Republicans, Democrats run separate races for county commissioner, but both parties want to win control

Westmoreland County’s next board of commissioners will have a similar look, as three of the four candidates running want as little change as possible.

Tuesday’s election features two incumbents and the chief of staff of retiring Commissioner Charles Anderson along with a challenger who is vying for his first elected office.

The incumbents are Gina Cerilli and Ted Kopas, both Democrats. The other candidates are Republicans Sean Kertes, who has been Anderson’s chief of staff for the last three years, and Republican Doug Chew, a biochemist. The four candidates are seeking the three available seats on the board.

The Republicans are attempting to win back a short-lived GOP majority created in 2012, the first time in six decades. Four years later, Democrats seized back the majority on the board of commissioners.

The candidates are running separate campaigns. Both Cerilli and Kopas have separately defended their records, touted economic development gains, budget management and a level tax rate. Kertes has campaigned on his insider status working for Anderson, as well as experience as a deputy county treasurer. Chew called himself a political outsider with real business experience who wants to change what have been conventional norms in how county government operates.

Cerilli, 33, of Hempfield is seeking her second term as a commissioner.

“We still have so much more to do. Westmoreland Manor was a top priority for me and it has been brought back on track,” Cerilli said. Her focus in a new term is to continue support for senior citizen programs, enhancement of workforce development plans to lure jobs to the county and a push to fight the ongoing opioid epidemic.

Kopas, 46, of Hempfield was appointed commissioner in 2010 and then elected to a full term a year later. He was reelected in 2015.

“I am proud of my work as as a county commissioner, and I have a record to prove it,” Kopas said.

He touted his management of the county budget and his support of a tax rate that has remained unchanged for more than a decade. Kopas also touts the county’s economic development successes during his time in office, enhancement of social service programs and creation of a comprehensive plan that is expected to serve as a blueprint to attract population and job growth.

Kertes, 33, of Greensburg said he wants to continue Anderson’s work but also set his own agenda that includes job creation and fiscal restraint over the county’s $300 million budget.

“One of the biggest things I bring to the table is that I understand the numbers and the actual budget. I understand what a commissioner does and what he can do,” Kertes said.

Chew, 49, of Hempfield worked in a medical lab at the University of Pittsburgh and now operates his own grant-writing consulting firm. He said his outsider status is needed in county government.

“I bring a strong sense of fiscal conservatism and fiscal experience. I think the people of Westmoreland County deserve a non-career politician who is honest and transparent and brings integrity to the office of Westmoreland Commissioner,” Chew said.

Separate but supportive

Despite the independent nature of the campaigns, the candidates concede there are some areas where they agree. For example, Cerilli and Kopas shortly after the last election implemented a project labor agreement that gives preference to union firms for lucrative construction jobs. Kertes and Chew have come out against the agreement.

On the campaign trail, Cerilli has distanced herself from Kopas, describing herself as a “moderate” Democrat and said she won’t discuss an endorsement of any of her opponents.

“I am not liberal, and I am not going to team up with someone who is more liberal than me,” Cerilli said of Kopas.

Kopas said he doesn’t anticipate the political gulf between him and Cerilli to impact the outcome of the race.

“We are all trying to get out our vote,” Kopas said.

Rachel Shaw, chairwoman of the county’s Democratic Committee, said she has observed no issues between the candidates. The committee supports Cerilli and Kopas equally, she said.

“We focus on electing and supporting all Democrats, regardless how they feel about each other. I see no problems here, so we’re good. We ask voters to vote for all of the Democratic candidates,” Shaw said.

The Republican candidates also are operating independent campaigns. Throughout the spring primary and into this fall, Chew criticized Kertes for his insider role in county government. He has continued taking him to task for receiving campaign donations from county vendors and others who are affiliated with government-related boards and authorities.

Chew, in turn, has self-funded most of his campaign.

Despite those differences, Chew said he wants to see both Republicans win next week.

“I am a Republican, and I prefer all the other Republicans, including Sean and myself, win,” Chew said.

Kertes agreed. “I’m pushing the Republican slate for party unity,” Kertes said.

Republican Committee Chairman Kerry Jobe said he views the Chew and Kertes campaigns as a unified effort.

“As far as we are concerned, they are a team. We want to have a Republican majority on the board,” Jobe said. “This is a real-world situation in that they didn’t have a prior working relationship, so they’ve had to define who they are first. They are both fiscal conservatives and, when they are both on the board, they’ll start to see eye-to-eye on things.”