Shuster wins 9th Congressional primary
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster of Hollidaysburg bested two challengers from within his own party Tuesday night to capture the Republican nomination.
Unofficial totals, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State website, were Shuster, 21,367, Art Halvorson, 13,968 and Travis Schooley, 5,335. Results in Washington and Greene counties mirrored this trend.
In seeking his seventh term, Shuster will face Democrat Alanna Hartzok of Fayetteville, Franklin County, in the Nov. 4 general election.
The district roughly includes the Mon Valley of Washington and Greene counties, stretching nearly from Waynesburg to Waynesboro, including parts of Indiana, Cambria, Blair, Huntington, Franklin, Fulton, Bedford, Somerset, Westmoreland and Fayette counties, curling around Johnstown.
Shuster, who came to Congress in 2001, is chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which has jurisdiction over aviation, maritime and waterborne transportation, roads, mass transit and railroads. The son of former U.S. Rep. Elmer “Bud” Shuster, he holds a master’s of business administration degree from American University in Washington, D.C.
In the 18th Congressional District, incumbent U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy was unopposed on the GOP ticket, and no one filed for the Democratic ballot.
According to unofficial results Tuesday night from the Washington County elections office, here are the results in the race for state committees.
Appearing to have won seats on the Republican State Committee were the two top female vote-getters and the two top male vote-getters. Unofficial totals were:
Sonia Stopperich, 2,678
Angela S. DeThomas, 2,496
Thomas J. Uram, 3,093
Tim Bilsky, 2,406
Jeff Foutz, 2,328
Jenny Foutz, 2,328
Karianne Bilsky, 2,237
Eric Rouillard, 2,142
On the Democratic ticket, five were to be chosen: Two women and two men plus the next highest vote-getter of either gender.
Candidates and their unofficial totals were:
Judith L. Fisher, 9,896
Madge Finney, 7,315
Robert E. Fisher, 6,679
Clifton L. Cochran, 5,171
Nancy J. Ellis, 7,287
Alan Benyak, 5,048
George W. Vitteck Jr., 4,825
Charles A. Crouse, 4,537
In Greene County, voters from the major parties will each elected a single candidate.
David Coder of Franklin Township was the lone Democrat who filed, and received 2,884 votes.
On the GOP ticket, three candidates filed petitions.
Their totals were:
Elizabeth McClure, 507
James A. Minor, 438
John Shaffer III, 186