FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOV. MITT ROMNEY IS ADDING PENNSYLVANIA TO THE LIST OF STATES HE'S WON ON THE WAY TO THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR PRESIDENT. ROMNEY ALSO WON CONNECTICUT, RHODE ISLAND, DELAWARE AND NEW YORK ON TUESDAY. THE PENNSYLVANIA PRIMARY LOST MUCH OF ITS DRAMA TWO WEEKS AGO, WHEN FORMER U.S. SEN. RICK SANTORUM SUSPENDED HIS CAMPAIGN. UNDER PENNSYLVANIA REPUBLICAN RULES, THE RESULTS DON'T NECESSARILY MEAN ROMNEY'S WON THE STATE'S DELEGATES TO THIS AUGUST'S NATIONAL CONVENTION IN TAMPA, FLORIDA. THE 72 DELEGATES FROM PENNSYLVANIA ARE FREE TO SUPPORT THE CANDIDATE OF THEIR CHOICE AT THE CONVENTION.
TOM SMITH HAS WON A FIVE-WAY REPUBLICAN RACE FOR THE NOMINATION TO CHALLENGE DEMOCRATIC U.S. SEN. BOB CASEY'S RE-ELECTION BID. SMITH OUTLASTED ENTREPRENEUR STEVE WELCH, FORMER STATE REP. SAM ROHRER, DECORATED VIETNAM VET DAVID CHRISTIAN AND LAWYER MARK SCARINGI. WELCH HAD BEEN ENDORSED BY GOV. TOM CORBETT AND THE STATE GOP. MEANWHILE, CASEY BEAT LITTLE-KNOWN OPPONENT JOSEPH VODVARKA IN HIS BID FOR A SECOND SIX-YEAR TERM.
PENNSYLVANIA'S LONGEST SERVING CONGRESSMAN IS OUT. "IT'S BEEN AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO SERVE IN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS. I THINK WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT AND I'LL NEVER, EVER, EVER FORGET WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME," DEMOCRAT TIM HOLDEN TOLD SUPPORTERS AFTER HE LOST THE PRIMARY IN THE NEWLY CONFIGURED 17TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT BY 14 POINTS TO LACKAWANNA COUNTY ATTORNEY MATT CARTWRIGHT, WHO TOLD SUPPORTERS HE WON'T BE IN WASHINGTON TO JUST BLEND IN. "I MAY WELL BE JUST ONE VOICE OUT OF 435, BUT I PROMISE YOU I'LL BE A LOUD ONE," CARTWRIGHT TOLD SUPPORTERS. BEFORE THAT HAPPENS, CARTWRIGHT HAS TO DEFEAT LACKAWANNA COUNTY REPUBLICAN LAUREEN CUMMINGS IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.
THIS NOVEMBER'S 15TH CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION WILL PIT INCUMBENT REPUBLICAN CHARLIE DENT AGAINST DEMOCRAT RICK DAUGHERTY, WHO DEFEATED JACKSON EATON IN TUESDAY'S PRIMARY. IN THE SPECIAL ELECTION TO FILL OUT THE REMAINDER OF DOUG REICHLEY'S STATE HOUSE TERM, REPUBLICAN RYAN MACKENZIE EARNED ABOUT 60 PERCENT OF THE VOTE TO DEFEAT PATRICK SLATTERY. WHILE MACKENZIE WILL SPEND THE NEXT EIGHT MONTHS IN HARRISBURG, HE'LL HAVE TO BEAT SLATTERY AGAIN IN NOVEMBER TO KEEP THE JOB. BOTH MEN ALSO WON THEIR PRIMARY ELECTIONS IN THE 134TH DISTRICT.
POLITICAL NEWCOMER KATHLEEN KANE IS THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR PENNSYLVANIA ATTORNEY GENERAL. THE FORMER LACKAWANNA COUNTY PROSECUTOR DEFEATED FORMER CONGRESSMAN PATRICK MURPHY IN YESTERDAY'S PRIMARY.
JOHN MAHER HAS WON THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR PENNSYLVANIA AUDITOR GENERAL. THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE FROM ALLEGHENY COUNTY DEFEATED FRANK PINTO. THE AUDITOR GENERAL IS THE STATE'S FISCAL WATCHDOG. THE OFFICE HAS BEEN HELD FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS BY DEMOCRAT JACK WAGNER, WHO'S STEPPING DOWN AFTER SERVING THE MAXIMUM TWO TERMS ALLOWED BY LAW.
HANOVER TOWNSHIP SUPERVISORS STILL HAVEN'T MADE UP THEIR MIND ON WHETHER TO SETTLE ITS LEGAL CHALLENGE TO THE STATE LAW CREATING A NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT ZONE AROUND ALLENTOWN'S ARENA. DESPITE A LENGTHY MEETING, SUPERVISORS DIDN'T VOTE ON ALLENTOWN'S OFFER TO SETTLE THE DISPUTE, WHICH CENTERS AROUND THE ZONE WHICH TAKES STATE AND LOCAL TAXES WITHIN THE 130-ACRE ZONE AND USES THE MONEY TO HELP PAY OFF THE ARENA AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT SURROUNDING IT.
A 20-YEAR-OLD DANIELSVILLE MAN IS DEAD AFTER CRASHING HIS PICKUP TRUCK INTO A TREE ALONG THE MONOCACY CREEK IN BATH. POLICE SAY KERRY QUEEN WAS DECLARED DEAD AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT THAT OCCURED JUST AFTER 6 O'CLOCK LAST NIGHT. POLICE ARE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT CAUSED THE CRASH.
18-YEAR-OLD KYLE LUCKEY HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO DRAGGING HIS PUPPY BEHIND A PICKUP TRUCK. LUCKEY ADMITTED TO THE CHARGES BECAUSE HE SAYS THERE'S NO DEBATING THAT HIS DOG, BERETTA, WAS INJURED. HOWEVER, LUCKEY SAYS THE INCIDENT WAS AN ACCIDENT AND HE WASN'T AWARE THE DOG WAS LEASHED TO THE TRUCK. PROSECUTORS AGREE, SAYING THE ROSETO BOROUGH MAN DIDN'T INTEND TO HARM THE DOG. THE DOG HAS RECOVERED FROM HER INJURIES.
