David Mekeel: Primary election results set up fall battle of familiar foes for 24th Senatorial District

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May 18—The faces are familiar, but the battleground will be new.

Initials results from Tuesday's primary election appear to show that two candidates who faced off two years ago for a state House seat will do battle again, this time for the state Senate.

According to incomplete and unofficial vote totals, Rep. Tracy Pennycuick is poised to win the Republican nomination in the 24th Senatorial District, and Jill Dennin is set to win on the Democratic side.

In 2020, Dennin unsuccessfully challenged Pennycuick in the 147th Legislative District.

The two are now running to replace Sen. Bob Mensch, the longtime holder of the seat in the 24th Senatorial District who announced this year that he would not be seeking reelection.

The district includes parts of eastern Berks County and northwest Montgomery County.

State senators serve a four-year term and receive an annual salary of $95,432.

The Democratic primary

Dennin, a Montgomery County resident and a former Boyertown School Board member, has more than tripled her competitor's vote total.

According to incomplete and unofficial vote totals, Dennin has earned 17,044 votes as of Wednesday morning. Emanuel Wilkerson, a former Pottstown School Board member, had earned 5,984.

Vote totals may not include all mail ballots, provisional ballots or military ballots. Totals will be updated as election officials complete those counts and update their data.

Dennin on Wednesday expressed relief and joy over her apparent primary win.

"Obviously, I'm very pleased with the result," she said. "My team and I worked very diligently and very hard."

Dennin credited pounding the pavement for her success, saying she and her team knocked on a lot of doors.

Dennin said she was spending Wednesday returning phone calls, receiving congratulations and trying to catch her breath. Once Thursday hits, however, she'll be back in campaign mode looking toward November.

She said she hopes Democrats come together to flip the 24th District, something she is optimistic she can do.

"I wouldn't have gotten into the race if I didn't think we could flip it," she said.

Republican primary

Pennycuick, who represents western Montgomery County, had more than doubled her competitor's vote total as of Wednesday.

According to incomplete and unofficial results, Pennycuick has received 20,891 votes. David Moyer, a Washington Township supervisor, has received 8,719.

Vote totals may not include all mail ballots, provisional ballots or military ballots. Totals will be updated as election officials complete those counts and update their data.

Pennycuick said her apparent victory was satisfying, particularly coming after a difficult campaign.

"It feels really, really good," she said.

The 24th Senatorial District was impacted by the state's redistricting, which meant she had new areas where she had to introduce herself to voters and not a lot of time to do it.

"We worked hard. We knocked on a lot of doors," she said.

Looking forward to the fall, Pennycuick expressed confidence in her match-up with Dennin, saying she plans to campaign on her record in the House and her background in business and the military.

"I beat her before. I have every intention to beat her again," she said.