In Pennsylvania, one of the most competitive House seats in the country gets its first challenger
Salena Zito
DUQUESNE, Pennsylvania — Pastor Jim Nelson is the first Republican candidate out of the box to announce a bid for the Republican nomination for Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District, a broad suburban Pittsburgh district currently held by Democrat Chris Deluzio.
Nelson said in an interview he has been receiving calls from people in the community since the midterm elections last fall to consider running for the swing seat. He made the decision recently that it was the right thing for him to do.
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“I have been called to service all of my life through the different hats I have worn, whether it was serving my country in the military, as a police officer, or as a pastor here in Duquesne,” said Nelson.
A veteran and retired law enforcement officer, Nelson becomes the first Republican to announce for the seat that spreads across Beaver and Allegheny counties, which both Democrats and Republicans view as either important to hold or as a pick-up opportunity for their parties. And both parties have concerns about the impact that the candidacies of either Joe Biden or Donald Trump will have on their down-ballot races.
Nelson said in his press release, “I’m a veteran, a retired law enforcement officer, a pastor, and most importantly, a proud American. I am a public servant at heart and for more than three decades, I have served the communities of western Pennsylvania. I’ve kept our residents safe, protected our neighborhoods, and I am honored to have made a difference in the lives of many. Today, I am proud to take the next step in public service as I announce my candidacy for Congress in Pennsylvania’s 17th district. The road to 2024 starts now. It starts with you.”
Nelson was raised in McKeesport, served in the U.S. Air Force and the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, then came home and served his community for more than 30 years as an Allegheny County deputy sheriff, deputy sergeant/supervisor, and as a police officer at the University of Pittsburgh and the city of McKeesport.
Nelson, who holds a Ph.D. in biblical studies, is the pastor of the New Birth Ministries here in Duquesne, an old steel town located along the Monongahela River. Duquesne was decimated when the massive Duquesne Steel Work, which employed over 8,000 immigrant and black employees, closed in 1968.
Nelson said he has worn a lot of hats in his life, but the politician hat isn’t one of them. “That is what I bring to the table,” he said. “A commonsense approach and an understanding that we need to bring people who represent to the House of Representatives, not more politicians.”
The Cook Political Report currently ranks Pennsylvania’s 17th congressional seat as “Leans Democrat.”