Manderino enters race for familiar state House seat
A name synonymous in Monessen with state politics has entered the race for the state Houses seat that has been held by a Monessen resident for nearly 50 years.
Jim Manderino II announced his candidacy for state representative in the 58th Legislative District.
Manderino is the grandson of former state House Speaker James J. Manderino, who served in the district from 1969 until his death in 1989.
The candidate’s aunt Kathy Manderino, also a Monessen native, is the state secretary of Labor and Industry. She served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing 194th District in Philadelphia from 1993 through 2010.
Asked about his grandfather, Manderino said his only memories were of the House Speaker teaching him to play ball at an early age in the city.
“I believe my grandfather would be proud of me,” Manderino said.
Manderino said he is studying the varying communities in the district to learn their unique needs before setting goals for the position.
“It comes down to what I want to accomplish. If I win, how can I do a good job for the people of the district?”
Manderino works as a project manager at the City Mission in Washington, Pennsylvania.
He earned a bachelor of science degree in mathematics from the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
A lieutenant in the Navy Reserve, Manderino served in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2013 as an Operations Officer.
“I want to get a fair deal for the people of the 58th District,” Manderino said.
“My goal is to be a good servant. I want to know what they’re dealing with so when they call and say, ‘Jim, can you help me?” I can make sure that government works better for them.”
Manderino’s announcement comes a week after state Rep. R. Ted Harhai announced he will retire at the end of the year rather than seek re-election. Harhai, a Monessen Democrat, has served since 1998.
Elected mayor of Monessen in 1997, he was approached shortly after by the Westmoreland County Democratic Committee to seek the 58th Legislative District seat vacated by the death of then-State Rep. Herman Mihalich.
In a special runoff election Feb. 3, 1998, he was elected to fill the remainder of Mihalich’s term and by year’ end was elected to the first of nine successive terms.
Manderino is expected to be joined on the Democratic slate by West Newton Mayor Mary Popovich, who announced this week she is a candidate for the seat.