PITTSBURGH — The elections for which party will control the state House and state Senate in the Keystone State this cycle will likely have a more profound impact on Pennsylvanians’ daily lives, their futures, and the futures of their children and grandchildren than the presidential contest.

Rich Fitzgerald, the chief executive of Allegheny County and a Democrat, said state legislators are the ones making long-lasting impacts as they work with offices such as his to rebuild communities and make them better places to live with funding for infrastructure, education, state parks, and conservation projects. “Political party differences are left out of the discussion when working on these projects because these individuals are the ones who craft significant impacts like economic development and transportation in your community,” Fitzgerald said.