District judge spends more than $4,000 in re-election bid
Magisterial District Judge Jesse J. Cramer spent $4,030 on his re-election bid in the newly consolidated district that is currently served by Cramer and another district judge.
Cramer’s expenditures now raise the combined expenditures in the campaign to $32,663.
The state Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that Cramer’s district will be consolidated with the neighboring district of Magisterial District Judge Dwight K. Shaner, who will reach the mandatory retirement age of 70 before the end of the year. Shaner announced he will retire and not seek re-election.
The consolidated district will include Belle Vernon, Dawson, Dunbar, Everson, Fayette City, Newell, Perryopolis and Vanderbilt boroughs and Dunbar, Franklin, Jefferson, Lower Tyrone, Perry, Upper Tyrone and Washington townships.
Cramer, of Belle Vernon, is in his sixth term and would have run unopposed to retain his seat. However, because of the consolidation, he will face candidates who had planned to run for Shaner’s seat. The candidates who have filed to run are Dunbar Township residents Soni Shaner Mancuso, Richard A. Kasunic II, Kenneth Jaynes and George Stash III.
All candidates cross-filed on the Democratic and Republican tickets to seek nomination in Tuesday’s primary, and their campaign finance reports encompass expenditures and contributions between Jan. 1 and May 6.
An article published Wednesday detailed the expenditures and contributions of the four challengers and noted that Cramer filed a campaign finance statement reporting that he did not receive more than $250 in donations for his re-election bid, nor did he make any expenditures exceeding $250.
However, a campaign finance report for Cramer’s campaign — the Committee to Re-elect Jesse J. Cramer Magisterial District Judge — also was filed and showed the candidate accepted $4,850, spending all but $819 on his bid in the fall campaign.
Cramer received donations from residents in Belle Vernon, Perryopolis, Charleroi, Monessen, Uniontown and Fayette City.
Of the money collected, Cramer used the contributions to purchase hats, T-shirts and campaign materials, including signs and posters, and supplies for public campaign events.
The committee’s campaign finance report was filed one day before the May 10 deadline and was not intentionally excluded from the prior article detailing campaign spending in the race.