The winner of Tuesday’s contested Republican primary race in a Butler County state House district could have a shot of earning more than just the GOP nomination to run for the 12th District seat in November.
Republican officials have said the primary winner also would likely be the party’s logical choice to run in an Aug. 18 special election to fill the vacant House seat for the remainder of this term. Former state Rep. Stephenie Scialabba, R-Cranberry, resigned at the end of March, leaving her district without a representative in Harrisburg.
Tuesday’s Republican primary race pits Ethan Nicholas and Scott Timko, both of Cranberry, against each other. Brandon Dukes of Cranberry is unopposed in the Democrat primary and also seems a likely choice to become his party’s nominee for the special election in addition to securing the nomination to run in November.
The 12th District covers southwestern Butler County, including Cranberry, Zelienople, Seven Fields, Evans City, Harmony, Mars and Valencia. About 54% of the district’s registered voters are Republicans. A Republican has represented the district since 1998.
Nicholas, 45, said his business background would serve him well in Harrisburg.
“I believe the people of District 12 deserve strong, honest leadership that’s focused on serving the residents and families, and also the taxpayers, the business owners and the communities that make this region such a special place,” Nicholas told TribLive.
Nicholas, a married father of two, said he chose to run because he didn’t want to “sit on the sidelines anymore.”
“I looked at my kids,” he said. “The decisions being made in Harrisburg are going to shape their future, their education and opportunities, and whether or not they stay in Pennsylvania.”
Nicholas, noting that one of his children has a genetic disorder called Koolen-de Vries Syndrome, said school choice would be one of his top legislative priorities.
“The first two years of his life were really scary for us and we didn’t know what to expect, and that taught me that every child learns differently and grows differently and has different needs. That’s why I’m a big supporter of school choice and parental involvement in education,” Nicholas said.
He said his other top priorities are lowering taxes and supporting law enforcement and first responders. His campaign website also lists eliminating government regulations that he says are burdensome on businesses and restoring government accountability and transparency as priorities.
A Slippery Rock University graduate, Nicholas is president of the Pittsburgh Business Exchange, a networking organization for professionals in the Greater Pittsburgh area that boasts more than 35,000 members.
“My business experience comes down to community leadership,” Nicholas said. “One of the reasons I’m running for state rep is because I’m able to bring the real-world experience into government.”
Timko, 61, also touts his leadership experience. He served 12 years in the Air Force, attaining the rank of captain, and then became a civilian pilot and small-business owner.
“I’ve lived here my whole life, and I’ve watched the community grow from a one-light town to a very congested and crowded area,” Timko said.
He said the rapid growth of Cranberry has come with some growing pains, including traffic congestion, rising school taxes and challenges for small-business owners.
“The state representative position is a fun position because it’s not one of those high-visibility ones that gets you in the news a lot. But if you do the job correctly, it has a real impact on all of our qualities of life and our ability to just live and function within the community and work with each other,” Timko said.
Timko said his top priorities are improving infrastructure, reducing taxes and unleashing Pennsylvania’s energy potential through coal and natural gas extraction. His campaign website also lists cracking down on crime and illegal immigration, upgrading STEM classes and teaching phonics in schools, and protecting Second Amendment rights as priorities.
“My whole life, quite frankly, has been in a position of leadership, whether it be in high school football or in college or even in my military career,” Timko said. “When you’re put in command and you’re tasked with making decisions every day, you learn how to make decisions, to analyze situations to come up with the best plan.”
After graduating from Knoch High School and Miami (Ohio) University and serving in the military, Timko and his wife returned to Butler County to raise their family. They previously owned and operated a Vocelli Pizza location and J. Gumbo’s Cajun Restaurant in Cranberry.
He previously ran for state House in 2020 (losing in the primary to incumbent state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe) and in 2022 (losing a three-way open primary race that was won by Scialabba).
“We have to fix problems. And if you get it wrong, you learn from your mistakes, you adapt and do better. next time,” Timko said. “I’ve been tested my entire life and have always made good decisions that have produced good outcomes.”
Campaign finance records on the Pennsylvania Department of State website show Nicholas raised nearly $129,000 and spent more than $112,000 between Jan. 1 and May 4, leaving him with nearly $17,000 in available cash. A campaign finance report was not available for Timko on the state website as of Friday.