Staff writer

lritzer@observer-reporter.com

Longtime Democratic legislator Peter J. Daley crushed two challengers in Tueday's primary and appears headed to another term as the 49th District representative.

Daley, a 26-year incumbent from California, took 69 percent of the vote according to unofficial results, while Barbara Reis of North Charleroi had 23 percent and Randy Barli received 8 percent.

Because there is no Republican on the ballot, Daley, 57, is assured of a 14th term, provided no independent or write-in candidate surfaces.

The sprawling district runs from Fayette County, through the Mon Valley and across southern Washington County to the West Virginia line.

With 62 of 65 precincts reporting, Daley had 8,465 votes, while Reis had 2,783 and Barli received 1,033.

"We're extremely pleased," Daley said late Tuesday.

Daley said he believed this was the highest percentage of the vote he had ever received when he had a challenger. While voter anger over a legislative pay raise caused many incumbents trouble in 2006, that was not the case Tuesday, as Daley had hoped.

"You never know," he said. "You work hard, and you hope it pays off."

Reis, 55, of North Charleroi, is the borough tax collector and manager of an optometrist's office. She was making her first try for a legislative seat and focused her race on the need for economic development in the district, particularly in the Mon Valley. Her husband is a steelworker who will lose his job when Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel's Allenport mill closes.

Barli, 52, of Coal Center, who was running against Daley for the third time, was critical of money mismanagment and irresponsibility in state government and said he presented voters with the chance for change.

But Daley, who is chairman of the House Commerce Committee, pointed to his efforts to bring money to the district and his work to get the Mon-Fayette Expressway completed.

Incumbent state Reps. David Levansky, 39th District; John Maher, 40th; Jesse White, 46th; and Tim Solobay, 48th, are unopposed for re-election.

State Rep. Bill DeWeese was unopposed for the Democratic nomination in the 50th District but will face Republican Greg Hopkins in November. State Sen. John Pippy was unopposed for the Republican nomination in the 37th Senatorial District but will face Democrat Amy Jude Schmotzer in November.

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