County Stood Behind Corbett, Kelly in Yesterday’s Election
County Employee Carrie Wolfe - who works at the Commissioners Information Desk in the Administration Building - finishes marking the final results in yesterday’s General Election.
By Jonathan Weaver
More than 18,600 registered Armstrong County voters cast their ballots in yesterday’s General Election – greater than 45 percent of the nearly-42,000 registered.
Armstrong County voters only had as many as three contested races to choose between – the one between incumbent Tom Corbett and Tom Wolf for governor, between incumbent Mike Kelly and Dan LaVallee for 3rd congressional representative and some had to choose between incumbent Joseph Petrarca and Brian Panichelle for state representative in Apollo, Leechburg and Parks.
Although more than 11,250 ballots were cast to retain Tom Corbett as state governor and he received support from the majority of the state’s 67 counties, Democratic challenger Tom Wolf received the majority of votes – including in the three most-populated areas of Allegheny, Philadelphia and Montgomery counties.
Wolf spoke to thousands of supporters about 9:45PM at Utz Arena within York Fairgrounds last night.
“I am so grateful to the voters of Pennsylvania for giving me this chance. While I’m grateful for the great honor they’ve done me by giving me so many votes, I also recognize the responsibility that has been placed on my shoulders to do great things for Pennsylvania. I know there is a heavy responsibility.”
Corbett – state governor since 2010 - thanked his supporters, staff and cabinet members and wife, Susan, among others, and asked his supporters to give Wolf applause on his victory during his concession speech.
“I called Tom Wolf and I thanked him for a well-fought fight. I congratulated him on his victory and I wished him well in the next four years,” Corbett said.
He said he was proud of all the efforts made during his tenure since it was all done for the people of Pennsylvania.
Wolf acknowledged Corbett’s phone call and concession speech, and also expressed his appreciation for Corbett’s public service.
Wolf won the majority of votes in at least a dozen of Armstrong County’s 68 municipalities – including Kittanning Borough’s 1st Ward, Ford City Borough’s 1st Ward – North and South – and by one vote in Hovey Township.
U.S. Congressional Representative Mike Kelly, of Butler – who represents more than 703,000 residents of Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Lawrence and Mercer Counties and more than 556,000 over 18 according to 2011 U.S. Census statistics – received nearly 72 percent of the ballots in Armstrong County and 60 percent of the vote in the region over Dan LaVallee of Cranberry Township to enter his third term of office.
“I think our goal from the first day we were in office was to think of it as a service department. You better serve people the right way – you better be there for them,” Congressman Kelly said during a recent visit to Family-Life TV’s “Talk of the Town.” “This federal system is very difficult to navigate. I’ve never asked anybody ‘How are you registered?’ but rather ‘How can I help you?’
“Since Day One, I wanted to take Western Pennsylvania’s voice back to Washington D.C.”
State Representatives Jeff Pyle, of Ford City, and Donna Oberlander, of Clarion, were unopposed in their incumbent campaigns. 2015 will be Pyle’s fifth term and Oberlander’s fourth.
Representative Petrarca, of Vandergrift, also was re-elected with nearly 64 percent of the votes. He has served the communities since 1995.
Local News, Regional News | jweaver November 5, 2014
By jorn jensen, November 5, 2014 @ 9:40 AM
You only need to look at 4 cities to see the tail wagging the dog - Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Erie. Most of the rest of the country went the other way, so, as a country, we’ll be on the mend. As a state, we’re headed back to 1920/1930. Hold on to your wallet.
By jorn jensen, November 5, 2014 @ 9:48 AM
Why didn’t the democrats put anyone up against Jeff Pyle?
By mad-2010, November 5, 2014 @ 9:57 AM
The County stood behind Corbett doesn’t really mean much now. New Dogs and New Days let’s move forward…..
By taxpoor, November 5, 2014 @ 2:47 PM
Once again our county votes the right way but we have to live with who Pittsburgh and Philly want. At least the nation as a whole voted these Democrats out of office. These city people don’t know or care about what this Liberal Governor will do to ruin this state. Wonder how many got bussed in to vote this time.
By localtaxpayer, November 5, 2014 @ 3:24 PM
Alright, now that the GOP is back in charge, let’s cut some low hanging fruit. (food stamps, Obama Care, SSI) Lets start saving the County instead of growing a bigger government that does no good for it’s people. Obama it is time to face your mistakes!!! Lets protect our boarders and stop this flood of illegal’s. Lets send back the ones that do not belong here. All that Obama and the Dems want is more voters and not Americans.
By localtaxpayer, November 5, 2014 @ 3:49 PM
Well, Tom Wolf won…so look forward to more food stamps and HIGHER taxes!!!!!!!
By sickofpayingforit, November 5, 2014 @ 4:13 PM
Disagree with Wolf already. Public Service is a term that is thrown around too loosely. Let’s examine this self-promoting, ego-inflating phrase:
ALL of us private sector people, some who manage budgets, etc. are not considered public service, and we all get paid to do it.
ANY elected person to a public sector position, who get’s paid to do it, is doing the exact same thing and when they take the salary, pension, benefits, they are definitely serving themselves first.
So, spare me the public service crapola. You schmoozed the voters to get elected into a paying job, no different than us working stiffs breaking out our best flannel, and cleanest pair of jeans applying somewhere for a job.
I consider the school board to be more public service than any paid elected position. The nepotism and massive conflict of interest that abounds somewhat negates this statement, but they don’t get paid and handle public matters.
By goober, November 6, 2014 @ 8:47 AM
all i can say is the one good thing about wolf getting in is he says with all his new revenue he is going to throw it at the schools. so as a taxpayer we should not have to keep facing raised school taxes because he is going to make up for the shortfall. course then again wasn”t the casinos supposed to take care of the property taxes?
By mad-2010, November 6, 2014 @ 12:22 PM
sickof.. Tom Wolf will forgo his salary of 187K, so it looks like you will have to rewrite the 3rd paragraph of your post….
By jorn jensen, November 6, 2014 @ 12:28 PM
mad - Wrong. The county standing behind Corbett means everything - then and now. Real change is coming - just look at the national results. You are out of place in Armstrong County. You need to be happy with your friends in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Erie - areas with out-stretched palms - they are the ones that voted as you did. Good thing that representatives and senators come from ‘areas’ or we’d all really be in trouble.
By mad-2010, November 6, 2014 @ 12:54 PM
The Pa. Governor’s salary is the highest in the nation! To give back the Governor’s salary of 187k says a lot to me… Some working stiffs have been known to eat crow!!
By Flamingo1, November 6, 2014 @ 8:00 PM
@sick
So Wolf announces today he will forego salary and pension and does that change your attitude? Probably not. You talked yourself into a box.
By mad-2010, November 7, 2014 @ 4:14 PM
JJ.. What an asinine post. I am happy with how the majority of Pa. voters voted, and Wolf won..
By mad-2010, November 7, 2014 @ 4:47 PM
JJ.. Last year you tried to tell everyone that more and more American Citizens were becoming Subjects, when in fact that would be impossible because America is a Democracy.
This year you tried to tell everyone you protected Citizens while you were in the military, when in fact that would be impossible under the Constitution. So, maybe You are out of place in America!! LOL
By jorn jensen, November 7, 2014 @ 4:50 PM
If Wolf can pay $27.9 million to get the job, he can surely forego the the salary and pension. It will be fun to watch with a republican majority in both the senate and the house.
By mad-2010, November 8, 2014 @ 7:58 AM
JJ… I understand that you spent your formative years as a Socialist, perhaps a refresher course in American Civics would help. If not you really are out of place in America….
By jerry6, November 8, 2014 @ 8:50 PM
This is not about Corbett but about Mitch McConnel. Democracy Now, on HDTV, said that Mitch’s father-in-law owns one of the richest Shipping Company’s in the world and ships coal to the USA from Columbia(I believe). They said it is very dirty coal. He ships it here and sells it to companies here. One time his company was shipping and a big load of cocaine was found. They said McConnell handled it and it never got out. This is how dirty these politicians on both sides are. I guess if you have enough money, you can get away with anything. Everyone should also write there reps and complain about how all of the banks big shots never went to jail over the crooked things they did when these banks failed and how all of those supposedly big shots got big bonuses.
By jerry6, November 8, 2014 @ 8:52 PM
I heard David Wolfe on the morning radio show telling that he is doing the leg work for a company to come here and create 50 jobs. It might not seem like much but in this area, anything would help and it is a start. We need more people to do work like this to try to get more business around here.
By sickofpayingforit, November 9, 2014 @ 3:10 AM
Flamingo-
I am one of the rarity’s on this blog. I don’t toe any party lines, or defend any particular political affiliation. I just don’t want to pay so much money in taxes and don’t like elected people spending MY money like it is theirs, and I really HATE paying them to do it, with MY money.
So, with that, I am 100% overjoyed that Wolf has not taken the salary and benefits. That is less of MY money going to a politician. How could this be anything but a good thing! I did not have that information, I don’t think anyone did, when I posted and just made an assumption based on about every other politician out there. I played the odds, as they are overwhelming in favor of a politician taking any money they can get their hands on. Look at the per diem payments that go out to some of these guys…….
Did you really expect me to be anything but happy about this or were you just looking for something, anything, to give you a reason to throw out a few more ten-cent words???
By sickofpayingforit, November 9, 2014 @ 3:14 AM
Jorn-
Not sure it will matter anymore which party is where. Obama has set the precedent that the top dog in a government system can basically do whatever he wants to do. The system of checks and balances is broken, and that is very, very bad for us……..
By jorn jensen, November 10, 2014 @ 7:49 AM
Agree, sickofpayingforit and jerry6.
Flamingo slams sickofpayingforit for a post ahead of Wolf’s announcement that he won’t take the pay. Useless slam. I agree, sick, if the guy doesn’t take the pay, then I may get to keep a few cents - life is good. I just hope the senate and house can keep him in check on everything else.
Agree, Jerry 6. I’m no fan of Mitch McConnell. Money, on both sides, talks. I further agree that if we can get 50 jobs here, even if they are union jobs, then that is 50 people that can help us pay for whatever it is that we are ‘on the hook’ for in the public sector. If we had a bunch more 50 person jobs, up and down this valley, maybe the Sears at the Mills Mall could stay.
By jorn jensen, November 10, 2014 @ 9:43 AM
So, Mad2010, what are your plans for your Veterans’ Day celebration? Wanna go have a beer at the VFW?
By forward, November 11, 2014 @ 9:43 AM
So, jorns comment on Nov. 10 at 9:43 am. has nothing to do with the article it’s posted under and is clearly an attack on another poster.
BUT YET, it is allowed….. hmmmm once again it is all about whom you are in cahoots with.
By the way, I responded to jorns snide remark on the article about our local Sears store signing a new lease.
Search this site… local Sears lease.. and you should get it.
By blutoblutarsky, November 11, 2014 @ 10:28 AM
jorn- are you really trying to rag on mad about not serving in the military again with your VFW comment?
Scott and I both mentioned to you before that you shouldn’t hold your service over someone’s head, but you apparently can’t resist. Grow up.
By blutoblutarsky, November 11, 2014 @ 10:33 AM
FYI- Sears is closing over 100 stores nationwide, not just at the Mills. It has more to do with the company doing poorly than with our economy here. Good call Jensen.
By sickofpayingforit, November 12, 2014 @ 1:32 AM
Bluto-
If the Mills store was making money, they wouldn’t be closing. When they reduce their inventory, the tend to eliminate the least profitable stores first…….
Also, isn’t the company not making money the exact same thing as a bad economy? At least a blue-chip company like Sears……
By Rat_Smeller, November 12, 2014 @ 12:33 PM
@mad-2010 - The United States of America is not a “Democracy”. It is a Representative Republic. There is a very big difference between a democracy and a representative republic. These two forms of government: Democracy and Republic, are not only dissimilar but antithetical, reflecting the sharp contrast between (a) The Majority Unlimited, in a Democracy, lacking any legal safeguard of the rights of The Individual and The Minority, and (b) The Majority Limited, in a Republic under a written Constitution safeguarding the rights of The Individual and The Minority; as we shall now see.
By jorn jensen, November 12, 2014 @ 7:34 PM
bluto - I offered mad a beer at the VFW - what is wrong with that? If mad finds that offensive then mad has no problem responding, or defending, if that is necessary- you don’t need to be a babysitter.
By forward, November 12, 2014 @ 10:17 PM
No different then than someone offering to take you to the ‘ American ‘ legion jorn ???
And…
One does not have to be a veteran to belong to the VFW.
By jorn jensen, November 13, 2014 @ 6:32 AM
sickofpayingforit - The only reason bluto posted a defense for Sears at the Mills closing is because I posted on the topic. Liberals are so easy. If I state that the sky is blue and white because of Penn State, bluto will state, “No, it’s not.”
Fact is, if Sears at the Mills was booming in sales, it wouldn’t be closed. That’s how business and supply/demand works.
By blutoblutarsky, November 14, 2014 @ 9:56 AM
jorn-
Why no response to being called out on attacking mad for not being a veteran? You’re trying to change the subject by calling me a liberal for disagreeing with you. You also lied on a previous thread when you said you’ve never done that.
Also- sickof, jorn, etc- Just because a store is closing doesn’t mean it’s directly related to the economy. It just means people don’t shop there. The way you describe it, if the economy is booming EVERY store must be doing well.
If multiple stores in those malls were closing, then I your statement would be true.
Over 100 stores are closing nationwide. Sears is no longer a “blue chip” company. I understand what you’re trying to say, but you need to word it in a better way.
By blutoblutarsky, November 14, 2014 @ 9:58 AM
forward- good post on 11/11. You’ve noticed this behavior too?
By jorn jensen, November 14, 2014 @ 3:00 PM
bluto - The sky is blue and white because of Penn State. I just ignore Denny’s comments.
By forward, November 17, 2014 @ 6:35 AM
jorn, that’s your best option.
By mad-2010, November 18, 2014 @ 10:24 AM
JJ.. I spent veteran’s day visiting the grave site of my friend (and co-worker) the B17 navigator and had dinner with his son..
JJ.. Have no plans to ever have a beer with you, Sorry but you are just not my kind of person, no offence!
Bluto.. JJ has no idea if I was in the military or not, and it will stay that way! It pays to be humble..
By mad-2010, November 18, 2014 @ 10:33 AM
Rat.. After further review you maybe right, however there are no Subjects in the U.S.
By mad-2010, November 18, 2014 @ 10:54 AM
Forward.. JJ is just upset that he can’t throw his protecting citizens in peoples face anymore!!
On the Bright-Side can’t wait to see what Wolf can do for Pa…
By mad-2010, November 18, 2014 @ 11:18 AM
Just read yesterday that Reagan and Bush acted without Congress on Immigrant Deportation, Well, Well!! Let’s see if the GOP can govern without gridlock. The coming months should be interesting!