Kane, Killion compete in 9th Senate District

CHADDS FORD » State Sen. Tom Killion, of Middleton, whose 9th District has been held by Republicans since the 1800s, faced off against union head John Kane for a seat in the district which straddles the boundaries of Chester and Delaware counties.

As of 8: 30 p. m., Wednesday, Kane held a slim 12 vote lead over the incumbent.

In Chester County, Kane had earned 48 percent of the vote, while Killion collected 51 percent.

By Wednesday evening, Killion had earned 39,745 votes to Kane’s 41,195 in Delaware County.

The posted Delco results show that Kane received a major edge from mail- in voters. Kane garnered 72 percent nods from voters versus 27 percent for Killion.

These results are not complete since not all of the absentee and mail- in votes have been counted. Chester County Commissioner Josh Maxwell said he expected the tabulation of votes received by election day to be completed by 10: 30 p. m. Wednesday, with those results posted by midnight.

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.

Killion spokesperson Cody Bright commented early Wednesday.

“Sen. Killion has led the race since counting started. It is regrettable that when certainty and clarity are needed, the Secretary of State’s inconsistent and fluid guidance to counties regarding the canvassing of ballots have sowed uncertainty and confusion. While ballots remain to be counted, we’re confident the voters have re- elected Tom Killion.”

“We are very encouraged that Tom Killion is advocating for the counting of all the ballots cast in the November 3rd election,” said John Kane’s campaign manager Steve Warhola. “This election — as in every election — ends when the final ballot is counted. We have known for months that more Democrats opted to vote by mail in this election, and we are seeing overwhelming margins in the returns. We are confident that after each ballot has been counted, Senate District 9 will have a new state Senator in John Kane.

“We would like to extend a very heartfelt thank you to all voters that cast their ballot in this election and we look forward to all votes being counted.”

Killion has served one term.

“Whether it’s working to end gun violence, stopping repeat DUI offenders, protecting the environment, ensuring affordable health care, strengthening our schools or growing our economy, I’ve been fighting for real change for our families,” said Killion during a run in the primaries.

In 2018, Killion’s legislation to get guns out of the hands of domestic abusers with protection from abuse orders ( PFAs) passed the Senate unanimously. The legislation was later incorporated into a larger domestic violence bill that was signed into law by Gov. Tom Wolf.

Killion also noted his work on Deana’s Law, which passed unanimously in a committee and is now before the full Senate. This legislation, named after Brookhaven DUI homicide victim Deana Eckman, substantially toughens penalties for repeat DUI offenders and requires them to wear alcohol monitoring devices to deter future drunk driving.

As a member of the Senate’s Appropriations Committee, Killion said he has been a fiscal watchdog who has helped craft state budgets without tax increases.

On environmental issues, Killion is the only Republican legislator in the country to propose a bill that moves a state to 100 percent renewable energy.

“We need independentminded legislators who work for the people, not ideologues,” said Killion, whose positions on guns, the environment and other issues have strayed from traditional Republican orthodoxy. “I’m a pragmatic problem solver who is sick of extremists on both sides of the political aisle,” he added.

Kane, 59, is a master plumber and business manager of the largest plumbing union in the state. He lives with his wife and family in Birmingham Township.

“I spent my life fighting on behalf of working people and building relationships with respected elected officials,” the avid gardener said, prior to the primary.

The cancer survivor said he has experienced some extraordinary times.

“I understand the suffering that some families are going through,” the Class of 1978 Cardinal O’Hara graduate said. “I can feel their pain.”

Kane has been in recovery for 36 years.

“My voice needs to be heard in Harrisburg,” the home remodeler said. “I’m not finished yet.

“I have a lot of motivation.”

Kane seeks affordable health care for all Pennsylvanians.

“Going through cancer, I knew that without health care that I would have been a dead man,” Kane said.

Kane said that he was “not a very good student” in high school.

He favors increasing the public investment in education and vocational programs.

“A vocation is not a bad career,” said the man who enjoys walking his dog. “Everybody needs to get to the middle class.”

The Sunoco Mariner East 2 Pipeline right- ofway runs through both Delaware and Chester counties.

“We should be holding pipeline companies accountable for safety and the environment,” Kane said.

The candidate supports “sensible” gun laws and a ban on automatic weapons, while favoring universal background checks.

Kane said that too many people are dying from the opioid epidemic.

“We’ve got to take a closer look at it,” he said. “Somebody has got to be held responsible.

“It breaks your heart. It doesn’t discriminate — white, black, yellow, rich or poor.”