Upsets appear unlikely as voters go to polls
Local voters will have an opportunity to make a mockery of the polls and pundits when they visit the polls today. Rarely has there been a local election where the favorites are so clear cut as this one, but the candidates themselves will be the first to admit that nothing’s certain until voters actually go in and mark their ballots.
Still, this is an election where any upset will be difficult as the front-runners in the various races have tremendous advantages over their challengers.
It all starts at the top with the race for governor. Former Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell upset Auditor General Robert Casey Jr. in the Democratic Primary last spring and he’s continued his juggernaut this fall with an impressive campaign against his Republican foe, state Attorney General Mike Fisher.
By all accounts Rendell is far ahead of Fisher in the polls. While Rendell warns about complacency, Fisher can only hope that he’s helped by his underdog status and is somehow able to pull a victory out at the last minute.
Lagging far behind in the race are Ken Krawchuk of the Libertarian Party and Michael Morrill of the Greene Party.
The trend of heavy favorites continues in the two local congressional races. In the 12th congressional district, Democratic incumbent John Murtha (D-Johnstown) is expected to easily defeat Republican challenger Bill Choby. This is the fifth time that Choby has run against Murtha and if it goes as the others have gone, Murtha will win handily.
Murtha defeated U.S. Rep. Frank Mascara (D-Charleroi) in a bitter primary campaign last spring. The two were forced to run against each other after the Republican dominated state legislature put the pair in the same district as the result of reapportionment.
Republican incumbent Bill Shuster of Hollidaysburg is also expected to win big in his re-election bid against Democratic challenger John R. Henry of Breezewood. While it’s possible Henry could win in Fayette County, where Democrats still reign, Republicans rule the roost in many of the other 13 counties which make up the far-flung congressional district.
Shuster also benefits from his name recognition, being the son of Bud Shuster who held the congressional seat for many years before retiring in 2001. Bill Shuster won a special election to replace him in May of that year and is seeking his first full term in this election.
The 9th district covers mainly the eastern part of Fayette County along with parts of Cambria, Clearfield, Cumberland, Indiana, Mifflin, Perry and Somerset counties and all of Bedford, Blair, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon and Juniata counties.
The 12th district includes the western part of Fayette County along with all of Greene County and parts of Washington, Westmoreland, Armstrong, Cambria, Clarion, Indiana and Somerset counties.
On the state level, there’s only one contested race for the state legislature and it also pits an heavily-favored incumbent against an underfinanced challenger. That race is in the 51st district where Democrat Larry Roberts is running against Republican Joe Sabatini. Roberts is seeking a fifth term in the state House of Representatives while Sabatini has failed in two previous runs for tax collector in South Union Township. Both are residents of South Union Township.
Running unopposed locally are state Sens. Richard Kasunic (D-Dunbar) and J. Barry Stout (D-Bentleyville) and state Reps. Peter J. Daley (D-California), H. William DeWeese (D-Waynesburg), James Shaner (D-Dunbar), Ted Harhai (D-Monessen) and Jess Stairs (R-Acme).
There’s also a referendum on the ballot but again the result is expected to be one-sided. Voters are being asked to allow the state to incur debt of up to $100,000,000 to establish a program to help volunteer fire and emergency services. The referendum doesn’t establish a program, rather, the general assembly must enact a law establishing a program to improve the delivery of the services. Approval of the ballot question would authorize the general assembly to borrow up to $100,000,000 to fund the program.
While the details of the proposal still have to worked out, firefighters and emergency service workers are expected to turn out in droves for the measure and spur it onto victory. With the spending involving a bond issue instead of a tax hike, most local residents are also expected to vote in favor of the measure. No organized opposition to the referendum surfaced during the campaign.
The polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.