Feb 13, 2008 By Amy Zalar 4 min read

As of Tuesday afternoon, more than half of the local candidates seeking state or federal office in the April 22 primary will be running unopposed. Of the eight legislators whose districts include parts or all of Fayette and Greene counties, only three will have contested elections in April, one of which is a seat left open by the retirement of State Rep. Jess Stairs.

Tuesday was the deadline for candidates to file nominating petitions to run in the primary. However, due to Tuesday’s snowstorm, Gov. Ed Rendell extended the deadline for candidates to file their petitions to noon Thursday.

Barring any last minute challenges, three incumbents will have no opponents in either the primary or general elections and are virtually assured re-election. They include U.S. Rep. John Murtha, D-Johnstown and state Reps. Deberah Kula, D-North Union and Ted Harhai, D-Monessen.

Murtha, a retired Marine, was first elected to the 12th district of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1974. He has spoken out in favor of bringing home troops from Iraq since 2005. The 12th district includes all of Greene County and parts of Fayette, Allegheny, Washington, Somerset, Westmoreland, Armstrong, Cambria and Indiana counties.

Kula, a former magisterial district judge, was first elected to the state house in 2006. She represents portions of Fayette and Westmoreland counties as the representative for the 52nd legislative district.

Harhai has been a member of the state house since 1998. A former investment banker and Monessen mayor, he represents parts of Fayette and Westmoreland counties in the 58th district.

Two incumbent state representatives will face opposition in the primary. They include a longtime legislator and one finishing his first term. State Rep. Peter J. Daley, D-California and State Rep. Timothy Mahoney, D-South Union, will face challengers.

In the 51st legislative district, Mahoney is facing opposition from Democrat Larry Roberts, who formerly held Mahoney’s seat for more than a decade. Mahoney, a businessman, was first elected in 2006.

Roberts was in office for seven terms prior to opting not to run two years ago. In the 2004 election, Mahoney was kicked off the ballot as a Democrat and mounted a campaign as an independent in the fall election, where Roberts defeated him. The district includes a portion of Fayette County.

Daley, first elected to represent the 49th district in 1982, will face opposition from Democrat Barbara Reis, a tax collector from North Charleroi. The district includes portions of Fayette and Washington counties.

Democratic Leader H. William DeWeese, D-Waynesburg, will not face a challenger in the primary, but again will run against Greg Hopkins, a Republican from Morris Township in the general election.

DeWeese, first elected in 1976, was formerly Speaker of the House. The 50th district includes all of Greene County and portions of Fayette and Washington counties.

Hopkins, a retired Arena League football player, ran against DeWeese two years ago. Although Hopkins defeated DeWeese in their home county, DeWeese won by posting overwhelming victories in Fayette and Washington County precincts.

U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Hollidaysburg, will not face opposition in the primary but will be challenged in the general election by Tony Barr, a Democrat from Blair County.

Barr, a special education teacher, challenged Shuster two years ago. Shuster has held the seat since 2002. The 9th District includes all or part of 15 counties, including Fayette. In Fayette County, Shuster represents Connellsville, Dunbar, Fairchance, Farmington, Gibbon Glade, Hopwood, Lake Lynn, Markleysburg, Mill Run, Normalville, Ohiopyle, Rockwood, Smithfield and Uniontown.

In the only race in which an incumbent isn’t running, two Republicans are seeking the nomination for the 59th District, Mike Reese of Mount Pleasant and Robert E. Helterbran of Ligonier. Michael J. Obarto of Unity Township is the only Democrat seeking his party’s nomination.

Jess Stairs, R-Mount Pleasant, is not seeking another term. He was first elected in 1976. The district includes portions of Fayette and Westmoreland counties.