Party leaders convene to select nominees for 41st Senate district vacancy

Democratic and Republican committee members from a four-county area will meet this weekend to select candidates to run in a special election to fill the remaining term of former state Sen. Don White.

White, R-Indiana, resigned from the seat he has held since 2001 at the end of February, leaving nearly two years in his unexpired term. The district spans northwestern Westmoreland County, a portion of Butler County and all of Indiana and Armstrong counties.

Last week, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman announced that balloting to fill White’s unexpired term will be held during the May 21st primary. A spokeswoman for the Department of State said officials have yet to set a deadline for nominees for the special election to be placed on the ballot.

The seat has been vacant since White’s Feb. 28 resignation.

Democrats will meet at noon Sunday at the West Kittanning Firehall to select a candidate.

Two Democrats have announced they will seek the party’s nod. Indiana University of Pennsylvania professor Susan Boser, 62, who made an unsuccessful run for Congress last fall against incumbent Republican Glenn Thompson, and Indiana restaurateur Tony DeLoret , 57, who ran against White in 2016, have said they want to run for the seat.

On the GOP side, Joe Pittman 42, of Indiana, a longtime aide to White, has said he will run.

Republicans are scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. March 21 at the Lenape Heights Golf Resort in Ford City to select their nominee.