Shuster garners GOP nomination in congressional race
Republican voters in Fayette and Greene counties again gave their support to a longtime lawmaker in his bid to represent the 9th Congressional District in Washington, D.C.
In the primary election Tuesday, incumbent U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster of Hollidaysburg also appeared to stave off challengers Art Halvorson and Travis Schooley throughout the district to garner the GOP nomination.
Halvorson, of Penns Choice in Bedford County, was making his first bid for a political office, while Schooley of Waynesboro, Franklin County, has made several unsuccessful attempts to get a spot on the primary ballot to challenge Shuster.
This was the first time since 2004 that Shuster has had a Republican challenger in the primary.
Shuster is seeking an eighth term in the House of Representatives and will face lone Democratic candidate, Alanna Hartzok of Franklin County, in the fall.
The 9th District includes all of Bedford, Blair, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton and Indiana counties and portions of Cambria, Greene, Huntingdon, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland counties.
In Fayette County, Shuster garnered 2,269 votes, while Halvorson received 626 votes and Schooley 438 votes, while in Greene County Shuster drew 283 votes, Schooley 67 votes and Halvorson 59 votes, according to unofficial results.
With about 65 percent of the district-wide vote counted at press time, Shuster had garnered 21,367 votes, with Halvorson trailing with 13,968 votes and Schooley a distant third with 5,335 votes in unofficial results.
According to campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Bureau at the end of April, the three candidates spent nearly $2.8 million to get their message out to the electorate, with Shuster shelling out nearly $2.5 million, Halvorson about $246,000 and Schooley $16,170.
During the campaign, Halvorson, a retired U.S. Coast Guard officer, was very critical of Shuster’s record and often referred to him as a lieutenant for House Speaker John Boehner and criticizing him for not offering legislation to replace Obamacare or cut spending.
“Nothing has been proposed in the House,” he said during a recent Herald-Standard editorial board session with the three candidates. “It’s shameful and inexcusable and an example of how the absence of leadership in the Republican Party in the House explains what’s wrong with our country.”
Schooley, too, was critical of Shuster’s tenure and said that in order to make changes, the old guard would have to be replaced.
“We keep sending the same kind of people to Washington, D.C., and expect different results,” he said.
The candidates could not be reached for comment late Tuesday.