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Know the candidates

May 15 primary ballot taking shape after delay due to new district map

Scott Wagner, left, a York County state senator and the president of waste-hauler PennWaste Inc., Laura Ellsworth, center, a lawyer from suburban Pittsburgh and a first-time candidate, Paul Mango, right, a former health care systems consultant from suburban Pittsburgh and a first-time candidate, answer questions from the panel during a debate between Republican Gubernatorial candidates at Harrisburg Area Community College in Harrisburg, Pa., Thursday, March 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Chris Knight)

With the deadline for Congressional candidates to file nominating petitions now compete, the upcoming May 15 primary ballot is starting to take shape.

The deadline for Congressional candidates – March 20 – was pushed back due to the state’s new Congressional district maps.

Here’s what the ballot is going to look like:

Governor

Incumbent Tom Wolf, a businessman from York County who served as Secretary of the Department of Revenue prior to running for governor, is seeking re-election and is unchallenged on the Democratic ticket.

Three Republicans are seeking their party’s nod:

¯ Scott R. Wagner, York County, the first state senator to win via a write-in campaign, owns a waste management and trucking business.

¯ Laura Ellsworth, a partner at the law form Day Jones in Pittsburgh.

¯ Paul Mango, from the Pittsburgh area; A former Army officer and businessman with McKinsey & Co., a world-wide consulting firm.

Lieutenant Governor

The race for lieutenant governor is like the wild, wild west – seven Democrats and five Republicans will appear on the primary ballot.

On the Republican side…

¯ Jeffrey Bartos, a real estate executive and President/CEO of Mark Group, Inc. from Montgomery County who is running with Scott Wagner.

¯ Joseph C. Gale, a Montgomery County Commissioner who, at 28 years old, won’t be able to serve in the office until he’s 30.

¯ Marguerite “Peg” Luksik who is frequently a state-wide candidate from Cambria County who PennLive identified as a “pro-life crusader.”

¯ Diana Vaughan, a Washington County Commissioner from Nottingham Township who is running with Mango.

¯ Kathleen Coder, a management consultant from Allegheny County.

For the Democrats…

¯ Michael J. Stack, the incumbent, is from Philadelphia County and was a state senator from 2001 until entering office with Wolf.

¯ John Fetterman is the mayor of Braddock, Pa. He unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic nod for US Senate in 2014.

¯ Craig Lehman is a Lancaster County Commissioner and has served as president of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania.

¯ Raymond Sosa, a banker and insurance broker from Montgomery County.

¯ Kathleen Cozzone, a Chester County Commissioner

¯ Nina Ahmad, a first-generation immigrant from Bangladesh who serves as Philadelphia’s deputy mayor for public engagement.

¯ Aryanna Berringer served in the Iraq War and is now working as an IT project manager for Giant Eagle. She is from Murraysville in Westmoreland County.

US Senate

Incumbent Bob Casey, the current senior senator for the Commonwealth, is seeking re-election to a third term and is unopposed in the primary.

Three candidates are seeking the Republican nod;

¯ Louis J. Barletta is the currently 11th District Congressman from Luzerne County. President Trump has tweeted about Barlett’s candidacy.

¯ James J. Christiana from Beaver County is currently a Pa. State Representative and has been serving in the General Assembly.

¯ Joseph J. Vodvarka, a perennial candidate, has lost three primaries as a Democrat and is trying again as a Republican. He is a small business owner from Allegheny County.

Congress

Incumbent Glenn Thompson is unopposed for the Republican nod in the newly-minted 15th Congressional District.

His challengers include…

¯ Wade A. Jodun, Center County, who was a fisheries biologist with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for 21 years.

¯ Susan Boser, from White Township, Indiana County, is a sociology professor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

State Representative

Kathy Rapp, who has represented Warren County in the state House of Representatives since 2004 is running unopposed. Brandilyn Lyon has announced her candidacy as a Democrat to challenge Rapp but did not file to be on the ballot.

State Senate

Warren County voters in Columbus, Eldred, Spring Creek and Southwest Townships will be voting for state senator in the 50th District. Sue Ann Mulvey is running unopposed on the Democratic side while Michelle Brooks, the incumbent, is unchallenged on the Republican side. Both candidates are from Mercer County.

Republican Committee

While there is no race, Ash Khare and Heidi Villella will be on the ballot for spots on the state Republican Committee.

At the county level, where Republicans at their respective precincts will have to vote for two, there are several contested spots, according to documentation provided by the county elections office:

¯ Warren North: David Hoisington, Brad Peterson, Nicole Peterson.

¯ Warren South East: Hannah Lee, Denny Munksgard, Heidi Villella.

¯ Conewango 1: Bruce Atwood, Catherine Watkins-Atwood, Michael Sherry, Michael Trojanowski.

¯ Conewango 2: Judy Albaugh, Albert Loranger III, Ed Seebeck.

¯ Glade Twp.: Ash Khare, Lynne Loranger, David Morrison, Cindy Morrison.

¯ Pine Grove Twp.: Dianna Barrett-Klakamp, Dale Honhart, Gabby Gedz.

There are no contested Democratic county committee spots.

“The state and local committee members are elected in the primary election,” Warren County Director of Elections Lisa Rivett said. “These will not go to the fall general election. For the County Committee members there are representative elected for each election district.”

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