# Abigail Salisbury

Abigail Salisbury is an American politician who represents the 34th district in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives since 2023. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

## Early life and education

Salisbury was born in Ohio, but moved to Pennsylvania in grade school. She graduated from Fairview High School in 2000. Salisbury attained a bachelor of arts degree from Case Western Reserve University in 2004 and a juris doctor and a Master of Public Policy and Management (M.P.P.M.) from the University of Pittsburgh in 2007 and 2013, respectively.

## Career

An attorney, Salisbury ran a low cost law firm representing nonprofits and small businesses. She was also a First Amendment law professor at the University of Pittsburgh and the executive director of the university's legal news and research service. Salisbury previously taught international human rights law in Kosovo and Ethiopia.
From 2018 to 2022, Salisbury served on the borough council of Swissvale, Pennsylvania. She served as council president during her final two years.
In 2022, Salisbury challenged incumbent State Representative Summer Lee in the Democratic primary election. Despite being endorsed by the local Democratic committee, Salisbury was defeated by the incumbent. After Lee was elected to the United States House of Representatives that same year, Salisbury ran in the 2023 special election to fill Lee's vacancy. She defeated Republican Party candidate Robert Pagane. In conjunction with two other simultaneous special elections, Salisbury's victory affirmed Democrats' one-seat majority in the State House following the 2022 election. In 2024, Salisbury faced a primary challenge from Ashley Comans, a progressive ally of Lee. Despite Comans outraising Salisbury and earning the endorsements of Lee, Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, and Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato, Salisbury defeated Comans 65%-35%. She faces no opposition in the general election.

## Political positions

Salisbury supports legalizing marijuana and psilocybin. She identifies as pro-choice. Salisbury opposes fracking and wants stricter standards for charter schools.

## Personal life

Salisbury is Jewish. Both her and her husband are involved in their congregation. She identifies as bisexual and is on the autism spectrum.

## Electoral history

2017 Swissvale council Democratic primary election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Abigail Salisbury | 799 | 21.90 |
| | Democratic | Julie A. Grose (incumbent) | 748 | 20.50 |
| | Democratic | David Petrarca (incumbent) | 629 | 17.24 |
| | Democratic | Michele Kotula Stanton (incumbent) | 528 | 14.47 |
| | Democratic | Martin F. Busch (incumbent) | 512 | 14.04 |
| | Democratic | Sean L. Ruppert | 413 | 11.23 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 19 | 0.52 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 3,648 | 100.00 |
2017 Swissvale council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Abigail Salisbury | 1,296 | 25.09 |
| | Democratic | David Petrarca (incumbent) | 1,287 | 24.92 |
| | Democratic | Julie A. Grose (incumbent) | 1,275 | 24.69 |
| | Democratic | Michele Kotula Stanton (incumbent) | 1,248 | 24.16 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 59 | 1.14 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 5,165 | 100.00 |
2021 Swissvale council Democratic primary election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Abigail Salisbury (incumbent) | 1,091 | 21.58 |
| | Democratic | Shawn Alfonso Wells | 1,034 | 20.45 |
| | Democratic | Joshua Miser | 640 | 12.66 |
| | Democratic | Angela D. Stribling | 598 | 11.83 |
| | Democratic | Martin F. Busch | 506 | 10.01 |
| | Democratic | Frank Berry | 489 | 9.67 |
| | Democratic | Fred Lee Quinn III | 434 | 8.58 |
| | Democratic | John Wilson | 237 | 4.69 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 27 | 0.57 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 5,056 | 100.00 |
2021 Swissvale council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Abigail Salisbury (incumbent) | 1,488 | 23.04 |
| | Democratic | Shawn Alfonso Wells | 1,415 | 21.91 |
| | Democratic | Joshua Miser | 1,315 | 20.37 |
| | Democratic | Angela D. Stribling | 1,299 | 20.12 |
| | Republican | Martin F. Busch | 487 | 7,54 |
| | No Affiliation | Brandon Mahler | 432 | 6.69 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 21 | 0.33 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 6,457 | 100.00 |
2022 Pennsylvania House of Representatives Democratic primary election, District 34 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Summer Lee (incumbent) | 9,168 | 65.59 |
| | Democratic | Abigail Salisbury | 4,767 | 34.11 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 42 | 0.30 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 13,977 | 100.00 |
2023 Pennsylvania House of Representatives special election, District 34 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Abigail Salisbury | 10,282 | 87.60 |
| | Republican | Robert Pagane | 1,416 | 12.06 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 39 | 0.33 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 11,737 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |
2024 Pennsylvania House of Representatives Democratic primary election, District 34 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Abigail Salisbury (incumbent) | 8,111 | 62.86 |
| | Democratic | Ashley Comans | 4,756 | 36.86 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 36 | 0.28 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 12,903 | 100.00 |