Aerion Abney
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
from the 19th district
Assumed office
April 26, 2022
Preceded byJake Wheatley
Personal details
Born
Aerion Andrew Abney

(1988-05-23) May 23, 1988 (age 35)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseTamara
Children2
EducationUniversity of Pittsburgh (BA, MSW)
WebsiteHouse website

Aerion Andrew Abney is an American politician has served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives since 2022. A member of the Democratic Party, he represents the 19th district, which contains parts of Pittsburgh.

Before his election to the state legislature, Abney was a social worker and community activist involved in local politics. He twice ran unsuccessfully to unseat incumbent state representative Jake Wheatley. When Wheatley resigned in 2022 to become chief of staff to Pittsburgh's newly-elected mayor Ed Gainey, Abney won the special election to succeed him.

Early life and education

Abney was raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and attended Cardinal O'Hara High School.[1] He then attended the University of Pittsburgh, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications in 2010 and a Master of Social Work degree from the university's School of Social Work in 2012.[1]

Pennsylvania House of Representatives (2022–present)

Elections

2016

Abney first ran for the 19th district seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 2016, but he withdrew before facing incumbent Rep. Jake Wheatley in the primary.[2]

2018

In 2018, Abney ran against Wheatley, who had held the seat since 2003. He criticized Wheatley for a lack of "political will" to push for the construction of new affordable housing units, especially in the Hill District, a historically African-American neighborhood of Pittsburgh.[3] He lost the Democratic primary to Wheatley by a margin of 367 votes out of 5,777 total votes, or about 6 percentage points.[4]

2020

In 2020, Abney ran in a rematch against Wheatley. Abney campaigned on the promise that he would advocate more strongly for the residents of the Hill District. He pointed to various statistics showing a decline in quality of life for residents of the Hill despite Wheatley's efforts. Indeed, the neighborhood had been a food desert since 2018, when its only grocery store had closed after just five years of operation; the store had received incentives upon opening in 2013 from the state's Fresh Food Financing Initiative targeting food deserts.[2] Abney was again defeated, this time by a margin of 2,501 votes out of 10,467 total votes, or about 24 percentage points.[5]

2022 (special)

In 2022, Abney was widely expected to challenge Wheatley yet again.[6][7] However, Wheatley resigned on January 31, 2022, midway through his 10th term, to become chief of staff to Ed Gainey, who was elected mayor of Pittsburgh in 2021.[7] In the special election to succeed him, Abney won the Democratic nomination on February 10 by a vote of local Democratic committee members;[7][8] he tied Rev. Glenn Grayson in the balloting with each receiving the support of 55 members,[8][9] so the nomination was decided by drawing lots.[7][8][9]

Abney ran unopposed in the special general election on April 5; he received 2,643 votes, or about 87% of the total with the remaining votes scattered among write-in candidates.[10][11] Following his victory, he will be sworn in to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to finish Wheatley's term.

2022 (regular)

In the regular Democratic primary on May 17 for the next two-year term, Abney will face Rev. Glenn Grayson in a rematch.[7][10][12]

Committee assignments

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2022)

Aging & Older Adult Services 

Subcommittee on Care and Services

Appropriations 

Subcommittee on Health and Human Services - Chair

Committee On Committees Education Housing & Community Development Insurance

Tenure

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2022)

Personal life

Abney resides in the Manchester neighborhood of Pittsburgh with his wife Tamara Abney and their two sons.[1]

Electoral history

Aerion Andrew Abney electoral history
Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 19th district, 2018 Democratic primary[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jake Wheatley (incumbent) 2,790 48.29%
Democratic Aerion Andrew Abney 2,423 41.94%
Democratic Ebony Taylor 564 9.76%
Total votes 5,777 100.00%
Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 19th district, 2020 Democratic primary[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jake Wheatley (incumbent) 6,484 61.95%
Democratic Aerion Andrew Abney 3,983 38.05%
Total votes 10,467 100.00%
Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 19th district, 2022 (special)[9][11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic committee vote
Democratic Aerion Andrew Abney 55 50.00%
Democratic Rev. Glenn Grayson 55 50.00%
Total votes 110 100.00%
General election
Democratic Aerion Andrew Abney 2,643 86.60%
Write-in 409 13.40%
Total votes 3,052 100.00%
Democratic hold
Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 19th district, 2022 (regular)[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic primary election
Democratic Aerion Andrew Abney (incumbent)
Democratic Rev. Glenn Grayson
Total votes

References

  1. ^ a b c "Rep. Aerion Andrew Abney | Biography". PAhouse.com — Democratic caucus of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Archived from the original on April 24, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Worthy, Ariel (May 27, 2020). "Familiar foes offer different visions in 19th House district". WESA. Archived from the original on April 24, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  3. ^ Deto, Ryan (May 8, 2018). "State rep. candidate Aerion Abney says weak political will is hindering affordable housing at former Civic Arena site". Pittsburgh City Paper. Archived from the original on December 13, 2020. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Pennsylvania House of Representatives Democratic primary election results (19th district, 2018)". Our Campaigns. May 15, 2018. Archived from the original on April 24, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Pennsylvania House of Representatives Democratic primary election results (19th district, 2020)". Our Campaigns. June 2, 2020. Archived from the original on April 24, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  6. ^ Potter, Chris (November 8, 2021). "Local election results suggest new strength — and new opportunity — for Black candidates". WESA. Archived from the original on January 4, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d e Felton, Julia (February 25, 2022). "Two Pittsburgh Democrats vying for Jake Wheatley's former state House seat". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  8. ^ a b c Potter, Chris (February 10, 2022). "Democrats choose nominee to replace Wheatley — by the thinnest of margarines". WESA. Archived from the original on April 20, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  9. ^ a b c "Pennsylvania House of Representatives Democratic primary election results (19th district, 2022 special)". Our Campaigns. February 10, 2022. Archived from the original on April 24, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  10. ^ a b Routh, Julian (April 6, 2022). "Democrats Aerion Abney, Martell Covington win special elections to fill former seats of Ed Gainey, Jake Wheatley". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on April 17, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  11. ^ a b "Pennsylvania House of Representatives election results (19th district, 2022 special)". Our Campaigns. April 5, 2022. Archived from the original on April 24, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  12. ^ a b "Pennsylvania House of Representatives Democratic primary election results (19th district, 2022 regular)". Our Campaigns. May 17, 2022. Archived from the original on April 24, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.

External links

Pennsylvania House of Representatives Preceded byJake Wheatley Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 19th district 2022-present Incumbent
Members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
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