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Bibiana Boerio The Only Woman Running For Congress In Western Pa.

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Six of Pennsylvania's 18 congressional districts are in western Pennsylvania.

And all the candidates, Republican and Democrat, are men with one exception.

A Westmoreland County woman is running for Congress here.

Her name is hardly a household one, but Bibiana Boerio -- or Bibi, for short -- hopes voters in Westmoreland, Washington, Greene, and Fayette counties will remember her name on election day.

The Democrat is the only woman running for Congress in western Pennsylvania.

"After Seton Hill and Pitt business [school], I joined Ford Motor Company, and I started as an entry level accountant," said Boerio, whose name rhymes with Oreo. "Thirty-two years later, I retired as one of the top thirty women in the company."

Boerio grew up in Westmoreland County in the 14th Congressional District unlike her opponent, Republican Pennsylvania Sen. Guy Reschenthaler, who lived outside the district in Allegheny County until he moved to Washington County a couple months ago.

"I was born and raised in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. My dad was a skilled tool and die maker at Kennemetal. My mom was a housewife," Boerio said.

Bibiana Boerio
(Photo Credit: KDKA)

The problem for Boerio is that while Democrats outnumber Republicans in the 14th District, many of these Democrats voted for Donald Trump in 2016, which explains, says Boerio, why Reschenthaler identifies with Trump.

"His billboards say pro-Trump agenda. His biggest donors are GOP politicians and corporations, who only want one thing -- more money for themselves," she said.

So at rallies and campaign events, Boerio tells voters that electing Republicans to Congress will hurt working people and senior citizens.

"If the GOP takes back the House and Senate, affordable health care, social security, Medicare, Medicaid, and union rights, they're all back on the table," she said.

Of course, Republicans deny that.

Boerio does not emphasize her gender.

She knows that her election depends on Democrats voting Democratic.

If they do that, she wins.

But if pro-Trump Democrats support Reschenthaler, as many expect, this is a tough race for her. The district supported Trump by 28 points.

KDKA-TV will have Reschenthaler's perspective later this week.

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