Democrat Arvind Venkat, Republican Nathan Wolfe square off for 30th state House seat

Incumbent Democrat Arvind Venkat is being challenged by Republican Nathan Wolfe for a seat in the state’s House of Representatives, covering parts of Allegheny County’s North Hills.

The district includes Kilbuck, McCandless and Ohio townships, part of Hampton Township, and Ben Avon, Ben Avon Heights, Emsworth and Franklin Park boroughs.

Wolfe, 50, of McCandless, is a state constable and small-business owner. His top priorities, he said, are cutting taxes and lowering the “out of control” costs hurting families and seniors, supporting law enforcement and giving them resources to keep communities safe from violent crime and drugs. Another priority is to use natural energy resources to bring down costs of electric, gas and everyday items, he said.

“The number one issue I hear at the doors is the cost of everyday goods like groceries, gas, electric bills,” Wolfe said. “I support cutting taxes for everyone and cutting property taxes for seniors.”

“I will fight for what is best for the residents of the 30th district and represent our values in Harrisburg,” Wolfe said.

Venkat, 50, of McCandless, was first elected in 2022 and is an emergency physician. He said his top priorities are funding public schools and first responders, protecting reproductive and voting rights, and passing “commonsense gun safety legislation.”

“In my time in office, we have made record investments in public education while passing the largest property tax cut for senior citizens and tripling the childcare tax credit for working families,” Venkat said.

Venkat’s focus as a state legislator, he said, has been ensuring the community has high-quality public schools, well-resourced first responders and affordable and accessible healthcare. He said that since he was elected two years ago, abortion rights have been protected and gun safety legislation has been passed through the State House.

“Whether that progress continues is directly related to what voters decide this November,” he said.