Pennsylvania independent Gambino survives Democratic challenge to statehouse seat

Commonwealth Court Judge Lori Dumas ruled on Aug. 25 that independent Chris Gambino can stay on the ballot as candidate for Pennsylvania House District 143.

This seat, currently held by a Republican, is considered a target race by Democrats. Gambino needed 488 valid signatures; he turned in 667 and 269 were challenged. Another complaint was that he ran under Forward Independent Party, which the challengers called too close to the Independent Party claimed by another candidate.

Gambino said that he ran as an independent, with support from the Forward Party, and Forward itself described the candidates as Forward Independents.

Ahead of the decision, Gambino asked if the Democrats are protecting themselves against perceived spoiler candidates.

“We hit the pavement. We were knocking on doors. We were talking to people and got people excited,” Gambino said. “They were willing to step out on a limb and sign this [petition], and now their voices are being thrown out.” 

The objectors to Gambino’s race are represented by Adam Bovino, an attorney who has worked with Democrats and who successfully challenged signatures for Tony Dastra, Green candidate for governor. 

Both Democrat and Green Party objectors led to a judge agreeing to remove Andrew Tupone, who was running as a Green, from the highly competitive 7th Congressional District seat for the U.S. House. Tupone had gathered enough signatures to run, but the Green Party challenged his candidacy under its party affiliation, citing that he was still a Republican in February 2026 and he’d run as a Republican in 2021. He also had cross-filed to run in Democratic primaries.