Meet McKayla Kathio, a 23-year-old native of the Pittston area stepping onto the political stage in the race for Pennsylvania’s 118th House District. Kathio is the daughter of a respected Pittston-area veterinarian, tragically losing her father in 2023. 

Despite her youth, Kathio says she has prior experience in political circles, citing internships with the Republican Party of Pennsylvania and Jim Bognet, a former Trump administration employee. Kathio says she interned for the Party from 2019 to 2021, and Bognet for Congress from 2021 to January 2022. Kathio has also documented interactions with prominent figures such as Eric Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz, and U.S. Senate candidate David McCormick on her social media.

Kathio attended Scranton Preparatory School before earning her bachelor's degree from the University of Scranton in 2022, followed by an MBA in 2023. During her time at the university, she participated in efforts to establish a Turning Point organization.