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Neuman en route to Washington County judicial nomination

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State Rep. Brandon Neuman was wondering Tuesday night if he might have a much shorter commute to work.

Instead of driving to Harrisburg, would his destination be the Washington County Courthouse?

“We appreciate a good campaign, a strong campaign from other candidates,” Neuman said while greeting supporters at Houston American Legion Post 902 as unofficial returns started appearing from the Washington County elections office.

“We went straight to people’s doors and straight to people’s porches, and we spoke to them about the issues of Washington County, how I believe the justice system can be better to handle those issues, and how I’m most prepared out of all the candidates to handle those issues.

“We took it right to the voters, and hopefully tonight, it will show.”

The final, unofficial results did not appear until approximately 12:15 a.m.

With all 176 precincts tabulated, Neuman had a Democratic nomination sewn up with 38 percent of the vote. Assistant District Attorney Kristin Clingerman was second with 24 percent.

The Republican nomination, however, hung in the balance. The raw vote difference was a mere 44 on the GOP side, with more than 300 absentee ballots yet to be counted on Wednesday. Neuman had 2,742 GOP votes to Melograne’s 2,698.

“This is a very close race,” said Melograne’s campaign spokesman Mike Mikus. “We are going to wait to see what the results are when they count the absentee ballots befoire making any other official statement.”

The raw vote totals were, Democratic, Neuman, 5,869; Clingerman, 3,711 Melograne, 2,690; Kurowski, 2,105; and Hatfield-Wise, 753.

Neuman said by phone late Tuesday, “We’re very, very optimistic.”

Although awaiting the outcome was nerve-wracking for Neuman’s friends and family, but he said that, as a veteran campaigner, he was remaining calm.

“It was something that’s expected in a five-way race countywide.”

Four of the five candidates were from the Route 19 corridor: Melograne from Peters, Neuman from North Strabane, Clingerman from South Strabane and Hatfield-Wise from Amwell Township.

“I think in any race you look to your base and your hometown first, and being from North Strabane and going to Canon-McMillan, you look to them for your support first. And if you don’t have the support there, it’s not even worth running, but I believe that I’ve had very strong support on both sides of the aisle on the 19 corridor and in my hometown.”

Speculation was also rampant last fall that if a statewide referendum passed, upping judges’ retirement age to 75 from 70, it would broaden the field of candidates. The referendum question was approved, but a large spate of candidates failed to materialize.

Recent Washington County judge races have been known to produce fields of 10 candidates or more, especially when there is more than one open seat. There was some speculation that because Neuman, elected to the legislature in 2010, was so well known that it may have kept many hopefuls from throwing hats into the ring.

Judges run for 10-year terms and their salaries are pegged at $178,868. Melograne, according to campaign finance forms filed with the state, was the only local judicial candidate whose spending reached the six-figure mark.

Melograne, the only one of the five who has been a judge, was appointed by then-Gov. Ed Rendell to fill a vacancy on the Washington County bench due to the death of Judge Mark Mascara in 2010. Melograne failed to secure a Democratic nomination when he ran in 2011 against Gary Gilman, who went on to defeat Republican Lane Turturice in the fall of that year.

Although all the Washington County judicial candidates cross-filed, Melograne was in the unusual position being a Democrat coming from heavily Republican Peters Township.

Hatfield-Wise, the only registered Republican in the race, was making her first run for public office.

Washington County row officers and a GOP recorder of deeds challenger were running unopposed in their respective primaries for that office, sheriff and controller. With 143 precincts reporting, there were 325 write-in votes on the Republican ticket for controller and 690 write-ins for sheriff, but even a rough count of anyone dominating the races could not be compiled by press time. In a primary, a candidate must garner at least as many votes as the number of signatures required for a valid nominating petition.

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