Only one of four state senators who represent the Times News area in Harrisburg, Sen. David Argall of Lake Hauto, is up for re-election this time around.

A Republican, Argall is unopposed in the April 23 Primary Election, but will face opposition in November from Democrat John Zugarek, of White Haven, who is also unopposed for his party’s nomination to the 29th Senatorial District seat.

The situation is a bit unusual in that Argall has represented Carbon County for the past two years, even though he never received a vote for the position from Carbon County voters. That’s because the county was moved to the district from the 14th Senatorial District under the redistricting process that took effect in 2023.

Argall was in mid-term of a four-year stint at the time and was not up for re-election, and simply began representing Carbon because the state moved the district boundaries.

Argall, who continues to represent all of Schuylkill County as well, is seeking his fifth four-year term in the senate, having been first elected in a 2009 special election following the passing of Sen. James J. Rhoades, defeating Democrat Steven M. Lukach. In 2012, the last time in which he faced opposition, he defeated Democrat Tim Seip, a former state representative from Washington Township, Schuylkill County.

Zugarek, meanwhile, is a professor at Marywood University, Scranton, and a councilman in White Haven Borough. He previously ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the state House of Representatives.

In addition to all of Carbon and Schuylkill counties, the district now includes parts of Luzerne County, including Bear Creek, Buck, Dennison, Foster and Hazle townships, the City of Hazleton and the boroughs of Bear Creek Village, Freeland, Jeddo, Penn Lake Park, West Hazleton and White Haven.

Meanwhile, the other three senators who represent the Times News area are in the middle of their four-year terms and are not up for re-election.

Each of them won their seats in 2022. They include: Sen. Rosemary M. Brown, who won the 40th District seat over Jennifer Anne Shukaitis and succeeded Sen. Mario Scavello; Sen. Jarrett C. Coleman, who knocked out longtime Sen. Pat Browne in the Republican primary election and then defeated Democrat Mark E. Pinsley to win the 16th District seat; and Democratic Sen. Nicholas P. Miller, who defeated Republican Dean N. Browning top win the 14th District seat and succeeded Sen. John Yudichak, who retired at the time his district boundaries were changed.

A Pennsylvania senator’s base salary is $106,422. In addition, a senator received $181 for each day he or she is in Harrisburg, and is reimbursed 65.5 cents per mile.