting: Herald-Standard – latest news for Uniontown, Pennsylvania — read the source article.
