AND THE WINNERS ARE ...
RESULTS ARE IN FOR ODDEST ELECTION IN DELCO HISTORY
Though vote totals for last week’s Primary Election were not 100 percent complete by Monday, it appeared that all contested races in the region could be called.
Leading that list was Amanda Cappelletti toppling longtime liberal stalwart Daylin Leach, of Lower Merion, in the 17th Senatorial District Democratic primary.
Cappelletti, who currently serves as vice chair of the East Norriton Board of Supervisors, secured 72 percent of the vote in Delaware County with 7,789 votes to Leach’s 3,029, or just 28 percent, according to unofficial vote tallies provided by the state that show a little more than 98 percent of votes counted for the county.
Leach fared slightly better in Montgomery County, where 100 percent of votes had been counted, earning nearly 39 percent of the vote with 11,568. Cappelletti bested him there as well, however, with more than 61 percent of the vote, or 18,384 ballots cast in her favor.
“I am very humbled by all of the support that I have received and am very grateful,” said Cappelletti Monday. “I look forward to November and moving into Harrisburg and getting good policies passed that support the community.”
Cappelletti credited her win to her team of staff and volunteers that helped push her message out. She said she believed having a Master’s degree in Public Health from Temple University in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic likely resonated with voters, and that they also probably felt it was time for a fresh start.
Leach has been dogged by #MeToo accusations since 2017 and numerous public officials, some of whom who backed his opponent, have called for him to resign. Leach has denied all allegations of sexual harassment or assault, which is the subject of two pending defamation suits, but has acknowledged that his sense of humor might not have been appropriate at times.
“I do believe that this is the first test to holding our public officials accountable for their actions and their votes, and holding them to a higher standard,” said Cappelletti. “When they don’t live up to it, we will step up.”
Cappelletti will face Republican Ellen Fisher in November, who ran unopposed.
Another incumbent, state Rep. Brian Kirkland, D-159, of Chester, fended off a challenge from Chester Township Councilwoman Angela Renee Prattis, according to unofficial election results from the county.
Kirkland, who is seeking a third term, received 3,687 votes, or more than 62 percent, while Prattis received
2,240, according to those totals. Kirkland now faces Republican Ruth Moton of Upper Chichester, who ran unopposed.
State Rep. Greg Vitali,
D-166 of Haverford, handily defeated challenger Jennifer Leith to run for a 15th term. Vitali received 4,797 votes in Delco, or 61 percent, and about 38 percent of the vote in Montco, with 1,197. Leith edged Vitali out in Montco with
1,209 votes, but her 38 percent showing in Delco, with
3,013 votes, could not surmount Vitali’s lead.
Vitali will face Republican Christine Boyle of Haverford in November. Boyle ran unopposed.
Retired U.S. Marine and school teacher Deb Ciamacca of Media also defeated Brittany Forman in an open race for the 168th District, currently held by Republican state Rep. Chris Quinn of Middletown. Ciamacca secured about 60 percent with
5,008 votes cast, while Forman brought in just about
40 percent with 3,391 votes.
Another open race for Democrats pitted Kennett Square attorney Anton Andrew against Catherine Spahr, the Codes, Planning and Zoning Administrative Coordinator for Newtown Township. Though Spahr defeated Andrew in Delco
57-42 percent- or 2,291 to
1,708 – Andrew secured an overwhelming 85 percent of the votes in Chester County, beating out Spahr 3,000 to
531.
Andrew thanked voters for the nomination in a release, as well as his team and Spahr’s, who he said ran a hard-fought campaign.
“These are troubled times in our community, our commonwealth, and our country,” said Andrew. “We find ourselves in the midst of a global pandemic and global social upheaval, and we face these crises with an absolute lack of leadership from the White House and from President Trump’s enablers in Washington, and from state legislatures across the country, including right here in Pennsylvania. As our state representative, I will fight to pass laws that protect workers and families struggling to realize their American Dream and to ensure that no one, including our President, is above the law.”
Andrew will face former Republican U.S. Rep. Craig Williams, of Concord, who was unopposed.
In the 9th state Senatel District, John Kane of Birmingham Township won out over Brett Burman and got the nod from Democrats to challenge Republican incumbent state Sen. Tom Killion of Middletown in the fall.
Unofficial vote totals for Delco showed Burman with more than 53 percent of the vote, or 9,330 to Kane’s
8,240, but Kane grabbed 65 percent of the votes in Chester County with 8,722 Votes to Burman’s 4,721.
“This Primary played out during a truly unique and devastating period in our history,” said Kane, a master plumber and business manager of Plumbers Union LU 690, in a release. “A global pandemic that has upended life in our communities and taken over
100,000 lives, and national unrest as we are confronted with yet another example of racial injustice in America. These are difficult times, but how we respond to them will shape our future for generations to come. We have the choice – no, the responsibility – to fight for a better government, more justice, and progress on all fronts.”
Kane likewise thanked Burman for running a spirited campaign and hoped to work with him in the future toward defeating Killion in the fall.
The sole contested primary on the Republican side of the ballot, save a few committee races, was that for the 5th Congressional District between Robert Jordan and Dasha Pruett.
Though Jordan did better in Philadelphia, securing 75 percent of the vote with 1,126 to Pruett’s 373, Pruett trumped Jordan in Delco 63 percent to 37 percent, with 27,197 votes to Jordan’s 16,003. The two candidates were about split in the narrow section of the district lying in Montgomery County, with Jordan getting 620 Votes and Pruett tallying 605.
Pruett indicated on a Facebook post Saturday that she is waiting for every vote to be counted, but noted the numbers “look great,” and said she was grateful and humbled by all the support of the 5th District volunteers and voters.
“This experience of run
ning for US PA-5 Congressional District against Rob Jordan has exceeded the dreams of the little ‘legal’ immigrant girl from Socialist Russia,” said Pruett, who came to America in 1980. “Thank you all for your confidence, support and dedication. Together we will fight for our community, our people, and our American Dream!”
Pruett faces incumbent Democrat Mary Gay Scanlon of Swarthmore in November.
At the top of the ticket, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden received
57,576 votes in Delco, or 83 percent, to Bernie Sanders’ 15 percent with just
11,042. President Donald Trump likewise secured about 87 percent of the vote with 36,592. Two other challengers did not muster more than 10% on the Republican ballot.
There was no indication Monday when all Delaware County ballots, including mail-ins that might have been sent off on Election Day June 2, might be counted. Gov. Tom Wolf extended the receipt period for mail-in ballots postmarked by the Primary Election date to today.