State attorney general race still too close to call
Republican Tom Corbett held a slim lead early this morning in the race for attorney general with nearly all votes counted.
With 96 percent of precincts reporting, Corbett led with 2,583,620 votes, or 50 percent, to Democrat Jim Eisenhower's 2,501,990, or 49 percent -- a margin of 46,904 votes.
The Associated Press late yesterday called Eisenhower the winner when Eisenhower was leading by about 81,600 votes with 98 percent of precincts reporting. But that conclusion did not account for Corbett's ability to chip away at the lead in Republican-leaning counties that had not reported all of their votes.
Republicans have controlled the office since it became an elected position in 1980. The office, which carries a two-term limit, was open for the first time in eight years.
-- Associated Press
20-year gov't official to be next auditor general
Voters yesterday chose a 20-year veteran of public office from Pittsburgh to be the state's financial watchdog.
Democratic state Sen. Jack Wagner of Pittsburgh beat Republican Joe Peters of Scranton in the race yesterday to become auditor general, a post currently held by Robert Casey Jr., who is barred by law from seeking a third term.
With 72 percent of precincts reporting, Wagner had 1,799,803 votes, or 56 percent. Peters, the son of the former Scranton mayor who became a state prosecutor and worked in the White House, had 1,340,990 votes, or 42 percent.
Wagner sought support in his hometown of Pittsburgh and among labor unions. Peters, a one-time Scranton police officer, looked to police officers and firefighters for support and to voters in traditionally Democratic urban areas.
-- A.P.
Ex-auditor general wins job as state treasurer
With his sights still on the governor's office, Democratic Auditor General Robert P. Casey Jr. won the treasurer's office in a landslide yesterday, a victory that will allow him to remain in the public eye.
Casey, the son of the late former governor Robert P. Casey, carried huge advantages in name recognition and fundraising into the race against his little-known opponent, retired financial consultant Jean Craige Pepper.
Casey noted that he had advantages coming in, but also said that he believed that his record as auditor general had convinced voters as well.
"We're just gratified at the vote of confidence that the people of the state have given us tonight and we're going to work night and day to justify that confidence," Casey said by telephone from his Scranton, Pa., home.
With 65 percent of precincts reporting, Casey had 1,884,119 votes, or 67 percent, and Pepper had 881,834 votes, or 31 percent.
After two terms as auditor general, Casey was barred from seeking re-election, so he turned his attention to the even more visible statewide office of treasurer.
--A.P.
Fattah wins in landslide; Schwartz locks up 13th
Republicans were fighting early today to keep their five-seat majority in Pennsylvania's U.S. House delegation, an edge to be decided by a suburban Philadelphia district where the freshman GOP incumbent was trailing against his Democratic challenger.
The state's other 15 House incumbents won re-election, including 2nd Congressional District Democratic Rep. Chaka Fattah, who defeated challenger Stewart Bolno by a large margin.
Republicans held on to two open seats and Democrats, a third.
Democrats held their ground, with Democratic state Sen. Allyson Schwartz winning the open 13th District in parts of northeast Philadelphia and Montgomery County. That seat wasvacated by retiring Democratic Rep. Joe Hoeffel.
-- A.P.
