Bartolotta, Buchtan battle in contentious campaign

The incumbent senator is receiving a spirited primary challenge in the 46th District.

Accusations of government corruption, rising campaign spending and competing visions for southwestern Pennsylvania’s future are defining the Republican primary battle for Pennsylvania’s 46th Senatorial District, where incumbent Sen. Camera Bartolotta faces challenger Al Buchtan in one of the region’s most contentious state races ahead of the May 19 primary election.

State Sen. Camera Bartolotta, R-Carroll Township

The winner of the GOP primary will advance to face Democrat Evan Snyder in the fall. Snyder did not respond to requests for comment.

Bartolotta, R-Carroll Township, is seeking another term after first being elected in 2014. A Monongahela resident and business owner, Bartolotta became the first Republican elected to the seat since 1927 and currently serves on the Senate Republican leadership team as Majority Caucus Secretary.

Al Buchtan

Before entering public office, Bartolotta owned and operated the Duke of Oil quick-lube business in the Mon Valley for more than 30 years and hosted “La Dolce Vita,” a cooking and lifestyle program that aired on WPXITV and PCNC.

During her time in Harrisburg, Bartolotta has sponsored legislation related to domestic violence protections, first responder mental health care, rideshare legalization, workforce development and government spending reform. She also served as chair and vice chair of the Senate Labor and Industry Committee, where she said she worked to uncover problems within Pennsylvania’s unemployment compensation system during the COVID-19 pandemic.

When asked what she considers her most important accomplishment in office, Bartolotta pointed to her accessibility to constituents and efforts to build bipartisan relationships throughout the district.

“My most important accomplishment has been delivering real results that people in the 46th District can feel in their daily lives,” Bartolotta said. “Whether I’m in a union hall, a school, a farm field, a small business or a VFW, I hear the same core message: people want to be heard, respected and fought for.”

Bartolotta said she has focused on coalition building across county and party lines to deliver funding and legislative support for local schools, municipalities and businesses.

“That approach helped make me the first Republican elected to this seat since 1927 and helped spark a red wave across southwestern Pennsylvania,” she said. “The achievement I’m proudest of is honoring that mandate every day by turning my constituents’ concerns, hopes and challenges into meaningful change.”

Bartolotta highlighted several bills she has helped pass during her time in office, including Tierney’s Law, which strengthens protections for survivors of domestic violence, and legislation expanding workers’ compensation coverage for first responders suffering from post-traumatic stress injuries. She also cited legislation legalizing rideshare services statewide and efforts to provide tax relief for families.

“I’m one of the few elected officials to shepherd 11 substantive bills into law, each addressing a real community need,” Bartolotta said.

She is currently working to pass Senate Bill 25, which would grant nurse practitioners full practice authority to help expand health care access, particularly in rural communities. She is also introducing legislation aimed at increasing protections for electrical lineworkers by requiring AEDs at worksites.

Looking ahead, Bartolotta said revitalizing blighted areas and redeveloping former industrial properties remain top priorities.

“I’m advocating for targeted state and local investment that tackles blight and drives long-term growth,” she said.

Among the projects she identified are support for the Lighthouse Electric Campus in Washington, redevelopment efforts throughout the Mon Valley and coal communities, and incentives for data centers to be developed on existing brownfield sites. She said any future development projects should include sustainable energy standards and significant community input.

Bartolotta also plans to continue utilizing Local Share Account funding to address blighted properties and support revitalization efforts in historic downtown areas.

In discussing the primary race, Bartolotta described herself as “the conservative, grassroots candidate” and highlighted endorsements from organizations including Gun Owners of America, the National Rifle Association, the Pittsburgh Building Trades, the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation and several law enforcement organizations.

Buchtan, a Greene County businessman, has centered his campaign on criticism of government spending, taxes and what he describes as entrenched corruption in Harrisburg.

“The number one thing is the cost of living,” Buchtan said. “Goods and services costs hinder the elderly from being able to afford to live here, and the youth as well because they aren’t making that much money.”

Buchtan repeatedly tied rising costs to what he described as corruption within government, including the influence of lobbyists and unchecked state spending.

“Corruption within the government itself and the size of the government, that’s why a lot of these costs are high,” he said. “Lobbyists are there to push legislation to make their companies as much as possible. Everything down the line, meat, you name it, is one of the driving forces behind high costs.”

He also criticized Pennsylvania’s tax structure and overall state spending.

“We lose 84,000 residents a year because of high taxes,” Buchtan said.

According to Buchtan, Pennsylvania needs to become more business friendly in order to keep residents and generate additional tax revenue without increasing taxes.

“My plan is simple. Be more business friendly, grow business so they are profitable so they can hire more people with better wages to create more of a tax base,” he said. “My plan is volume.”

Buchtan pointed to Pennsylvania’s gasoline tax, which he said is driving consumers into neighboring states for cheaper fuel.

“Gasoline is the second highest in the nation,” he said. “A lot of people are going across Maryland, West Virginia and Ohio because it’s cheaper. I want that gasoline back. We can lower our gas tax because it would be made up for in volume. It’s basic economics.”

He also criticized the growth of Pennsylvania’s state budget over the last decade.

“We went from a $29 billion budget just 10 years ago to almost $53 billion,” Buchtan said. “That’s insane.”

Buchtan said transparency and accessibility would de- fine his approach if elected.

He proposed forming committees made up of representatives from municipalities across the district to regularly meet with him about local issues.

“I’m going to have 12 committees,” he said. “It’ll be for business, education, farming and down the line. They’ll meet with me once a month so people know what’s going on, what I’m doing, and I know their needs and wants.”

He also pledged to hold quarterly town halls throughout Beaver, Greene and Washington counties.

“I like talking to people face to face,” Buchtan said. “Transparency, that’s my plan.”

Buchtan voiced frustration with campaign spending and party politics, arguing that large amounts of money in elections discourage ordinary residents from seeking office.

“There’s no reason anybody should have to pay $3 million to win an election,” he said. “The money deters people from running.”

He supports term limits and campaign finance reform, which he believes would help restore trust in government.

“If we want our children and youth to stay here, and we want to take care of our elderly, it has to be done,” Buchtan said. “People are sick of politics as usual.”

The 46th District includes all of Greene and Washington counties, along with portions of Beaver County, including Hanover and Independence townships and Frankfort Springs Borough. State senators serve four-year terms, with salaries adjusted annually for inflation. Penn sylvania senators will earn $113,591.40 in 2026.