Five candidates miss deadline for primary

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February 14, 2008

BY MIKE FAHER The Tribune-Democrat Thu Feb 14, 2008, 10:40 PM EST

Local races for the state and federal legislatures have attracted 31 candidates, including four incumbents trying to win another term in office.

But a handful of aspiring politicians who previously had announced their candidacies apparently will not appear on the April 22 primary ballot.

Pennsylvania Department of State records show that five candidates did not file their petitions by the noon Thursday deadline:

• Robert Davis of Cambria Township, a Republican who was vying for the state House 72nd District seat currently held by departing Rep. Tom Yewcic.

• Bernard Dospoy of Nanty Glo, a Democrat who also had been running for the 72nd.

• Tim Legarsky of Washington County, a Democrat who last month said he would challenge Democratic U.S. Rep. John Murtha in the 12th Congressional District.

• Travis Schooley of Franklin County. The Republican just last week announced that he would run against Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster in the 9th Congressional District.

• Mike Walters Jr. of Johnstown, who had said he would enter the crowded race for the state House 71st District seat held by retiring Rep. Ed Wojnaroski.

Of the five candidates who did not file petitions, only Davis could be reached for comment Thursday.

He said gathering the necessary petition signatures proved to be too time-consuming. He is president of the Cambria County Farm Bureau and has been educating and organizing landowners in connection with coalbed methane drilling and other rural issues.

Davis’ absence in the 72nd District race means Chris Voccio will be the only Republican on the primary ballot, virtually assuring that he will be his party’s nominee. Another Republican, Scott Hunt of Upper Yoder Township, dropped out of the race in early January.

But Voccio pledged that he will not slow down, saying he wants to ensure that his name remains familiar to voters through the primary season and beyond.

“I am going to run a campaign just as if I had a primary opponent,” Voccio said.

While losing two candidates, the 72nd District campaign also has picked up another.

State records show that Jared S. Lambie of Cambria Township has filed petitions to enter that race as a Democrat.

He could not be reached for comment.

Staff writer Susan Evans contributed to this report.

The matchups

The following are local candidates who filed their petitions for the April 22 primary by the noon Thursday deadline, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State. They are listed with their political affiliation, (i) if an incumbent, and their municipality of residence:

9th Congressional District

Tony Barr (D) – Greenfield Township, Blair County.

Bill Shuster (R) (i) – Frankstown Township.

12th Congressional District

John P. Murtha (D) (i) – Westmont Borough.

William Russell (R) – Johnstown.

State Senate, 35th District

Joseph W. Veranese (R) – Upper Yoder Township.

John N. Wozniak (D) (i) – Westmont Borough.

State House, 69th District

Joe Betta (R) – Somerset Township.

Mike Brendle (R) – Lincoln Township.

John H. Ferko (R) – Stonycreek Township.

Carl Walker Metzgar (R) – Allegheny Township.

Ed Sroka (R) – Jefferson Township.

Stephen Smerbeck (D) – Somerset Borough.

Ken Warnick (D) – Summit Township.

State House, 71st District

Bryan Barbin (D) – Westmont Borough.

Leonard Benjamin Britt (D) – Johnstown.

Thomas C. Chernisky (D) – Geistown Borough.

Denny M. Conahan (D) – Ferndale Borough.

J.J. Livingston (D) – Ferndale Borough.

William D. Stasko (D) – Westmont Borough.

Steve Ettien (R) – Richland Township.

Jim Rigby (R) – Ferndale Borough.

State House, 72nd District

Frank Burns (D) – East Taylor Township.

David Gehlman (D) – Upper Yoder Township.

Dave Kuhar (D) – Ebensburg Borough.

Jared S. Lambie (D) – Cambria Township.

James Lamont (D) – Cambria Township.

Nick Molnar (D) – Jackson Township.

Stephen J. Yesenosky (D) – Ebensburg Borough.

Chris Voccio (R) – Upper Yoder Township.

State House, 73rd District

Gary Haluska (D) (i) – Patton Borough.

Stephen J. Shuagis (R) – Munster Township.

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