On Monday, Allegheny County Republicans chose Erin Connolly Autenreith as their nominee to fill the State House seat vacated by Sara Innamorato. Erin Connolly Autenreith is the chair of the Shaler Republican Committee and a local RE/MAX real estate agent. Autenreith’s parents held elected office in McKees Rock, both as Democrats. Erin Connoly Autenreith has labeled herself a “middle-of-the-road, very realistic person”.
An examination of Autenreith’s social media accounts reveals a history of extreme far-right and alt-right beliefs including anti-trans and anti-vaccination sentiments and confirming and defending her attendance in Washington, D.C. for the January 6, 2021 insurrection in an attempt to overthrow the results of the 2020 election in favor of Donald Trump.
In a Facebook post on January 7, 2021, Erin Autenreith admits that she was in attendance at the insurrection in Washington, D.C. the day before in support of President Donald Trump’s attempts to overthrow the results of the 2020 election.
On May 6 of this year, Autenreith reshared a Facebook post from a “John Blakley” in support of an anti-trans sports bill. An analysis of the “John Blakley” account reveals that it is consistent with a Russian troll account created in August of 2020 that has shared thousands of alt-right and misinformation memes.
On December 29, 2021, Erin Connolly Autenreith shared misinformation to her followers suggesting that gargling Listerine twice a day would be sufficient in battling COVID-19.
On June 22, 2022, Autenreith shared a graphic from known anti-vaccination group “Informed Choice Connecticut”. The graphic in question makes a false equivalency between vaccination and peanut allergies among other misinformation. “Informed Choice Connecticut” was formed in May 2019 and dissolved in December 2019, three full years before Autenreith chose to reshare its misinformation.
Erin Connolly Autenreith will face Democrat Lindsay Powell in the September 19 special election to fill the 21st House District seat recently vacated by Sara Innamorato. Innamorato recently resigned from the seat to concentrate on her campaign as the Democratic nominee for Allegheny County Executive.
A call to Erin Connolly Autenreith’s campaign and her RE/MAX Select Realty office in McCandless Crossing was not immediately returned.