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Dems choose Mt. Lebanon man to run for Murphy’s vacant Congressional seat

By Barbara S. Miller staff Writer bmiller@observer-Reporter.Com 4 min read
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The special election to fill the unexpired term of former U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy has two candidates now that Democrats caucusing Nov. 19 at Washington High School selected Conor Lamb of Mt. Lebanon as their standard bearer.

Lamb, 33, will square off March 13 against Republican state Rep. Rick Saccone, 59, of Elizabeth Township, who was chosen by members of his party Nov. 11.

“People seem to be excited for a change,” Lamb said. “I think you have to talk to people about the promises that have been broken and they seem to understand if they turn out, they can get a change.”

The delegates were meeting because U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy of Upper St. Clair resigned in the wake of a scandal last month, leaving a district that includes parts of Washington, Greene, Allegheny and Westmoreland counties bereft of representation in Congress.

Murphy’s extramarital affair came to light in a court deposition, and, under the impression his paramour was pregnant, the anti-abortion Congressman asked her to abort.

“I come from a Catholic background, so to me, life is sacred,” Lamb said. “But I think a choice should remain with the individual, not the government.”

A gathering of GOP delegates at Southpointe Golf Club was closed to the media, but the Democrats held a forum that was open to the press as each candidate had five minutes to make a case.

Republicans individually faced a question-and-answer session behind closed doors while Democratic candidates did not have a back-and-forth.

“We’re inclusive. All of us,” said Linda Andrews of Washington, chairman of the Washington County Democratic Party, who placed Lamb’s name in nomination.

Lamb won the nomination with 319 votes over Westmoreland County Commission Chairman Gina Cerilli’s 152 and U.S. Navy veteran and Mt. Lebanon resident Pam Iovino’s 74.

Each party’s delegates voted by secret ballot; Saccone and Lamb were each selected in the second round, and both have military backgrounds.

Saccone, who represents the 39th Legislative District that includes Nottingham, Somerset, Union and Finleyville in Washington County, served in the U.S. Air Force as an officer in South Korea. He was part of a counterterrorism team that helped protect American athletes attending the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. He lived in North Korea for a year, writing two books about the experience. Saccone also earned a doctorate degree in political science at the University of Pittsburgh, becoming a professor at St. Vincent College, Latrobe.

Lamb doesn’t think he’s ever met Saccone.

“I’d like to meet him soon,” Lamb said. “We’ll be happy to debate anytime throughout this campaign, really at any venue that makes sense and on any day that makes sense.”

The special election has compressed what is typically a much longer process.

“If they’ll hear me out, we’ll make the case,” he said, emphasizing jobs and infrastructure. “Heroin is a national emergency. We have to take bigger, bolder action soon, especially among people of my generation.”

Residents of the 18th Congressional District who voted in the 2016 presidential contest chose Republican Donald Trump by a margin of nearly 27 percentage points – and 72,400 votes – over Democrat Hillary Clinton. Murphy had no opponent last year for an eighth term.

Washington & Jefferson College political science department chair Joseph DiSarro said Nov. 11 at the Republican confab, at which he was a delegate, the 18th Congressional District is tailor-made for a Republican.

Mike Mikus, a Democratic operative from South Fayette Township who was part of Mark Critz’s successful campaign to succeed the late Rep. John Murtha in 2010, said his party can see signs of encouragement in recent pickups in Pennsylvania appellate court seats.

“The Superior Court candidates, more people voted for a Democrat than a Republican,” Mikus said of his analysis of the 18th District during the most recent election. “This is going to be a very competitive race and the Democrats can win it.”

The Lamb name is already known in Allegheny County political circles. Conor Lamb’s uncle, Michael Lamb, is Pittsburgh city controller. Conor Lamb resigned as an assistant federal prosecutor to pursue nomination.

State Democratic Chairman Marcel Groen, who presided at the meeting, said the party’s executive committee, made up of 50 members, one from each senatorial district, would also weigh in with online votes, of which Lamb needed 26 within 48 hours to secure the nomination.

Those who did not garner enough votes to compete in the second round of balloting Sunday afternoon were Mike Crossey, Bob Solomon, Keith Seewald and Rueben Brock, who was back at Wash High, his alma mater.

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