Ross Commissioner and Democrat Dan DeMarco is attempting a write-in effort in the state's 40th senatorial district race next month, in advance of challenging state Sen. Jane Orie, R-McCandless, in the fall.

Ms. Orie is the only candidate on the ballot for the seat, but now that Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. has charged her with using state resources for political activities, Democrats are scrambling to get a candidate on the ballot. Democratic committees from Allegheny and Butler counties are joining forces to get 500 voters to write-in Mr. DeMarco's name May 18.

Mr. DeMarco, 45, has been a Ross commissioner for 11 years and is an attorney for a Carnegie consulting firm. He unsuccessfully ran against Ms. Orie in 2002, when she also may have been using her state office to campaign, he said.

"After reading the [grand jury] presentment it was clear why I was at such a disadvantage" in 2002, he said at a news conference this morning.

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