Westmoreland County’s political leaders have a simple plan for November.
Democratic and Republican party heads Wednesday said that plan will be to drive up vote totals after a lackluster spring primary that saw turnout dip to 24% of all eligible voters.
According to unofficial results released by the county election bureau, nearly 33% of Democrats and just 19% of registered Republicans voted in Tuesday’s primaries. Neighboring Allegheny County saw voter turnout at nearly 23%.
“Turnout was very disappointing,” said Westmoreland County Republican Committee Chairman Bill Bretz.
The low vote totals likely were a result of the lack of contested races, he suggested.
Republican voters in Westmoreland County had just one statewide contested race on their ballot: the primary to select the nominee for lieutenant governor. The winner will share the fall ticket with Republican gubernatorial candidate Stacy Garrity, who ran unopposed in her primary bid to unseat incumbent Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro.
That race saw Allegheny County Republican Committee Chairman Jason Richey easily defeat John Ventre of Hempfield. Ventre, who has run two unsuccessful campaigns for county commissioner, garnered nearly 75% of the vote in Westmoreland, his home county. Ventre won in five of the state’s 67 counties: Westmoreland, Fayette, Greene, Indiana and Somerset.
And just one contested race, a state House primary in the 59th District, appeared on the Democratic ballot. Political newcomer Jordan Omlor defeated Lisa Gephart. Omlor will face Republican incumbent Leslie Rossi in November.
Democratic Committee Chairwoman Michelle McFall said she was encouraged by the turnout for the primary but wants to see those numbers increase this fall.
“Turnout was not as big as it was four years ago when we had a contested U.S. Senate race, but it was OK. This shows there is enthusiasm and that we have momentum. Now, we can see if we can flip a seat. That’s what we’re looking for,” McFall said. “Lightning can strike and we have to be prepared to catch it if it does.”
Democrats will have that opportunity.
The party will have candidates throughout the general election ballot, which will feature a top-of-the-ticket race for governor and two contested races for U.S. House seats.
The ballot also will feature contested races for a handful of state House seats:
• Democrat Davon Magwood of New Kensington will run against incumbent state Rep. Jill Cooper, R-Murrysville, in the 55th State House District;
• Robert Francis of Hempfield is set to challenge incumbent Eric Nelson, R-Hempfield, in the 57th District;
• Cherri Rogers of Scottdale will make her second attempt to oust Eric Davanzo, R-South Huntingdon, in the 58th District;
• Dustyn Dorn of Lower Burrell takes on incumbent Abby Major, R-Leechburg, in the 60th District.
In the county’s two congressional races, incumbent Republican Guy Reschenthaler, R-Peters, will defend his seat in the 14th District, which includes the eastern and northern portions of Westmoreland County, against Democratic challenger Alan Bradstock of Fayette County.
Incumbent Summer Lee, D-Swissvale, faces a challenge from Republican James Hays to retain her seat in the 12th District, which includes the western portion of Westmoreland County along with Pittsburgh and its eastern Allegheny County suburbs.
Republicans hold a significant voter registration advantage, more than 44,000, in Westmoreland County.
Bretz said the key for the GOP to hold off Democratic challenges in November will be to improve turnout.
“Democrats have a large base of mail-in voters. We had a nice turnout on Election Day but we need to get moving to improve those numbers,” Bretz said.
More than 70% of the more than 20,000 mail ballots cast this spring were from Democratic voters, according to the election bureau. Just 5,907 Republicans voted by mail this spring, according to Westmoreland election officials.