Grimes secures Dem, GOP nominations for Greene County judge
Six years ago, Jeff Grimes came tantalizingly close to winning election to become Greene County’s next judge. But instead, it was Lou Dayich who won in 2015, beating Grimes by just 86 votes in the general election in a hard-fought race.
Grimes was gracious in defeat, however, and continued on as an attorney at his private practice in Waynesburg.
“I believe in the county and believe that I could have done the job and done it well,” Grimes said immediately after learning that he had lost.
So when a seat opened up on the Greene County bench earlier this year following the unexpected resignation of former judge Farley Toothman, Grimes saw it as another opportunity.
“I don’t look back at it with bitterness or anything else,” Grimes said Friday about that 2015 race. “It was a lesson learned. It helped me going through it this time. I was a bit naïve of the process six years ago, but you learn a lot and implement what you learned, which is what I think we did.”
This time around was different, and Grimes applied what he learned from that previous experience to win both the Democratic and Republican nominations for Greene County judge, all but assuring him he’ll become the county’s next jurist.
While Grimes easily won the Republican nomination 3,131-806 following Tuesday night’s primary, his race against Carmichaels attorney Kimberly Pratt was closer on the Democratic side, meaning the roughly 1,300 mail-in votes from that party’s registered voters could have still swayed the race.
But when the canvassing board finished counting all mail-in votes Friday morning, it became clear that Grimes, 48, of Holbrook, would become Greene County’s newest judge after winning the Democratic primary 2,427-1,518, according to unofficial results.
“It certainly is exciting. It’s a completely different job – and first and foremost – it’s a job,” Grimes said. “In some ways, it’s a little bittersweet, because I do enjoy my practice, and I’ll have to give that up entirely.”
After the county’s elections board certifies the results and they’re sent to the Pennsylvania Department of State, where they’ll be certified again, Grimes could be appointed by Gov. Tom Wolf and confirmed by the state Senate to serve as judge the rest of the year. But Grimes dismissed that option upon learning the updated results Friday, saying he will instead focus the remainder of his time as an attorney closing down his private practice.
“Being a sole practitioner attorney, it will take every bit of that time to wind up what I need to wind up,” Grimes said. “It would be difficult to accept an appointment.”
Grimes said he enjoyed his time as attorney, but is now excited to continue his family’s legacy inside the courtroom. His father, Terry Grimes, spent 23 years as a judge in Greene County before retiring in 2009.
“That’s what piqued my interest in the law,” Grimes said of his father’s experience as a county judge. “It’s come a bit full circle. Of course, I hope to make my parents proud, but also the community proud in my job as a judge.”
Now, he’s looking forward to working alongside his former political rival in Dayich, who was elevated to president judge late last year following Toothman’s resignation. Grimes said the last election was friendly, so he thinks the two will have a good working relationship getting the courthouse back on track after the coronavirus pandemic backed up cases for most of last year.
He also thinks his experience during that last election – and how he responded to the disappointment – will help him in his new role.
“It just wasn’t meant to be last time. I’m a Christian (and) I believe things happened for a reason and it wasn’t meant to be,” Grimes said. “It doesn’t mean we didn’t work extremely hard six years ago. We did. But this is the way things were supposed to happen.”
There were a variety of competitive municipal elections across Greene County, although no write-in votes will be counted until next week, making some of the races too close to call.
Center Township supervisors: Glenn Eddy (57) defeated Art Morris (53) in the Democratic primary. Dan Stoneking (133) defeated John Iams (50) and Robert D. Kirgan (32) in the Republican primary.
Cumberland Township supervisors: Jeff Hathaway (269) defeated Jim Maraney (234) in the Republican primary and will face Democrat James M. Sokol in the general election for one seat.
Dunkard Township supervisors: Brian Gansor (122) defeated Alex Shuppe (45) and Michael D. Bliss (35) in the Democratic primary for a two-year term, while David Pritchard (117) defeated Gansor (106) for the six-year term on the ballot. On the Republican side, Rodger K. Franks (67) defeated David D. Chadderton (50) and Larry P. Sowden (31) for the two-year term, and Franks (68) also won the nomination for the six-year term, beating Chadderton (49) and Sowden (31).
Jackson Township supervisors: Owen Jeremiah Kiger (58) defeated Jarrod W. Richter (24) and Michael A. Brown (16) in the Republican primary. Leroy T. McGlone received 15 votes in the Democratic primary, but there were 26 write-in votes, making the race too close to call.
Jefferson Borough mayor: Dale E. Harshman (24) defeated Gavin H. Wood (16) for the Democratic nomination. No candidates were filed in the Republican primary, and only six write-in votes were submitted, which is below the threshold to count.
Morgan Township supervisors: Brandon B. Lindsay (207) defeated Nicholas T. Gustovich (100) in the Democratic primary. Jeff S. Sholtis (134) defeated Doug Laskody (86) and James Russell Robison (25) in the Republican primary.
Morris Township supervisors: Steve Mooney (48) defeated Glenn Adamson (36) in the Democratic primary. Seann P. McCollum received 43 votes in the Republican primary, but there were 82 write-in votes, making the race too close to call.
Springhill Township supervisors: Danny Yoss (53) defeated Ray Horner (23) in the Democratic primary. No candidates were filed in the Republic primary, although the race attracted 38 write-in votes.
Washington Township supervisors: Thomas Ayres (99) defeated Walter S. Stout (87) in the Republican primary. No candidates were filed in the Democratic primary, although the race attracted 67 write-in votes.
Waynesburg Borough mayor: Ron Rose (155) defeated Les Bedilion (80) and Kenneth A. Lewis (25) for the Republican nomination. No candidates were filed in the Democratic primary, although the race attracted 120 write-in votes.