It’s Primary Day In Pa

It’s primary election day in Pa. with the polls opening at 7 in the morning and closing at 8 p.m., and what will be decided is who the major party candidates are for the general election on Nov. 2.
Returns can be found here .
There will also be a special election to determine who will represent Pennsylvania’s 12th District in Congress for the remainder of the term left vacant by John Murtha’s Feb. 9 death. The term will end Jan. 3, 2011.
Senate Races
The race getting the most attention is the Democratic U.S. Senate primary fight between incumbent and party-endorsed party-switcher Arlen Specter and Congressman Joe Sestak of the 7th District who is not seeking re-election to his congressional seat. Polls show it to be neck and neck.

Seeking the GOP U.S. Senate nomination are businessman and former Congressman Pat Toomey and activist Peg Luksik. Toomey is the strong favorite.
12th Congressional District

The special election has Republican businessman Tim Burns facing off against Democrat Mark Critz , who was Murtha’s aide and touts himself as a knowledgeable Washington insider.
There is also a primary race, however, and it is in the realm of possibility that the winner of the special election will not be on the November ballot. The GOP race is between Burns and William Russell who was the Republican candidate for the seat in 2008.
Critz has an easier path with his opponents being novices Ryan Bucchianeri and Ronald Mackell Jr.
Other Congressional Primary Contests
3rd District

Incumbent Kathy Dahlkemper has a Democratic primary challenger in Mel Marin. Republicans seeking to take on the winner in November are Clayton Grabb, Martha Moore, Steven Fisher, Mike Kelly, Ed Franz, and Paul Huber.
4th District

Keith Rothfus and former U.S. attorney Mary Beth Buchanan battle to be the GOP nominee vs. incumbent Dem Jason Altmire.
6th District

Manan  Trivedi and Doug Pike are striving to be the Democrat nominee while GOP incumbent Jim Gerlach faces a challenge from Patrick Henry Sellers. 
8th District

Republicans seeking to take on Democrat incumbent Patrick Murphy are Michael Fitzpatrick, Gloria Carlineo, James Jones and Ira Hoffman.
10th District

Republicans Malcolm Derk, David Madeira and Thomas Marino are fighting to be the nominee against vulnerable Democrat incumbent Christopher Paul Carney.
11th District

Democrat incumbent Paul E. Kanjorski faces a primary challenge from Corey O’Brien. Winner takes on Republican Lou Barletta in November.
13th District

Republicans seeking the nomination to take on Democrat incumbent Allyson Schwartz in November are Brian P. Haughton, Joshua Quinter and Carson Dee Adcock.
15th District

Republican incumbent Charles Dent faces a primary challenge from Mat Benol. Winner faces Democrat John B. Callahan in November.
17th District

Democrat incumbent Tim Holden faces a primary challenge from Sheila Dow-Ford. Seeking the GOP nomination are Dave Argall, Allen Griffith, Josh First and Frank Ryan.
19th District
Republican incumbent Todd Platts faces a primary challenge from Michael Smeltzer. Winner faces Democrat Ryan Sanders in November.
Governor Races
In the GOP governor’s race, party-endorsed Attorney General Tom Corbett is facing  challenge from State Rep. Sam Rohrer and it appears to have him surprisingly worried .
The Democrat who want the gubernatorial nomination are
Dan Onorato, the Allegheny Countyexecutive; State Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams, who represents the 8th District which includes large parts of southwest Philadelphia andsoutheast Delaware County,  Jack Wagner, the state auditor general; and Joe Hoeffel, a Montgomery County commissioner.
Lt. Gov Races
With regard to the lieutenant governor slot, nine Republicans are seeking it. They are:
Chet Beiler — former Lancaster County GOP chairman
Steve Johnson– York County businessman
Russ Diamond,founder of PaCleanSweep
BillyMcCue, a businessman
JohnKennedy, a former state representative
Jim Cawley, a Bucks County Commissioner who calls himself a “fiscal conservative” and is being pushed by Corbett.
Jean Craige Pepper, who once ran for state treasurer and whose platform seems to be that she’s the only girl in the game.
Stephen Urban, a Luzerne County Commissioner
Daryl Metcalfe, the state representative for the 12th District who just submitted a bill based on Arizona’s illegal immigration law.

The Democrats running for lieutenant governor are party-endorsed Jonathan Sadel, a former Philadelphia city controller;  DorisSmith-Ribner, a retired Commonwealth Courth judge; and Scott A. Conklin, the state rep for the 77th District.
State Senate Races
While there are no contested Republican State Senate primaries, there are several on the Democrat ticket which are:
4th Senatorial District

W. Lamont Thomas
Leanna Washington (incumbent)
6th Senatorial District


(seat held by Republican Tommy Tomlinson)
John Jordan
Bryan Allen
8th Senatorial District

Anthony Hardy Williams (incumbent who is also running for lieutenant governor)
Carmen Hopson
14th Senatorial District

(Seat being vacated by Democrat Raphael Musto)
John T. Yudichak
Tom Leighton
22nd Senatorial District

(Seat being vacated by Democrat Robert J. Mellow who is retiring to enjoy a $313,000 annual pension )
Joseph J. Corcoran
Charles J. Volpe
Jim Wansacz
John Blake
Christopher Doherty
Christopher Phillips
32nd Senatorial District

Ronald Gallo
Richard Kasunic (incumbent)
Other races
To see the contest primaries in the 203 State House districts visit here .
To see the races for State Democrat Committee visit here
To see the races for State Republican Committee visit here .

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