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Incumbents dominate in other districts

Wednesday, November 06, 2002

By Milan Simonich, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

Republicans picked up the open congressional seat in Western Pennsylvania last night as Tim Murphy rolled to victory.

He defeated Democrat Jack Machek in the new 18th District. It covers the South Hills and western end of Allegheny County, and much of Washington and Westmoreland counties.

	State Sen. Tim Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair, heads to the podium at the Westin Convention Center last night to thank supporters after his victory over Democrat Jack Machek for the House of Representatives seat in the newly created 18th District. Murphy's wife, Nan, is at right. (Annie O'Neill, Post-Gazette)

Murphy, a state senator from Upper St. Clair, dominated in Allegheny County. He also carried Machek's home county of Westmoreland.

A 50-year-old child psychologist, Murphy says he will be one of just a dozen or so health-care professionals in Congress.

"People are tired of inside-the-beltway bashing and politics," Murphy said to supporters at the Westin Convention Center hotel, Downtown. "Obviously it is time we had a psychologist in Congress."

Machek, 34, had a Democratic voter registration edge of about 70,000 in the district, but he saw many of them defect to Murphy.

Bill Priatko, a Democrat in Machek's hometown of North Huntingdon, was one of them. Priatko said he voted Republican based on Machek's biographical claims, which he considered suspect.

Machek described himself as "an active duty" veteran of the U.S. Army and regularly mentioned his appointment to the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. Critics such as Priatko said Machek implied in campaign fliers that he graduated from West Point.

Machek attended the academy for two years before leaving because of illness. His time in school at West Point was his only military service.

	Results Unofficial results for Pennsylvania U.S. House of Representatives

Machek said he was proud of the race he ran and of his cadre of campaign volunteers.

He said his overriding message -- the need for a balanced federal budget to restore health to the economy -- captured the imagination of many voters.

But, he said, Murphy had too much of a bankroll for him to overcome.

"We were outspent seven or eight to one," Machek said.

He estimated he spent $100,000 on the race, compared to about $800,000 by Murphy.

Murphy said both sides ran positive campaigns. He thanked Machek for a gentlemanly race.

Murphy's election to Congress will create an opening for his state Senate seat. That district is heavily Republican. Already being mentioned as possible successors to Murphy are two Republican state legislators, Reps. John Maher of Upper St. Clair and John Pippy of Moon.

Here's a roundup of other congressional races across the region.

4th District

Republican Melissa Hart, an incumbent in her first term, routed Democrat Stevan Drobac Jr.

Hart, 40, dominated in the northern suburbs of Allegheny County and she carried Beaver County, Drobac's home base.

"This is awesome," Hart said in greeting supporters at the Hampton Banquet Hall in Richland. "I traveled today through five of the six counties in my district, and I found that people want solutions -- no political garbage, no nepotism."

In addition to Allegheny and Beaver, the district includes all of Lawrence and parts of Butler, Mercer and Westmoreland counties.

Hart was familiar to many voters after two years in Congress and 10 before that in the state Senate.

Drobac, 50, could not overcome her name recognition. A retired Center police officer now employed as a flight attendant for US Airways, he was making his first run for federal office.

3rd District

	Online Graphic: House of Representative contests around the U.S.

Republican incumbent Phil English defeated Green Party candidate AnnDrea Benson.

English, 46, of Erie, has been a member of Congress since 1995. Running as an overwhelming favorite, he declined to debate Benson or make appearances with her.

Benson, 60, a lawyer and arbitrator from Edinboro, said she ran to offer voters a choice. Democrats did not bother to field a candidate.

9th District

The Shuster dynasty continued.

Republican Bill Shuster, who succeeded his father, Bud, in Congress, easily won re-election to a second term.

He defeated Democrat John Henry, who operates a diner off the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Shuster, 41, of Hollidaysburg, made quick work of Henry, also 41, a political unknown who ran a shoestring campaign.

Bud Shuster represented the district for 28 years before resigning, then watching his son succeed him.

The district covers all of Bedford, Blair, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon and Juniata counties, and parts of Cambria, Clearfield, Cumberland, Fayette, Indiana, Mifflin, Perry and Somerset counties.

12th District

Democratic Rep. John Murtha felt like he was in a rerun. He defeated Republican Bill Choby for the fourth time.

Murtha, 70, has been a congressman since 1974. He barely had to campaign to prevail over what Choby, a dentist, acknowledged was token opposition.

Like Murtha, Choby, 51, hails from Johnstown. He said he ran against impossible odds because he does not believe Murtha has been effective in rebuilding an economy that was once based on steel.

The district covers parts of Armstrong, Cambria, Clarion, Fayette, Indiana, Somerset and Westmoreland counties.

14th District

Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Swissvale, was unopposed. His newly redrawn district was so heavily packed with Democrats that Republicans did not bother fielding a candidate.

The district covers Pittsburgh and parts of the Mon Valley.

Other races

Other parts of Pennsylvania were host to some of the nation's most competitive congressional races.

Rep. Tim Holden, D-Schuylkill County, edged past Rep. George Gekas, R-Harrisburg, in a race between two sitting Congressmen for the 17th District seat.

In the 13th District, U.S. Rep. Joseph Hoeffel, D-Montgomey, was in a tight race with Republican Melissa Brown.

An even closer race was playing out in the 6th District between state Sen. Jim Gerlach, R-Chester, and Dan Wofford, son of former senator Harris Wofford.

Staff writers Len Barcousky and Timothy McNulty contributed to this story.

Milan Simonich can be reached at msimonich@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1956.