Mahoney wins in 51st District
With all precincts reporting, Uniontown businessman Timothy S. Mahoney was leading Fayette County Commissioner Vincent A. Vicites Tuesday by more than 1,000 votes and was apparently on his way to winning the Democratic nomination for the 51st Legislative District. According to unofficial election results, with 105 out of 105 Fayette County precincts reporting, Mahoney received 3,560 votes, compared to 2,502 votes for Vicites. Uniontown businessman Gary Gearing finished third with 1,521 votes.
The men were vying for the nomination to fill the seat being vacated by State Rep. Larry Roberts, D-South Union, who opted not to seek an eighth term.
Mahoney, 49, ran in the fall 2004 election as an independent, and finished in second place behind Roberts by 1,800 votes.
Mahoney has listed his top goals as elimination of property taxes, cutting the size of the legislative delegation in half, bringing jobs to the area and working toward completion of the Uniontown to Brownsville link of the Mon/Fayette Expressway. He has also stressed the need for elimination of property taxes.
While Vicites accused Mahoney of running a negative campaign, Mahoney said he was not running a negative campaign, he was simply referring to Vicites record when he called him the highest taxing Fayette County commissioner in history. Vicites, serving in his third term as commissioner, repeatedly said he took a vow not to run a negative campaign.
During debates leading up to the primary, Mahoney took jabs at both Vicites and Gearing, criticizing Vicites for raising taxes and boosting his own salary and was critical of Gearing not paying property taxes on the Fayette Building, which is in the Keystone Opportunity Zone.
Mahoney has said he will take a pay cut, and would be against keeping State Rep. H. William DeWeese, D-Waynesburg as the Democratic leader. DeWeese easily survived a challenge by Fayette County treasurer Robert “Bobby” Danko for the Democratic nomination for the 50th Legislative District.
During one debate, Mahoney said the unvouchered expenses issue was one of the reasons he was seeking the position. He said the next 51st District representative has to have character, and the lawmakers shouldn’t be allowed to continue to break the law. “We need a change now. We need business people to run government the way it should be run,” Mahoney said.
“I’m tired of giving money to politician. Government should be run like a business and not by career politicians; all they do is bottom feed,” Mahoney said during the debate.
Mahoney did not return a call seeking comment Tuesday night.