Fike decides against campaign for commissioner
Former Fayette County controller Harry J. Fike dropped out of this year’s race for county commissioner just before the deadline Wednesday, narrowing to five the field in the May 20 Democrat primary. Fike, contacted at his Penn State Auto Sales business in Uniontown, said he decided to withdraw from the race largely because other contenders surfaced to challenge the incumbents. In particular, Fike cited the entry of former state Sen. J. William Lincoln of Connellsville.
“When I did file my petition to run, I was told that nobody was going to run against the commissioners and basically there was going to be the same commissioners for the next four years,” said Fike. “That’s what got me fired up to run again.”
However, Fike said that once he discovered that Lincoln was serious about running, he decided to pull out of the race, reckoning that Lincoln would give the voters an alternative to incumbents Vincent A. Vicites and Sean M. Cavanagh.
“Now that I see with Vince putting in the paper that he’s got over $150,000 that he wants to spend and (that) Sean has $100,000 to spend … now that Mr. Lincoln’s running they’re going to get a chance to spend their money,” said Fike.
“I wasn’t going to spend $100,000 to be commissioner, on a ‘maybe.’ I wouldn’t want to take that risk.”
In addition to incumbents Cavanagh and Vicites and challenger Lincoln, the Democrat field includes incumbent Ronald M. Nehls and Vincent Zapotosy of Uniontown, a former aide to U.S. Reps. Austin J. Murphy and Frank Mascara.
But Fike said he mostly bowed out in deference to Lincoln, whose candidacy he practically endorsed.
“I have no desire to battle with Mr. Lincoln. And I’m sure that he’s going to do a good job … I think he would do a very good job as a commissioner,” said Fike, who also mentioned that Republican Joe Hardy would also make a fine addition to the commissioners’ office.
“I think it’s going to be a very interesting election, with Mr. Hardy and Mr. Lincoln in it. I really do,” said Fike. “I’m a Democrat, but Joe Hardy has had the president at his house.”
Fike’s verbal pairing of Lincoln and Hardy fits in with a theory that’s gained momentum in political circles – GOP candidate Dave Lohr brands it “the word on the street” – that attempts to make a connection between the two challengers that crosses party lines.
However, Lincoln has said that he’s running as part of any team, the same position that Hardy has taken through campaign manager Kim Ward.
Fike said that another reason he kept his candidacy alive until the last minute was because he’d heard rumors of Lincoln running before, rumors that never came true. Fike said that when he found out that Lincoln was staying in the race, he decided to bow out.
“I’m really shocked that Bill Lincoln stayed (on the ballot). That was another reason I waited (to nearly the deadline to withdraw),” said Fike, who added that he now plans to focus his attention on the re-election of Fayette County District Attorney Nancy Vernon.
“I’m going to try to concentrate on helping Nancy Vernon win her election. I’m going to put my efforts to that,” said Fike.
According to a source at the Fayette County Election Bureau, Fike was the only commission candidate to drop out of the race by the deadline.