Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
State House seats still up for grabs
Mail- in ballots still being counted
While the presidential election between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden generated the most media buzz on Election Day, there were plenty of competitive down ballot races in Chester County and across Pennsylvania.
Candidates for state representative are battling it out in the nine state House districts that cover Chester County, several of which recently changed hands from Republicans to Democrats in the 2018 midterm elections.
As of 8: 30 p. m. Wednesday night, some unofficial election returns were posted on Chester County’s website, but some mailin ballots were still being counted.
Most state representative candidates indicated they would not comment on the state of these races until all votes had been counted.
13th House District
Incumbent state Rep. John Lawrence is running to keep his seat in the 13th Legislative District race for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives against political newcomer Richard Ruggieri.
Lawrence leads the race with 17,854 votes in Chester County and 1,203 in Lancaster County for a total of 19,057 votes. Ruggieri has 11,910 votes in Chester County and 446 votes in Lancaster County for a total of 12,356 votes.
As in all elections, these results are not official until they are certified by the Chester County Board of Elections. That process is likely to take longer this year because the state has allowed counties to process and count mail- in and absentee ballots that are received by the county Office of Voter Services by Friday, if they are postmarked by 8 p. m. Tuesday.
Lawrence, a Republican, has held this legislative seat since 2010, serving the residents of Chester and Lancaster counties in Harrisburg for the last decade. Challenger Ruggieri, a Democrat, is an Air Force veteran and works as the vice president of information technology for Barclays.
“I’d like to thank everyone who cast a vote in Tuesday’s elections for making their voice heard,” Lawrence told the Daily Local News on Wednesday evening. “I would also like to thank all of the volunteers on my campaign team for their hard work.
“While early results show that we have a lead, there are still a number of ballots to be counted across the district. I appreciate Chester County Voter Services’ work in administering the election, and look forward to seeing the final results in the coming days.”
“After years of watching the dysfunction in Harrisburg, and especially after the COVID pandemic hit, I felt called to run and serve my community,” Ruggieri said.
26th House District
The race for the 26th District seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives pits incumbent Republican Rep. Tim Hennessey seeking his 14th term in office against Owen J. Roberts School Board member Paul Friel, a Democrat seeking state office for the first time.
Hennessey is ahead with 17,523 votes in Chester County and 818 votes in Montgomery County for a total of 18,341 votes. Friel has 12,665 votes in Chester County and 2,054 votes in Lancaster County for a total of 14,719 votes.
Hennessey currently is the most senior Republican in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. First elected in 1992, Hennessey, 72, has served as a state representative for 27 years.
He highlighted his constituent service and consistent voting record when asked why he has decided to seek another term.
“I believe that I continue to be effective in obtaining results for people who need help with government agencies, which affect their lives on a daily basis. Whether it’s correcting a mistake in a motorist’s record with PennDOT or qualifying someone for unemployment compensation after they’ve been ‘ lost in the system’ and getting the system to work properly is still rewarding, especially for the constituent,” Hennessey said.
Friel, 51, has a degree in international and business law from Temple University and a masters in leadership and management, from American College.
He is the owner and a partner in PACE Environmental, an environmental technology and testing company.
“I’m running for state house because I want to see our government work for our community and I believe I can make a difference. I spent most of my career turning around businesses and organizations by rooting out waste, finding common ground, and building the foundation for a successful future,” Friel said.
74th House District
Pastor and Democratic state Rep. Dan Williams