A retired corporate executive has won the Democratic primary to run for the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives seat in the 55th District.
Westmoreland County elections officials Tuesday issued a precertification of results from the May primary that included more than 600 write-in votes for Scott Gauss of Murrysville in the state House race. Gauss, 69, will face Republican Jill Cooper in November.
Cooper, a former chairwoman of the Westmoreland County Republican Committee, defeated incumbent state Rep. Jason Silvis of Washington Township and another challenger in last month’s GOP primary for the party nomination seeking the seat in the redrawn district.
The new 55th District absorbed Murrysville among other northern Westmoreland County communities that previously were part of the state’s 54th District, represented by state Rep. Bob Brooks. Brooks’ seat was shifted to southeastern Pennsylvania as part of the state’s redistricting. Brooks since has announced he will retire at year’s end and did not run for office this spring.
Gauss recently retired after a 21-year career as the human resources director for the Boeing Co.
On Tuesday, he said launched his write-in campaign in early May after he received his mail-in ballot.
“There were no Democrats running, and I think there are some issues we have to talk about,” Gauss said.
No other write-in candidates received the 300 needed to qualify to appear on the November ballot in any of the other races for state House. Democrat Ken Bach, a school board member in Yough, was unopposed in the party’s primary to run for the state House seat in the 58th District. He will run against incumbent Republican Eric Davanzo.
Republican incumbents George Dunbar of Penn Township, Eric Nelson of Hempfield and Leslie Rossi of Unity will be unopposed in their bids for re-election to the state House.
Tuesday’s precertification did not include results from the GOP primary for the U.S. Senate. A statewide recount in that race was ordered last week as Dr. Mehmet Oz held a lead of fewer than 1,000 votes over David McCormick.
Westmoreland officials said the county will begin the local recount of the more than 87,000 votes cast locally Wednesday morning. Interim Election Bureau Director Greg McCloskey said the recount is expected to take about three days.
The county’s elections board is scheduled to issue a final certification June 6 for the other races that appeared on the May primary ballots.
