DeWeese spends $186,500 on campaign
In the days leading up to the April 22 primary, House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese spent about $186,500 in his quest to win the Democratic nomination for the 50th District seat he has held since 1976. DeWeese, D-Waynesburg, was the only candidate on the Democratic ballot, although Republican opponent Greg Hopkins of Nineveh mounted a write-in campaign for the Democratic ticket.
The 50th Legislative District includes all of Greene County and small portions of Fayette and Washington counties.
According to a tally from results of all precincts in the district, DeWeese received about 10,320 votes while Hopkins received about 4,535.
In Fayette County, DeWeese received 2,775 votes on the Democratic ballot, while Hopkins received 151 write-in votes. On the Republican ballot, Hopkins received 273 votes, while DeWeese received seven write-in votes.
In Greene County, DeWeese received 5,957 Democratic votes, while Hopkins received 1,925 Republican votes. There were 1,934 Democratic write-in votes and 175 Republican write-in votes.
In Washington County precincts, DeWeese received 1,403 Democratic votes and there were 84 write-in votes. On the Republican ballot, Hopkins got 168 votes and there were three write-in votes.
DeWeese and Hopkins squared off two years ago for the seat, with Hopkins defeating DeWeese in Greene County and DeWeese winning by posting large margins of victories in the Fayette County and Washington County precincts.
According to the 30-day post-primary report, which includes expenditures from April 8 to May 12, DeWeese had a carryover balance of $322,696 and received contributions totaling about $66,064, leaving him with an available balance of $388,760.
Hopkins spent $1,676 during the same reporting period. Hopkins began with a balance of $2,034 and received contributions of $1,766.
While Hopkins had unpaid debts and obligations of $2,862, DeWeese did not have any unpaid debts.
Comparing campaign chests, Hopkins received a $250 contribution from David Szarell of Graysville, which was his largest single contribution. His largest expenditure was $489 for Groovy’s American Caf? in Waynesburg for a post-primary event.
DeWeese received a $25,000 contribution from U.B. of C. and J. and A. Metropolitan Regional Council of Carpenters of Philadelphia for his largest single contribution. His largest expenditure was $100,000 to the House Democratic Campaign Committee. DeWeese also made two $1,000 contributions to the campaign of state Rep. Timothy Mahoney, D-South Union Township.
In a press release discussing his contributions last month, DeWeese said the most recent campaign finance report reflects his determination to grow the majority for Democrats in the state House.
“In the past 30 days, I contributed $200,000 to the House Democratic Campaign Committee to ensure Democrats grow the one-seat majority in the November elections,” DeWeese said. “This is a watershed year. The list of pressing issues is endless, including affordable health care, renewable energy and property taxes. My caucus will help Pennsylvanians navigate these and other difficult issues, which is why it is more important than ever for our caucus to gain a four or a six-seat majority.”
So far this election cycle, DeWeese has contributed about five times as much as he did to the House Democratic Campaign Committee in 2006. Up to this point in the 2006 election cycle, he contributed $77,000 from his campaign funds. This cycle, DeWeese has contributed nearly $400,000 to the campaign committee.
In the 51st District race, Mahoney defeated former state Rep. Larry Roberts for the Democratic nomination.
Mahoney received 8,471 votes and Roberts received 3,013, according to official results.
In his post-primary reporting period, Mahoney spent $41,884. He began with $35,134 and received contributions of $28,500, for a total of $63,634 in available funds. He also listed unpaid debts and obligations of $11,110.
Roberts spent $3,666 during the reporting period. He began with $4,499 and received contributions of $250. Roberts listed unpaid debts of $10,000.
In the 49th District race, state Rep. Peter J. Daley, D-California, defeated Barbara Reis and Randy Barli for the Democratic nomination.
While the Daley and Barli 30-day post-election reports were not available on the Department of State Web site, Reis listed expenditures of $1,065 during the reporting period. Reis brought forward $357 and received contributions of $1,000 and ended without any unpaid debts and obligations.
Daley easily won the nomination, according to unofficial election results, receiving a total of 9,314 votes in the 64 voting districts that make up the legislative district. Reis, of North Charleroi, received a total of 3,070 votes, while Barli, of Coal Center, received 999 votes.
The 49th Legislative District covers portions of Fayette and Washington counties, with eight precincts in Fayette County and 56 precincts in Washington County.
In the 59th Legislative District, in which Republican Jess Stairs of Acme has announced he is not seeking re-election, Republican candidate Robert Helterbran spent $5,497, which was all of his available funds.
Michael Reese, who won the nomination, spent $4,674 during the reporting period.
The 59th District includes Saltlick Township and two precincts in Bullskin Township in Fayette County and part of Westmoreland County.
A campaign expenditure report was not available for the lone Democratic candidate for the nomination, Michael O’Barto.
Reese won the Republican nomination, receiving 2,914 votes in the district compared to 2,136 for Helterbran, according to unofficial results. O’Barto received 8,664 votes to garner the Democratic nomination, according to unofficial results.
Helterbran brought forward $3,797 and received contributions of $1,700, giving him $5,497 to spend. Reese had $2,577 and received contributions of $3,360, giving him $5,937to spend.
Helterbran had no unpaid debts and Reese had $300 in unpaid debts.
The campaign finance Web site can be found at http://web.dos.state.pa.us/cgi-bin/CampaignFinance/cf_data_srch.cgi.
herald_standa477:
http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19762701