On Tuesday, Nov. 3, the 2026 Midterm Elections will take place across our nation. Every seat in the House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats will be up for grabs, determining the balance of power in the U.S. Congress as we enter the latter half of President Trump’s second term in the Oval Office.

Penn State Behrend resides in Pennsylvania’s 16th Congressional District, and making the decision to cast your ballot on Nov. 3 will directly impact not only the future of our congressional district, but also the policies that may be implemented at a federal level. Congress serves as a check to either enable or hinder the agenda set by the executive branch.

Our staff at the Behrend Beacon interviewed both Mike Kelly, the Republican incumbent who has represented our area in Congress since 2011, and Justin Wagner, his democratic challenger. Both interviews were conducted via email. Our goal is to share both candidates’ ideas with you, the student body, so that you can make an informed decision when you cast your ballot.

A separate article has been posted to our website that includes the transcript of our interview with Mike Kelly. Below is the transcript for our interview with Justin Wagner:

Brayden: “What is your message to students who feel disengaged from politics? Why should young people vote, and why should they vote for you?”

Wagner: “I understand why young people are frustrated. They’re being told to go to college, work hard, get a good job, and build a future for themselves. But look at what they’re up against. Student loan debt that can follow them for decades. Rent that’s going up faster than anyone’s paycheck. Starter homes they can’t afford. Jobs that don’t pay enough to get ahead. And a government that keeps finding billions of dollars for wars overseas while people here are struggling to pay their bills.

“Young people deserve real investment in their futures. They deserve affordable education, good-paying jobs, clean air and water, affordable housing, and the opportunity to build a life in the communities they call home. They deserve a future where they can actually get ahead instead of spending their lives trying to catch up.

“And whether you’re paying attention to politics or not, the decisions being made in Washington affect every single one of those things.

“I’m running because I believe Congress needs more people who understand what it’s like to work for a living and who give a damn about making life better for the next generation. I’m an Army veteran, an engineer, a former union member, and a father raising four daughters here in Western Pennsylvania. I think every day about the kind of future we’re leaving our kids.

“I want young people to be able to graduate without drowning in debt, find good-paying jobs, afford a place of their own, and build a life right here in the communities they grew up in. I want them to have more opportunities than their parents had, not fewer.”

Brayden: “Should Pennsylvania welcome data center development, and what would you say about the environmental and economic concerns surrounding it?”

Wagner: “I’ve worked in automation and engineering for more than 15 years, so I understand the opportunities new technology can create. I’ve also spent enough time working on industrial projects to know that just because we can build something doesn’t automatically mean we’re building it responsibly.

“Pennsylvania has a proud history of industrial development, but we also know what happens when companies make their profits and leave communities dealing with the consequences. We cannot keep asking working families to bear the brunt of industrial pollution while corporations walk away with the benefits. That means protecting our drinking water, keeping our air clean, addressing the noise pollution these facilities can create, and making sure families aren’t stuck paying higher electricity bills to subsidize corporate expansion.

“I support a moratorium on new data centers until we have enforceable safeguards that protect our environment, our workers, and residential electricity rates. We also need serious conversations about AI’s impact on employment, privacy, and the future of education.

“I want Pennsylvania to be a leader in technology. But leadership means being responsible about what we build, where we build it, and who bears the costs. Communities deserve a meaningful say in those decisions, and companies should be held accountable for the impacts of their operations.

“Innovation should make people’s lives better, not leave them with dirtier air, higher bills, and another mess to clean up.”

Brayden: “What is your plan to address the affordability concerns facing college students and working families?”

Wagner: “People are doing the math every single day, and for a whole lot of families, the numbers just aren’t adding up anymore.

“Groceries are damn near unaffordable. Rent keeps climbing. Young people are graduating into a housing market where even getting started feels impossible. And too many people are wondering whether the education they’re paying for will lead to a job that pays enough to build a life.

“I’ve spent my career working in manufacturing and engineering, and I know how important good-paying jobs are to communities like ours.

“In Congress, my priorities include raising wages, fighting corporate price-gouging, lowering prescription drug costs, investing in affordable energy, and stopping corporate investors from buying up homes and pricing families out of their own neighborhoods.

“We also need to make higher education and job training more affordable, strengthen apprenticeship programs, and create opportunities that allow people to build careers without taking on crushing debt.

“I believe people who work hard should be able to afford a decent life. That shouldn’t be some extraordinary ambition in the richest country on Earth.”

Brayden: “Why do you think it’s time for a new generation of leadership in Pennsylvania’s 16th Congressional District?”

Wagner: “I think after nearly sixteen years in Congress, it’s fair to ask a pretty simple question: Are people in Northwest Pennsylvania better off?

“Can families afford their groceries? Can young people afford to buy their first homes? Are we creating enough good-paying jobs to keep our kids here? Are seniors feeling more secure about their retirement?

“Those are the questions I believe we should be asking of anybody who wants to represent this district.

“I also believe leadership means showing up and being willing to answer those questions, even when the answers aren’t easy. Congressman Kelly has relied on telephone town halls, but I believe constituents deserve regular opportunities to look their representative in the eye, ask tough questions, and get real answers.

“I’ve committed to holding monthly in-person town halls because the people of this district deserve that kind of access. And here’s something I think Washington forgets sometimes. That seat in Congress belongs to the people of Northwest Pennsylvania. It doesn’t belong to the person sitting in it.

“I respect public service, and I believe experience matters. But sixteen years in office should come with sixteen years of accountability. Elected officials should be judged by what they’ve delivered, the problems they’ve solved, and whether the people they represent can actually get them to listen.

“That’s the standard I believe every member of Congress should be held to, including me.”

Brayden: “What has been your favorite part about the campaign trail?”

Wagner: “Without question, it’s been meeting people across this district.

“I’ve been on front porches, in union halls, at colleges, at community events, and in conversations with people from all different walks of life. And one of the things that sticks with me is how much we actually have in common when we stop talking about politics for two minutes and start talking about our actual lives.

“I love hearing people’s stories. Hearing what makes them tick, what they’re proud of, what keeps them up at night, and what they want for their kids. And every conversation gives me a better understanding of the problems people need their government to help solve.

“People want safe schools. They want to afford their groceries, fill their gas tanks, pay for childcare, and buy a home without worrying about how they’re going to make ends meet. They want good-paying jobs, healthcare they can afford, and a future where their kids have more opportunities than they did. They want peace. They want money out of our damn politics. And they want elected officials who listen to regular people instead of always catering to the powerful.

“I grew up here, I’ve worked here, and I’m raising my family here. Every conversation reminds me how much responsibility comes with representing a place like this.

“If I’m given the opportunity to represent PA-16 in Congress, my job will be to carry those voices into Washington, make sure they’re heard, and get to work on the problems people have trusted me enough to share.”

Brayden: “What is your message to college-aged voters who will eventually become the future generation of leaders in our country?”

Wagner: “I want you to know that you don’t have to be the most important person in the room to make a difference. You have to be willing to take responsibility, do the work, and stand up for what you believe is right.

“And I think we need to rethink what leadership looks like in this country.

“Leadership isn’t about having the fanciest title, knowing the right people, or having a bunch of money behind you. Some of the best leaders I’ve ever known are the people who show up for their neighbors, volunteer in their communities, speak up when something isn’t right, and do the hard work when nobody’s watching.

“We need people with different backgrounds, experiences, and ideas helping solve the problems facing this country. And we need a political system that makes room for those voices instead of listening to the same handful of powerful people over and over again.

“I hope more people recognize that public service doesn’t have to begin with running for office. It can begin with asking difficult questions, organizing around something you care about, helping somebody in your community, or refusing to accept that a problem is too big to solve.

“And perhaps most importantly, don’t be afraid to stand up for what you believe in, even when you’re the only one standing. Doing the right thing isn’t always popular. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable. Sometimes it means being the only person in the room willing to speak up. But if you know something is wrong, don’t wait for somebody else to give you permission to say so. Some of the most important changes in our history started with ordinary people who refused to stay quiet.

“This country belongs to all of us. And its future will be shaped by people who have the courage to stand up, the conviction to keep going, and the willingness to bring others along with them.”

On behalf of the entire Behrend Beacon staff, we would like to thank Mike Kelly and Justin Wagner for their time, cooperation, and transparency. We highly encourage all eligible voters at Penn State Behrend to vote in the upcoming Midterm Elections. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3.

To find your polling place, please visit this polling place search tool provided by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.