State senate race results in big spending

More than $1.7 million has been spent on the General Election in the race for the state senate seat being vacated by the retirement of Sen. Richard Kasunic, with most of the money coming from political action committees.
The biggest spender in the race in the 32nd Senate District has been Republican candidate Pat Stefano, who as of Friday, Oct. 24, had spent $902,541 and had received an additional $294,322 worth of in-kind contributions. Democratic candidate Deberah Kula has spent $868,026, with $74,011 worth of in-kind contributions.
More than half of Stefano’s contributions, $525,000, came from the Friends of Joe Scarnati, a political action committee for Republican Senator Joe Scarnati of Brockway, Jefferson County, near the Allegheny National Forest. The in-kind contributions came from the Republican Party of Pennsylvania and came in the form of campaign literature and postage. As of the report date, Stefano had $85,904 left in cash in his campaign fund, with unpaid debts of $11,698.
Kula’s campaign has spent $668,026, with another $74,011 of in-kind contributions. Kula’s largest single donation received was $70,000 from the state Senate Democratic Campaign, which donated a total of $160,000 in five different donations. The second biggest contributor was the Committee for a Better Tomorrow, which donated a total of $135,000 . Nearly all of the in-kind contributions were from the Pennsylvania Democratic Party in the form of design, production and postage for campaign mailers. At the end of the reporting period Kula had $95,331 in cash remaining in her campaign fund.
The 32nd Senate District includes all of Fayette and Somerset counties, and portions of Washington and Westmoreland counties.
State Sen. Tim Solobay, a Democratic incumbent being challenged by Republican Camera Bartolotta in the 46th Senate District, has spent $396,411 as of the Oct. 24 report date, with a cash balance of $266,756. He has received in-kind contributions of $30,500.
Bartolotta reported spending $129,648, with a cash balance of $26,634 and in-kind contributions of $3,923. Bartolotta also reported unpaid debts of $105,860 for the reporting period.
The 46th Senate District includes all of Greene and most of Washington counties.
There are five state senate seats with retiring incumbents this year. The 38th Senate District in Allegheny County will be switching from Democratic to Republican control with the retirement of James Ferlo and no Democrats stepping up to try to claim the seat. With redistricting, the 38th District is more aligned with the former 40th District. Republican Randy VulaKovich, who currently serves the 40th District, is running unopposed for the open seat in the 38th.
The race in the 26th Senate District in Montgomery County to replace retiring Republican Sen. Edwin Erickson has also seen extraordinary spending, with Democrat John Kane posting expenditures of 1,686,855 and an additional 215,042 of in-kind donations. The Republican candidate, Thomas McGarrigle, has spent $254,630, with another $71,745 of in-kind donations.
Spending in the 36th Senate District in Lancaster County where Republican Michael Brubaker has retired has been at considerably lower levels. Republican Ryan Aument has spent $42,842, with $4,309 of in-kind donations, while Democrat Gary Schreckengost has spent $13,560, with $79 of in-kind donations.
In Mercer County, Sen. Bob Robbins is retiring in the 50th Senate District. Republican Michele Brooks, who currently serves in the state house, is seeking to replace him and has spent $94,653, with $1,335 of in-kind expenses. Her Democratic opponent, Michael Muha, has spent $20,066.
In local races for the state House of Representatives, the heaviest spending has been in the 52nd Legislative District, a district without an incumbent since the current seated lawmaker, Kula, is seeking a seat in the senate. The district covers Fayette and Westmoreland counties. Less than $50,000 has been spent.
The race pits Democrat A.J. Boni against Republican Ryan Warner.
Boni has spent $8,927 with a cash balance of $13,424 and no in-kind contributions or outstanding debts.
Warner has spent $44,450 on the campaign through Oct. 24, with another $101,972 of in-kind contributions, $100 in unpaid debts and a cash balance of $6,275.
In the race for the 49th Legislative District covering portions of Fayette and Washington counties, incumbent Democrat Peter J. Daley faces Republican challenger Bud Cook. Daley has spent $20,919, with no in-kind contributions, a cash balance of $20,733 and unpaid debts of $11,003. Cook has spent $5,062, with $5,232 of in-kind services and an ending cash balance of $956. The candidates must file another report 30 days after the election.