Incumbent Westmoreland County Commissioners Sean Kertes and Doug Chew finished in the top two spots on the Republican ballot Tuesday to secure nominations to seek second terms in office this fall.

With all 307 precincts reporting, Kertes and Chew defeated three challengers seeking to end their tenures as the Republican majority on the board of commissioners.

Kertes had nearly 34% of the vote and topped the GOP ticket. Chew had 21% of the vote to win the party’s second nomination. Challenger John Ventre received almost 19% and finished the race about 1,500 votes behind Chew. Paul Kosko had 15%, and Patricia Fritz had 11% of the vote.

“I couldn’t be more excited,” Kertes said from his campaign party Tuesday night at All Saints Brewery in Hempfield. “We want to continue the majority we have in place and move Westmoreland County in a new direction for future generations.”

Democrats Ted Kopas and Sydney Hovis were unopposed and will continue their campaigns this fall against Kertes and Chew. The top three vote-getters in the November election will win seats.

Results are unofficial until certified by the county elections board.

Kertes and Chew ran coordinated campaigns this spring and were endorsed in February by the county’s Republican committee. GOP Chairman Bill Bretz filed unsuccessful lawsuits that sought to have Ventre and Kosko removed from the primary ballot.

Kertes, 36, of Greensburg has served as the board chairman since 2020. He campaigned on a platform of economic and workforce development and touted successes that included passage of programs to remove blight from local communities and economic successes.

Chew, 53, of Hempfield previously worked as a biochemist before he took office in 2020. Chew serves as chairman of the county’s prison board and campaigned on his backing of a reorganized human services department and enhanced mental health services for county residents.

“I am happy that the residents of Westmoreland County want to continue the positive trajectory and success of the last four years,” Chew said in an email late Tuesday night.

Ventre, Kosko and Fritz also were defeated in their bids for commissioner four years ago in the Republican primary.

Ventre, 66, of Hempfield, a retired security divisions manager at UPS, was critical of Chew during the campaign, claiming he reneged on a pledge made four years ago to donate 60% of his $90,000 commissioners salary to pay for the county’s drug court.

“They did everything they could to defeat us,” Ventre said of the Republican committee’s backing of the incumbents. He also continued his campaign attacks against Chew. “If you voted for Doug Chew, you deserve Doug Chew.”

Kosko, 62, of Hempfield, a retired computer systems manager for the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County, claimed during the campaign that Kertes was inappropriately influenced by officials who operated the water and sewer company.

Commissioners appoint authority board members.

Fritz, 68, of Mt. Pleasant Township, served as a Westmoreland County deputy sheriff until she was fired by commissioners in 2018.

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