Ziccarelli surges to win Westmoreland district attorney race over Peck

For the first time in more than a quarter century, Westmoreland County will have a new top prosecutor.

With 100% of the county’s 307 precincts reporting Wednesday morning, Republican Nicole Ziccarelli erased an early lead held by six-term Democratic incumbent John Peck and claimed the race for district attorney.

Peck moved out to an early 6,000-vote lead by virtue of first 12,700 mail-in ballots reported by county election officials. Totals from votes cast in person on Election Day saw Ziccarelli steadily narrow the gap. With more than a third of the vote counted, she moved into the lead.

Ziccarelli won with 57.6% of the vote to 42.3% for Peck. The margin reflected a 13,195 edge in votes for the Republican challenger. Vote totals are unofficial until verified by the county election bureau.

Speaking from the Republican party at Stratigos Banquet Centre in North Huntingdon, Ziccarelli declared victory shortly before midnight.

“We feel wonderful,” Ziccarelli said. “I think the most important thing to know is I won this race as a Republican, but I will be district attorney for everyone.”

Peck conceded the race shortly after 12:30 a.m. but had yet to speak with Ziccarelli.

“It’s clear from the votes she’s won,” Peck said. “She ran an excellent campaign and I congratulate her for her efforts. I can’t feel disappointed and I feel gratitude I was able to serve the people of Westmoreland County as the district attorney and as an assistant district attorney for 40 years.”

Ziccarelli, 40, of Lower Burrell works as a private practice attorney with a focus primarily on family court cases. She previously worked as a clerk for judges in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties. After law school, she interned with the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office and worked for a Pittsburgh-based criminal defense firm.

Ziccarelli will become the county’s first female district attorney and first Republican in recent memory to hold the office.

Republicans were looking Tuesday to take control of the last three Westmoreland County row offices held by Democrats.

Fresh off a razor-thin defeat last fall for the state Senate, Ziccarelli operated an aggressive campaign against the longtime incumbent in which she promoted herself as the change needed in the prosecutor’s office and as someone who would improve relations with local police departments.

As of mid-October, the Ziccarelli campaign outspent Peck’s reelection bid by a nearly 10-to-1 margin.

Peck, 74, of New Kensington has served as district attorney since he was appointed by county judges to fill a vacancy in 1994. He was elected to his first full term in 1997. Peck campaigned on a message of experience and highlighted his courtroom work over the last two-plus decades, where he served as the lead prosecutor in most of the county’s high-profile trials, including multiple death penalty cases.