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The following districts have no contested primary races (incumbents are listed in boldface): • 8th, Dick Stevenson (R); no Democrat filed. • 12th, Daryl Metcalfe (R); no Democrat filed. • 16th, Sean M. Ramaley (D); no Republican filed. • 19th, Jake Wheatley (D); no Republican filed. • 22nd, Chelsa Wagner (D); no Republican filed. • 23rd, Dan Frankel (D); no Republican filed. • 28th, John Henry (D); Mike Turzai (R). • 32nd, Anthony DeLuca (D); no Republican filed. • 33rd, Frank Dermody (D); Eileen Watt (R). • 36th, Harry Readshaw (D); no Republican filed. • 40th, John Maher (R); no Democrat filed. • 44th, Mark Mustio (R); no Democrat filed. • 45th, Nick Kotik (D); no Republican filed. • 48th, Timothy Joseph Solobay (D); no Republican filed. • 54th, John E. Pallone (D). • 55th, Joseph A. Petrarca (D); no Republican filed. • 56th, James E. Casorio Jr. (D); Joel Reiter (R). • 57th, Thomas A. Tangretti (D); Steve Schaefer (R). • 60th, Jeff Pyle (R); no Democrat filed. |
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The following is a rundown of contested primary races in Western Pennsylvania House districts.
All 203 state House seats are up for election this year.
Primary day is Tuesday. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Reports on the races in the following districts appeared yesterday: 10th, 11th, 14th, 15th, 20th, 21st, 24th and 25th.
These districts have no contested primary races: 8th, 12th, 16th, 19th, 22nd, 23rd, 28th, 32nd, 33rd, 36th, 40th, 44th, 45th, 48th, 54th, 55th, 56th, 57th, 60th.
27th District
Three challengers have made 26-year incumbent Tom Petrone's long tenure and acceptance of last summer's controversial pay raise the main issues in the Democratic primary in the 27th District.
Mr. Petrone, 68, D-Crafton Heights, voted in favor of the pay raise, took the money and donated it to help projects in his district; voted to rescind the raise; and is repaying the money he received.
One of his opponents, Mike Galovich, called the pay raise "a betrayal of trust." Mr. Galovich, 46, of Crafton Heights, is a supervisor in the Allegheny County register of wills office.
Dan Cindric, 56, an engineer and Crafton councilman, wants state government to do more of its business in public. He also supports term limits and campaign finance reform.
Frank Liberatore, 79, of Ingram, wants to eliminate school taxes by raising the state sales and income taxes. Mr. Liberatore ran unsuccessfully against Mr. Petrone as a member of the Reform Party in 2000.
Mr. Petrone cites his seven terms as minority chairman of the Urban Affairs Committee and his support for establishment of the Regional Asset District and Pennsylvania's Keystone Opportunity Zone program, the new David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Heinz Field, PNC Park and the rehabilitation of the Fort Pitt Bridge and Tunnels.
The Democratic winner will face Bill Ogden, 45, of Crafton, who is unopposed for the GOP nomination.
-- Ed Blazina
30th District
Three Republicans are running for the nomination for the seat formerly held by state Rep. Jeff Habay, who resigned in February after he was convicted of using his state office staff to do campaign work on state time.
The candidates are Mike Dolan, 26, of O'Hara, vice president of a company that provides and services private jets; Frank Perman, 44, a Shaler funeral director; and Randy Vulakovich, 55, a retired Shaler police sergeant.
Mr. Dolan lost a close special election last month to Democrat Shawn Flaherty to fill the seat through the end of the year.
Mr. Dolan believes the Legislature may be ready to make significant changes in the way it operates after last summer's pay raise controversy. He favors cutting the size of the Legislature, changing pensions and other benefits for lawmakers and eliminating "walking around money" that legislators use to fund their favorite projects.
Mr. Perman would like to reduce the size of the Legislature, pay members $100,000 a year with no benefits and limit House and Senate members to eight years in office.
Mr. Vulakovich favors increased funding for schools, freezing school taxes for senior citizens and cutting $450 million a year in business taxes.
The campaign has been particularly bitter, with candidates criticizing Mr. Dolan's criminal record for alcohol-related offenses while he was in college and Mr. Vulakovich for changing his registration from Democrat to Republican in 2004. Mr. Perman described the campaign as "a full-contact sport."
The Republican winner will square off against Mr. Flaherty in November.
-- Ed Blazina
34th District
Democratic voters in the 34th District will have clear choices with a four-term incumbent, a longtime member of the Woodland Hills School Board and a PA CleanSweep candidate all vying for the party nomination.
For incumbent Rep. Paul Costa, 46, property tax reform is the number one issue in his district and across the state.
Changing the tax structure while funding schools is a complicated issue, the Wilkins resident said. Over the past 30 years, legislators have not been able to come up with a plan that works for everyone's situation, Mr. Costa said.
He has been endorsed by the Allegheny County Democratic Committee.
Marilyn Messina, 59, knows about school issues.
The Edgewood resident teaches fifth grade and mathematics and reading classes in the Penn Hills School District. She is also in her fifth term on the Woodland Hills school board.
She'd like to see changes in school funding, too, since she knows funding schools principally through property taxes is a burden on many taxpayers.
"It's time to go to a different level," she said.
Steve Karas, a 36-year-old physical therapist, is running under the PA CleanSweep banner, an organization dedicated to ousting General Assembly incumbents. The organization formed last summer as a result of voter anger over the pay raise, which was later repealed.
The Forest Hills resident said the current Legislature is expensive and far too large. As representatives of the people, legislators should be more in tune to what voters want and be more accountable for their votes, he said.
The district includes Braddock, Braddock Hills, Chalfant, Churchill, East McKeesport, Edgewood, Forest Hills, North Braddock, North Versailles, Rankin, Swissvale, Turtle Creek, Wilkins and a portion of the city of Pittsburgh.
James P. Carr, 60, of Swissvale, is unopposed for the Republican nomination.
-- Judy Laurinatis
35th District
Throughout a contentious campaign for the 35th District seat, incumbent Marc Gergely's handling of the pay raise has been a central issue raised by his opponent, Allegheny County Clerk of Courts George F. Matta II.
Mr. Gergely voted against the pay raise on July 7, accepted it with plans to set up a scholarship program, and on Aug. 5 became the second lawmaker in Western Pennsylvania to say he would decline the raise.
Even though Mr. Gergely was a "no" vote on July 7, Mr. Matta has tried to capitalize in his campaign on the anti-incumbent fever aimed at the Legislature.
Mr. Gergely, 36, of White Oak, is a former legislative aide and former McKeesport Area School District director who is seeking his third term. He says the primary is a referendum on how well he has done his job.
Mr. Matta, 49, of White Oak, is a former Duquesne mayor, a longtime business owner and founder of West-to-West, a Mon Valley revitalization organization. His clerk of courts job is being eliminated at the end of 2007.
Both men are well-known Mon Valley politicians who claim they have fostered economic development. They both support increasing the minimum wage and want to use gambling revenues to eliminate residential property taxes.
The district includes Duquesne, East Pittsburgh, Homestead, Lincoln, Munhall, South Versailles, Versailles, Whitaker and White Oak and parts of Elizabeth Township, McKeesport, North Versailles and West Mifflin.
-- Jan Ackerman
38th District
In the 38th District, incumbent Kenneth W. Ruffing, who is seeking his fifth term, has been targeted in the Democratic primary by two candidates -- a political newcomer and a veteran West Mifflin politician.
William C. Kortz II, 51, of Dravosburg, an operations manager at the U.S. Steel Irvin Plant, is the PA CleanSweep candidate who decided to launch a campaign after watching General Assembly incumbents, including Mr. Ruffing, vote themselves a pay raise on July 7.
Mr. Kortz said he is campaigning on a program of government reform that includes reducing the size of the Legislature and setting term limits.
C.L. "Jay" Jabbour, 73, who is self-employed in the accounting field, is a former West Mifflin councilman who has run for the Legislature at least five times. He resigned his seat on Allegheny County Council to run against Mr. Ruffing.
Mr. Ruffing, 39, who served eight years on West Mifflin council before winning the House seat, said he's worked closely with Gov. Ed Rendell on education issues and property tax reduction and is focusing on a bill to help homeowners who suffer from landslides.
He voted for the pay raise and took it, but later voted to repeal it. He now admits that he shouldn't have voted for the raise, but said he hopes the public "won't judge me on that one issue."
The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican Daniel J. Davis, 41, of West Mifflin, a senior environmental project manager, in the general election.
The 38th District includes Dravosburg, Glassport, Liberty, Pleasant Hills, Port Vue and parts of West Mifflin, Baldwin Borough and McKeesport.
-- Jan Ackerman
39th District
In the 39th District race, chiropractor Robert E. Rhoderick Jr., who is a member of the PA CleanSweep campaign, is hoping to unseat longtime incumbent David Levdansky.
It is the first run for public office by Mr. Rhoderick, 35, a Democrat from Elizabeth Township. He has taken a leave of absence from his job to run.
Mr. Levdansky, 51, a Democrat from Forward, is seeking his 12th term.
Mr. Rhoderick said he is running because Mr. Levdansky has not represented the district well and has not brought enough money from Harrisburg back to the district. He supports reducing the size of the Legislature and reducing the perks like cars and fully-paid health insurance that legislators receive.
Mr. Levdansky said he has a solid record of bringing state money back to his district and has sponsored legislation to reform the Legislature throughout his career.
Though the CleanSweep group has targeted lawmakers that voted for or received the controversial pay raise last summer, Mr. Rhoderick said the raise was not a major issue in his campaign.
Mr. Levdansky pointed out that he did not vote for the pay raise and did not take it.
Mr. Levdansky has criticized Mr. Rhoderick for not voting, claiming that he could find no evidence that his opponent ever voted.
Mr. Rhoderick acknowledged that he hadn't voted in at least 10 years, but said that he did vote in some elections when he was younger and worked on some Democratic campaigns. He said he didn't vote in the past because he didn't think one vote "would make a difference," but now believes that each vote counts.
-- Mary Niederberger
42nd District
The primary race in the 42nd District, which includes Mt. Lebanon, Green Tree, Rosslyn Farms, Thornburg and portions of Scott and Bethel Park, pits Republican incumbent Tom Stevenson against two newcomers, Mark Harris and Daniel A. Hackett, both of Mt. Lebanon.
Mr. Harris, 21, who is about to graduate from George Washington University with a degree in political science, is a conservative Republican and self-employed Web site designer.
A 2003 graduate of Mt. Lebanon High School, he is affiliated with the PA CleanSweep movement.
His priorities are reducing taxes, especially income, property and corporate income taxes.
Mr. Hackett, 49, a self-employed financial planner and certified public accountant, describes himself as more moderate.
His goals are reducing the size of the Legislature, increasing lobbyist disclosure and putting all legislative compensation changes up for referendum.
Mr. Hackett emphasizes that he is not a politician but an ordinary citizen who wants to effect change.
Mr. Stevenson, 53, of Mt. Lebanon, is completing his fifth term.
He said top-notch constituent outreach service has been a hallmark of his term.
He also touted his work on the hero scholarship bill, his securing of increased funding for libraries and tax credits for movies that film in Pennsylvania, and his rejection of a commuter tax for suburbanites.
He estimates 15 of his bills have become law.
While he did vote for the legislative pay raise, he said he was one of the first to give it back.
Property tax reform is at the top of his re-election agenda.
The Republican winner will face Matthew Smith, 33, of Mt. Lebanon, who is unopposed in the Democratic primary.
-- Laura Pace
46th District
Democrats Jesse White and Paul Walsh are squaring off in the 46th District, where incumbent Rep. Victor Lescovitz, D-Midway, is retiring at the end of the year.
Mr. White, 27, a former Cecil supervisor, is making a second run for the seat while Mr. Walsh, 42, a Burgettstown councilman, is trying for the first time. With Mr. Lescovitz stepping down and the controversial pay raises revoked, the candidates are focused on other issues. Both are lawyers.
If there is one issue that resounds with both candidates, it is schools and how they are funded.
There is a serious lack of equality among districts, Mr. White said. To rectify that, he proposes countywide school districts in which no current district could opt out. He also favors a law mandating a certain percentage of a district's budget to be spent on students.
While Mr. White endorses property tax reform and lowering real estate taxes in particular, he said there is no "magic plan" to eliminate them. The answer lies in compromise and nonpartisanship, something to which Mr. White has pledged himself if elected.
Mr. Walsh also believes education is a key issue in the race. The state should take on more responsibility in part by raising funding to a minimum of $9,000 per pupil. To that end, he suggests several funding sources: tapping into anticipated gaming revenue, raising the earned income tax on high wage earners and expanding or increasing the state sales tax.
Paul Snatchko, 29, of McDonald, is unopposed for the Republican nomination.
-- Lynda Guydon Taylor
49th District
Rep. Peter J. Daley, D-California, faces a record number of challengers for his seat in the 49th District this year, but the opposition says it's issues, not last year's controversial pay raise, that spurred them into the race.
Mr. Daley, 55, is seeking his 13th term in the district, which encompasses much of the Mon Valley, southern parts of Washington County and portions of Fayette County.
He cites his work in bringing the district $120 million of grants and loans for projects, including the $57 million Mon-Fayette Expressway.
In the Democratic primary, he will face off against Randy J. Barli, 51, of Coal Center, a former coal miner and business owner, and James F. Rohaley, an 80-year-old World War II veteran from West Pike Run who favors the elimination of property tax through shifts in the state sales and wage taxes. Mr. Barli seeks changes in the state public education system.
Squaring off for the GOP nomination will be Edward S. Angell, a 38-year-old nurse from Carroll, and Nate Nevala, a 22-year-old board member of the California Area School District from West Pike Run.
Mr. Nevala said he will promote better infrastructure and employment opportunities in the district, while Mr. Angell favors a long-term plan to retain and create business.
-- Janice Crompton
50th District
It's been years since H. William DeWeese has faced a serious challenge in the 50th District, but this could be the year.
Mr. DeWeese, 56, has represented the district since 1977 and is the Democratic leader in the House. He has used his position as one of the state's most powerful Democrats to push through statewide legislation like expanded gambling and help fund dozens of projects in the district. Frequently he has been re-elected without opposition.
But he also was a leading proponent of last summer's legislative pay raise and could suffer repercussions at the ballot box.
Robert Danko, Fayette County treasurer who lives in Masontown, is challenging Mr. DeWeese in the primary. Mr. Danko, 74, who has been treasurer since 1990, is running as part of PA CleanSweep, a group pushing to oust all incumbents.
Mr. DeWeese won't have clear sailing if he survives the primary because two Republicans also want his seat.
Richard A. Yeager, 58, of Jefferson, has been the Republican chairman in Greene County for six years. He said his business experience as terminal manager for a trucking firm has prepared him for Harrisburg.
Greg Hopkins, 34, of Morris, is the elected auditor for the township and plays professional Arena Football for the Los Angeles Avengers. He promises to restore integrity to state government.
-- Ed Blazina
51st District
The decision by state Rep. Larry Roberts, D-Uniontown, to retire at the end of the year has drawn three Democrats and two Republicans to the race to replace him.
Mr. Roberts has been a controversial figure since he took office in 1993.
The Democrats seeking to replace him are: Gary Gearing, 50, of Uniontown, a real estate developer; Tim Mahoney, 49, of South Union, a businessman and former county jury commissioner; and Vincent A. Vicites, 45, of Uniontown, a Fayette County commissioner for 10 years.
On the Republican side, the contenders are Harry F. Hughes, 75, of Uniontown, an engineer, and John "Sonny" Mikita III, 36, owner of an antique business and a certified real estate appraiser.
52nd District
James E. Shaner, D-Lemont Furnace, has been a popular figure since he took office in 1995, but his age of 69 and recent heart bypass surgery caused him to announce his retirement.
Mr. Shaner's decision caused a near-stampede of candidates to run for the 52nd District seat: eight Democrats and two Republicans.
The Democrats are George P. Bozek III, 47, of Franklin, a township supervisor for 18 years; Marigrace Butela, 47, tax collector in Dunbar; Tim Carson, 35, former Scottdale mayor and restaurant operator; Harry Y. Cochran of Connellsville, who previously served in the House in 1979-82; Deberah Kula, 57, a former district judge in Union Township; John H. Lowery III, 35, of Jefferson;; Gerald D. Lucia, 60, of Mount Pleasant Borough, who served as mayor for 20 years; and Judy Reed, 61, of Connellsville, a retired schoolteacher.
The Republican candidates are William Earnesty, 34, of Dunbar, a cable technician for a defense contractor, and Richard A. Grimaldi, 60, a dentist from Dunbar.
-- Ed Blazina
58th District
Incumbent Democrat Ted Harhai of Monessen may have the party endorsement and dozens of campaign signs along the roadsides of the 58th District, but competition is hot for the Democratic nomination for the seat he's held since 1998.
The challengers are Bernard Sarra, 42, a member of Monessen City school board, and Jodie Goughnour, 38, of East Huntingdon, who won the nod of PA CleanSweep and the "Run Baby Run" initiative for women candidates.
All three claim to be reformers, and, like many incumbents, Mr. Harhai, 51, is on the defensive this year. He missed the vote on the legislative pay raise last year, and did not accept the money. But he was accused last year by a former staffer of instructing her to lie to investigators looking into suspected fraud in a run for a Monessen city council seat by Mr. Harhai's brother. Mr. Harhai called his challengers "a couple of people who haven't worked in a while."
Ms. Goughnour, for 10 years a technician at the New Stanton Sony plant until a layoff put her out of work, said "regular, common working people" are fed up with Harrisburg scandals, and she wants to be part of the "climate change" that will sweep regular people like her into office.
Mr. Sarra said his family has for generations been part of the Democratic scene, but he's not afraid to redistrict himself out of a job. He called the present Legislature "an absolute joke," and promised to keep himself clear of Harrisburg's corrupting influences while pushing for 101 House districts instead of the present 203.
Pete McConnell of Rostraver is unopposed for the GOP nomination.
-- Rebekah Scott
59th District
Jess Stairs, 63, was first elected to the Legislature when Jimmy Carter was elected president. Unlike President Carter, Mr. Stairs was re-elected. He is in his 15th term.
This primary, Mr. Stairs, a Republican from Mount Pleasant, has two challengers: Robert E. Helterbran Jr., 62, of Ligonier, and Kathy Marks, 41, of Mount Pleasant.
Mr. Stairs, a farmer and former teacher, gave up both of those professions to be a legislator.
Mr. Helterbran, a native of Virginia, moved to Pennsylvania in 1995 and is serving his second term as a Ligonier borough councilman. He owns his own contracting business.
This is Mrs. Marks' first foray into politics. She is a territory manager, handling sales accounts for Colker Co.
All of the candidates oppose gun control and gay marriage. They also oppose abortion, though Mr. Stairs and Mr. Helterbran would allow exceptions to save the life of the mother and in cases of incest and rape.
-- Ann Belser
Correction/Clarification: (Published May 16, 2006) Scott Witon is a Republican candidate for state representative in the 54th District. His Web site is www.witonnow.com and his campaign telephone number is 724-448-0566. His name was omitted from the Voters Guide candidates list on May 7, 2006 and this May 10, 2006 Guide erroneously reported that Jason D. Fularz was unopposed for the Republican nomination in the 54th District.
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