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Pennsylvania State Sen. Randy Vulakovich
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Field narrows in race against Vulakovich for 38th District Senate seat

Tony Tye/Post-Gazette

Field narrows in race against Vulakovich for 38th District Senate seat

The field of Democrats hoping to challenge state Sen. Randy Vulakovich in November shrunk by one Tuesday, as nurse and activist Michelle Boyle suspended her campaign.

Ms. Boyle threw her support behind Lindsey Williams, a staff attorney at the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, at a Ross Township gathering Tuesday night.

“I am grateful to witness how hard Lindsey is fighting for my daughters to receive the best possible quality public education,” Ms. Boyle said in a statement. “I trust Lindsey and am convinced she will do what is right by Pennsylvania’s working families.”

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Ms. Boyle had previously been backed by SEIU Healthcare PA, and Ms. Williams, of West View, said she was “incredibly honored to have the support of a fellow union woman.” She cited union issues as a key concern during an earlier interview with the Post-Gazette.

“Advocating with teachers is advocating for your children, because teachers are advocating for small class size, for extra para-professionals in the classroom,” she said. “Those are things that make your kid’s education better. As our schools go, our communities go.”

The 38th District includes some East End Pittsburgh neighborhoods along with northern suburbs and some Allegheny Valley communities. As Ms. Williams describes it, the district’s make-up reflects the dangers of relying on local tax revenue as a primary source for school funding. “You have districts like Pine-Richland that are doing really well, and you have other districts that are really struggling,” she said. “It’s still funded very inequitably.”

A native of the Wilkes Barre/Scranton area, Ms. Williams said she has “union in my blood,” with a father who belongs to an operating engineers’ local, and other relatives who belong to a transit workers’ union. Her own work history includes stints at a nonprofit for whistleblowers uncovering corruption, and a communications job with the Teamsters.

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Mr. Vulakovich, the Republican incumbent, is a former police drug-education officer. He was elected to the Senate in a 2012 special election after serving in the state House.

Before Ms. Williams can challenge him, however, she may have to outlast at least one other Democrat in the race: Highland Park consultant Stephanie Walsh. The two women appear evenly matched, at least financially: Ms. Walsh started the year with $33,185.30 in her campaign war chest; Ms. Williams had $34,145.13, although she contributed slightly more than $5,000 of that herself.

Mr. Vulakovich was sitting on just over $113,000 at the end of last year.

The Democrats will compete for the endorsement of party leaders, a potentially key sign of party strength, this weekend.

Chris Potter: cpotter@post-gazette.com

First Published: February 28, 2018, 1:45 a.m.

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