November ballot to feature plenty of contested races for Westmoreland County voters

November’s general election in Westmoreland County will likely look much different than the relative calm of this month’s primary as a slate of incumbent lawmakers finally will face challenges.

The county’s elections board on Wednesday precertified primary results. Barring any unexpected protests, they become official July 1.

No write-in candidates for any key offices secured enough votes to win spots on the fall ballot, leaving some incumbent state lawmakers unopposed in November, Elections Bureau Director Beth Lechman said.

“No one received the 300 write-in votes needed,” Lechman said.

The spring campaign season, quiet because of the slew of uncontested races and the coronavirus pandemic, is expected to heat up this fall, led by the presidential election as well as local Congressional, state House and Senate incumbents who are being challenged.

State Sen. Kim Ward, R-Hempfield, will seek her fourth term representing the district that accounts for much of Westmoreland County. She will face Democrat Tay Waltenbaugh, the retired head of Westmoreland Community Action. The once heavily Democratic district has, like the county as a whole, shifted to the GOP.

Republicans hold a voter registration edge of more than 9,000 in the Senate district, according to the Department of State.

“This will be the first time I am running for a seat in a registered Republican district,” Ward said.

According to her most recent campaign finance reports, through May 18, Ward had more than $220,000 in the bank for the race. Waltenbaugh’s campaign listed a balance of nearly $17,000. On Wednesday, he said that has since grown to about $50,000.

“I feel pretty good about where we’re headed,” Waltenbaugh said.

Meanwhile, Republicans also will attempt to hold on to the state House seat in the 58th District, which it secured for the first time in decades in a March special election when Eric Davanzo defeated Democrat Robert Prah Jr.

They will face each other again in November, which is expected to be a continuation of the heated race that saw Davanzo secure 53% of the vote following a campaign filled with negative advertising financed by the state political parties.

Prah said he expects to benefit from the name recognition he earned last spring as well as Davanzo’s performance in office since March. He said he intends avoid a negative tone in the campaign.

“There will be zero attacks from me because I can’t attack him on anything because he’s never done anything,” Prah said.

Davanzo could not be reached for comment.

Democrat Joe Petrarca of Washington Township will seek his 14th term in office representing the 55th District against Republican Jason Silvis.

Incumbent state Sen. Joe Pittman, R-Indiana, will face Democratic challenger Anthony J. DeLoreto in a district that includes Bell, Export, Loyalhanna, Murrysville, Upper Burrell and Washington Township.

Incumbent Sen. Jim Brewster, D-McKeesport, will be challenged by Republican Nicole Ziccarelli in the 45th District that includes Allegheny Township, Arnold, Lower Burrell, New Kensington and Vandergrift.

Incumbent Republican Ryan Warner will face Democrat Harry Young Cochran in the 52nd House district that primarily is based in Fayette County but also includes Scottdale and part of East Huntingdon.

Republican state House incumbents Bob Brooks (Murrysville), George Dunbar (Penn Township), Eric Nelson (Hempfield) and Mike Reese (Mt. Pleasant) are unopposed.

It’s been a decade since an incumbent state legislator was defeated in Westmoreland County.

County voters will also have contested races for U.S. Congress. Voters in the 13th District, which includes nine other counties stretching from Westmoreland to Adams, will choose between first-term incumbent John Joyce, R-Blair County, and Democrat Todd Rowley, a retired FBI agent from Donegal Township.

Incumbent Republican Guy Reschenthaler, R-Peters Township, is being challenged by Democrat Bill Marx, a Delmont councilman.

Republicans hold a 109,236 to 102,472 voter registration edge in Westmoreland County.

Ward said that advantage is good news for her and all Republicans candidates.

“None of use Republicans are going to lose in Westmoreland County,” she said.