Westmoreland Dems seeking new leadership for party committee

Westmoreland County Democrats will have new leadership in this presidential election year after the party committee’s top two officials resigned in the last month.

Party chairwoman Rachel Shaw notified committee members this week she will step down Jan. 27 for professional reasons. The committee’s vice chairman Paul Adams resigned in December.

Shaw, a business agent for the Service Employees International Union Local 668, in a news release said she has taken a job as mediator with the state’s Department of Labor and that civil service rules prevent her from holding an elective office with a political committee.

“This is a great opportunity for me professionally to advance my career in labor relations,” Shaw said. “It’s bittersweet that taking this position means I will be stepping down from leadership in the county party, but I know the committee is in very capable hands and will continue to do great things in every corner of Westmoreland County.”

Once the dominant political party in the county, Democrats have seen their grip on power slip in the last two decades, having lost a series of state and national elections and watched as Republicans amassed win after win in local and county races. And Republicans last year overtook the Democrats’ once large edge in registered voters.

According to the elections bureau, there are 102,361 registered Democrats compared to 106,770 Republicans. Just two decades ago, Democrats held a nearly 3-1 edge in registered voters over Republicans.

Democrats also continued the party’s recent struggles at the ballot box when last year they lost a majority on the county’s board of commissioners.

With the leadership upheaval, the party’s appointed secretary, Annie Briscoe, was in line to serve as interim chairwoman but declined for family reasons. Committee treasurer Tara Yokopenic of Unity will assume the interim chairwoman position. Committee member Dan Harshberger of Ligonier was appointed to serve as treasurer.

A reorganization meeting will be held in May to elect a new executive team, Briscoe said.

“I think we will see a lot of volunteers remain active. I’m hopeful and confident our committee members will stay involved,” Briscoe said.

Yokopenic could not be reached for comment.

Tom Balya, a former Westmoreland County commissioner who was instrumental in the party’s successes during the 1990s and early 2000s, said Shaw’s resignation is a chance for the party to reset.

“With the state the party is in now, there is only one direction to go and it’s up. The bottom fell out after last year’s commissioners’ race. I hope somebody is willing to step up,” Balya said.

Balya, who retired in 2012 after serving four terms as county commissioner, said he isn’t interested in a party leadership role.

Commissioner Gina Cerilli, who sued party leadership two years ago claiming she was prevented from participating in the appointment of committee members, said she wants to see the local Democrats move towards the political center.

Cerilli last year fronted a coalition of what she called “moderate Democrats” to run for county offices. Her slate of candidates produced just two victories, her successful re-election and that of new Sheriff James Albert.

“Past boards of leadership did not recognize that voters in Westmoreland County are moderate. We need to separate ourselves from the ultra-liberal socialist views of the national Democrat Party. Given the right leadership and adopting a more conservative stance, I am sure the Democratic party will positively move forward and continue to fight for the working middle class,” Cerilli said.