May 22, 2006 By Amy Zalar 7 min read

While the two newly elected Democratic State Committeemen separately claim they are committed to working toward the betterment of the party, Sean M. Cavanagh and Joseph Petrucci each want the other to be aware of local political history. Cavanagh, the top vote getter by more than 400 votes in amassing 7,266 votes in Tuesday’s primary according to unofficial results, said it is ironic that Petrucci accused him of not being a good Democrat. Cavanagh said that’s because Petrucci supports Democratic Fayette County Commissioner Vincent A. Vicites, who a decade ago aligned with Republican Commissioner Harry E. Albert III to deny Cavanagh the commission chairmanship although Cavanagh got the top vote in the 1995 general election.

“Party lines were crossed for the benefit of the political machine and they left this Democrat out to hang dry,” Cavanagh said. “You have to be aware of history.”

In addressing comments by Petrucci that Cavanagh has not paid his dues in the party and is not a good Democrat, Cavanagh said Petrucci should examine that past action of Vicites, who lost his own bid for the Democratic nomination for state representative in the 51st District on Tuesday.

Petrucci, a Menallen Township supervisor, said Wednesday that he simply wants to do what is best for the party and added the Cavanagh, a former Fayette County commissioner, has not paid his dues as a Democrat. Petrucci received 6,859 votes, according to unofficial results of all Fayette County’s 105 precincts.

Cavanagh, who previously said Petrucci and his running mate, Perry Township Supervisor Andrew J. “A.J.” Boni were minions of Vicites, said he was a good Democrat when he first took office and was deprived of the commission chairmanship by Democrat Vicites and Republican Albert. Traditionally, the commission chairmanship went to the top vote getter.

Another former county commissioner, Ron Nehls, finished third with 6,649 votes in Tuesday’s primary, while Boni received 5,652 votes, according to unofficial results.

Cavanagh said he believes he has paid his dues and has learned a lot along the way. “I was 29 years old when I was first elected. Now I’m older and I have a new outlook. I’m 40, I have three children, and I’m new and improved and wiser.”

Petrucci, who said he can work with Cavanagh and thought Cavanagh did a good job as commissioner, said he was upset that Cavanagh called him a Vicites minion.

“I got branded a Vince Vicites minion. I like Vince Vicites, that’s no secret, but nobody calls and tells me what to do,” Petrucci said.

History aside, the former commissioner said he has no animosity towards Petrucci. “I’m very grateful for the support of the Democrats in Fayette County that believe in me and I’m very thankful. I think what we need in Pennsylvania is a better statewide Democratic party,” Cavanagh said.

“I ran a positive campaign. I was asked by thousands of people to run and I told them if they wanted me get me on the ballot, I would run. They got me on the ballot, I ran a couple advertisements and the voters responded,” Cavanagh added, noting that he is extending the hand of friendship to Petrucci.

Petrucci said Cavanagh is going to run for county commissioner next year and Cavanagh simply needed to get a little victory. “He’s gonna’ run for county commissioner again, he needed to get a little victory, but he got it on false pretenses. He exploited the position,” Petrucci said. “Democratic committeeman is about party politics, not about legislation.”

Cavanagh said he wants to work with all Democrats and focus on getting more Democrats registered. He said he congratulates Petrucci on his win. “My main focus and primary objective is to listen to people of Fayette County and make sure the state representatives, senators and congressmen … know what’s important to people of Fayette County,” Cavanagh said.

Cavanagh said he has been asked to run for county commissioner, as well as state representative, but has not decided if he will again seek public office.

In addition to thinking Cavanagh did a good job as commissioner, Petrucci said he believes Cavanagh can be a good Democrat. “I’d like to see Sean pay his dues and then become a party leader,” Petrucci said. “Maybe Sean doesn’t understand what a Democratic committeeman can do. When I first ran for township supervisor I thought I could change everything, but then I found out you better learn to play the game. I can work with him, why not?”

Petrucci said he believes in the Democratic principals although the party is not always organized.

Cavanagh said he thinks his candidacy appealed to voters because before open records and accountability in Pennsylvania were popular, he was for them. “I was eight years ahead of my time, I’ve been a positive agent for change and have been and will continue to be accountable to the taxpayers.

“I think that resonated,” Cavanagh said.

The former commissioner said although committeeman is not a paid position, he thinks it is an important position. “The Democratic party needs to get back to its roots for working class people,” he said.

Cavanagh said he is looking forward to working with U.S. Rep. John Murtha, D-Johnstown, who supported Cavanagh in his losing bid for county commissioner in 2003. Cavanagh said while Petrucci and Boni ran together, he ran his own campaign, but did do a radio spot with Nehls. “I consider him a friend, but we were not a full-blown team, ” Cavanagh said.

“We also had common interest in 51st District election and had a good working relationship as commissioners. I voted for Ron Nehls and he voted for me,” Cavanagh said.

Cavanagh said his goal is to be a good ambassador for the party. “The ultimate endorsement is the endorsement of the people and that’s what I received and I am grateful,” he said. “I’m focused on the job at hand.”

Petrucci, who earlier claimed that Cavanagh could not hold the position because he supported someone other than the duly nominated Democratic candidate when he supported Republican Angela M. Zimmerlink for commissioner in 2003, said he would not push to keep Cavanagh from serving. “It’s really not up to me. I’m not going to push it one way or another. I’m not happy with the way he won or reasons he is in, but I’ll work with anybody,” Petrucci said.

Cavanagh said he finds it ironic that Petrucci said Cavanagh has not paid his dues as a Democrat when Cavanagh spent eight years as a county commissioner. Cavanagh was elected as a Democrat in 1995 and although elected as an independent in 1999, changed his registration back to Democrat soon after taking office.

Nehls, who received 25 percent of the vote with 6,649 votes, said he was pleased with the amount of votes he received but hated the fact that letters were sent out with incorrect information about him. After Cavanagh’s 27 percent with 7,266 votes and Petrucci’s 26 percent with 6,859 votes, Nehls was only 210 votes behind Petrucci for the second position.

Petrucci and Boni sent out letters saying Nehls could not serve if elected because he was a member of another political party less than two years ago. Nehls contends that his brief time as a registered Republican would not have prevented him from serving in the position if elected. Although Nehls disputed the accusation for a prior news article, he didn’t run any advertisements disputing the claim.

“For a lousy 200 votes nothing in the political arena is important enough to participate in to tarnish my reputation,” Nehls said. “But good luck to everybody, I hope they enjoy themselves.”

Nehls said he would have liked to discuss his views, but he is not disappointed with the votes he received.

Boni, who received 21 percent of the vote with 5,652 votes, said he was very thankful to get more than 5,000 votes throughout the county. “I’m very thankful,” Boni said. He said in the end, “It was name recognition, which is hard to beat.” Prior to the primary, Boni said he was the least known of the candidates.

“I’m just hoping they do what is important for the Democratic Party. I know Joe’s going to do what needs to be done, and I hope they all do,” Boni said of the elected committeemen and women.