Mar 7, 2018 4 min read

Two open seats in the state Legislature have drawn a host of hopefuls in districts that include communities in Washington and Allegheny counties.

State Rep. Rick Saccone, 60, of Elizabeth Township is the Republican candidate for Congress in the March 13 special election, so primary battles on both the Republican and Democratic ballots for his 39th District seat are shaping up.

Saccone won the legislative seat in 2010, and he’s now facing Democrat Conor Lamb of Mt. Lebanon and Drew Gray Miller, a Libertarian from Pittsburgh, in the contest to replace former Congressman Tim Murphy, who resigned amid an adultery scandal, until the end of the year.

Democrats hoping to succeed Saccone are Edward H. Eichenlaub and Barbara Shah, both of Bethel Park, and Robert E. Rhoderick Jr. of Elizabeth Township. Republicans are Michael J. Puskaric of Elizabeth Township and Thomas Alan Kirsch of Bethel Park.

The 39th Legislative District, includes Wards 2, 3 and 9 in Bethel Park plus other southern Allegheny County communities and Union, Nottingham and Somerset townships and Finleyville in Washington County.

The seat in the 40th Legislative District is being vacated by state Rep. John Maher, 59, of Upper St. Clair, who announced he won’t be seeking an 11th, two-year term. Maher, after a drunken driving arrest June 13, was admitted to a program for first offenders. He has accepted an appointment as a fellow with Cambridge University in England.

The candidates who have filed include Democrat Sharon M. Guidi of Peters Township and Republicans Paul J. Dixon, Bethel Park, James Roman, Peters Township and Natalie Nicole Mihalek Stuck, Upper St. Clair.

The district includes Upper St. Clair and the remaining six wards in Bethel Park, Allegheny County, and Peters Township, Washington County.

March 6 was the filing deadline for those planning to run for U.S. Senate and state office this year in the May 15 primary.

Republicans have appealed a redistricted map for U.S. Congress to the federal courts, so the filing deadline for Congressional candidates has been extended to March 20.

Here is a list of candidates who have filed in Harrisburg as of Tuesday, 6:15 p.m. and the public offices they’re seeking:

U.S. Senate

Democrat, Robert P. Casey Jr., Scranton; Republicans, Louis J. Barletta, Hazleton, James J. Christiana III, Brighton, Beaver County, Joseph Vodvarka, Robinson Township, Allegheny County.

Governor

Democrat, Tom Wolf, York County; Republicans, Scott R. Wagner, York County, Laura Ellsworth, Paul Mango, both from Allegheny County.

Lieutenant Governor

Democrats, Kathleen M. Cozzone, Chester County, John K. Fetterman, Allegheny County, Craig E. Lehman, Lancaster County, Raymond Sosa, Montgomery County, Michael Stack and Nina Ahmad, Philadelphia, Aryanna Berringer, Butler County; Republicans, Joseph C. Gale and Jeffrey A. Bartos, Montgomery County, Marguerite Luksik, Lehigh County, Diana Irey Vaughan, Washington County, and Kathleen Ann Coder, Allegheny County.

State Senate

The 46th Senatorial District includes all of Washington County except Peters Township; all of Greene County and six communities in southern Beaver County.

Democrat, James R. Craig, North Strabane Township; Republican, Camera Bartolotta, Carroll Township.

15th Legislative District

Includes Beaver County and western Washington County. Democrat, Alexander Andres, Beaver Borough; Republican, Joshua D. Kail, Beaver Borough.

46th Legislative District

In Washington County includes Canton, Cecil, Mt. Pleasant, Robinson and Smith Townships, Burgettstown, McDonald and Midway; in Allegheny County, Collier and South Fayette townships, Bridgeville, Heidelberg and Oakdale.

Democrat, Byron Flavin Timmins and Rueben Brock, Cecil Township; Republican, Jason Ortitay, Cecil Township.

48th Legislative District

Includes Chartiers, North Franklin, North Strabane and South Strabane townships, Washington, Canonsburg, East Washington and Houston.

Democrat, Clark A. Mitchell Jr., South Strabane, Joseph Zupancic, North Strabane; Republican Timothy Jon O’Neal, South Strabane

49th Legislative District

In Washington County includes Carroll, Fallowfield, North Bethlehem and West Bethlehem, West Pike Run townships, Monongahela, Allenport, Beallsville, Bentleyville, California, Charleroi, Coal Center, Cokeburg, Deemston, Donora, Dunlevy, Elco, Ellsworth, Long Branch, Marianna, New Eagle, North Charleroi, Roscoe, Speers, Stockdale, Twilight, West Brownsville.

Democrats, Randy J. Barli, Coal Center, Steven M. Toprani, Monongahela; Republican Bud Cook, West Pike Run Township.

50th Legislative District

Includes all of Greene County, Centerville and East Bethlehem, Washington County. Democrat, Pam Snyder, Morgan Township; Republican, Elizabeth L. Rohanna McClure, Franklin Township.