Nov 7, 2017 2 min read

A five-term incumbent fought off a Republican challenger Tuesday in her bid to retain the Washington County recorder of deeds office.

Debbie Bardella, 62, a resident of the Mon Valley community of Speers, has worked in the row office nearly continuously since graduating from Avella High School. She bested James Roman, 46, of Peters Township, who’s working on a PhD and is licensed to sell real estate 18,730 to 15,212, according to unofficial returns from the Washington County elections office with all 176 precincts reporting.

Bardella could not immediately be reached for comment.

Roman, whose past included a withdrawn criminal trespass charge in Texas and lifetime bar as a financial broker, was making his first run for public office.

Bardella was the sole Washington Countywide candidate on the ballot Tuesday who had an opponent. Democrats Brandon Neuman and Samuel Romano wrapped up both the Democratic and Republican nominations in May for the sixth seat on the bench and sheriff, respectively. Incumbent County Controller Michael Namie won only the Democratic nomination for a fifth, four-year term, but no independent or announced Republican write-in mounted a campaign.

Neuman will have to resign his seat in the State House before countywide candidates take their oaths of office in early January.