Mar 1, 2020 2 min read

MONESSEN – Lt. Gov. John Fetterman rallied Democrats Saturday in Monessen, calling for campaign workers to stress the party’s support for unions, public education and women’s rights to their reproduction destiny.

The Democrat from Braddock also said those who plan to go door-to-door also need to draw attention to a special election March 17 for representative of the state’s 58th District.

“Pennsylvania picks the next president,” Fetterman said before a packed hall in an Italian Club in this struggling Westmoreland County city.

The rally was a show of support for Robert Prah Jr.’s campaign for the 58th District, a seat that became vacant when former Republican state Rep. Justin Walsh was elected in November to the bench in Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas.

Prah, a resident of Rostraver Township and former Smithton mayor, said he would never vote to “diminish the rights of our working families.”

He is being challenged by Republican Eric M. Davanzo of South Huntingdon Township and Libertarian Ken Bach of Smithton.

“We have a chance to take this seat back,” said Frank Snyder, secretary-treasurer of Pennsylvania AFL-CIO.

Nancy Patton Mills, chairman of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, said Democrats need to win nine House seats and four Senate seats to take back the majority in Harrisburg.

“We have more people on the ground than ever,” she said.

After the rally, Fetterman said his efforts to legalize recreational marijuana has been met with roadblocks from Republicans in Harrisburg.

“If they would introduce the bill I think it would pass,” Fetterman said.

He also said he wasn’t thinking about his political future after Gov. Wolf leaves office, that he was focused on this year’s presidential election.

Earlier, he urged Democrats to support the candidate who wins the party’s nomination and stop attacking each other on social media.

Party officials Saturday were critical of Hillary Clinton for ignoring rural America during the 2016 election while President Trump won the hearts of the working class by visiting places such as Monessen.

“The battle for turning Pennsylvania blue, it matters right here,” Fetterman said.

He said Monessen is where the fight is “for the soul of America’s heart.”