Westmoreland County Commissioner Kim Ward yesterday won an overwhelming endorsement from the county's Republican Committee in a race for state Senate.

Ms. Ward is running to replace first-term GOP Sen. Robert Regola III, of Hempfield. Mr. Regola, who was elected in 2004, announced last week that he was pulling out of the race.

Ms. Ward will face Democrat Tony Bompiani in the November general election.

Don Benson, of Latrobe, was the only other candidate to seek the party endorsement. The vote was 117-6 for Ms. Ward.

Mr. Regola withdrew from the race Monday, claiming news media bias and expectations of a negative campaign following the July 2006 suicide of his neighbor, Louis Farrell, 14, who used the senator's gun.

Mr. Regola was acquitted in July of perjury and gun charges connected with the death. He faces a civil suit brought by the teen's family.