2019 primary election: Miller wins prothonotary race; all incumbents win nominations

Incumbent GOP commissioners George F. Halcovage and Frank Staudenmeier won Tuesday, getting 8,941 and 8,042 votes respectively. Challenger Melissa Strauch had 4,660.

On the Democratic side, incumbent Gary J. Hess garnered 6,664 votes and his running mate, Joe Palubinsky, got 5,107 votes.

“She (Melissa Strauch) ran an issue-based, positive campaign,” Halcovage said Tuesday night. “She just called me, we talked and she congratulated us — we look forward to working with her going forward, for the betterment of the county.”

Staudenmeier said he is positive about the direction of the county.

“We have three good commissioners and work together,” he said. “That’s the way to keep moving forward.”

Bridget Miller won the Republican nomination for prothonotary in Schuylkill County on Tuesday, winning in a field of four candidates while all other GOP incumbents who had challenges won their nominations.

Miller defeated incumbent Albert Gricoski for the nomination. Gricoski has been prothonotary since former prothonotary, David T. Dutcavich, announced his resignation in March. Gricoski was Dutcavich’s first deputy and took over the position as acting prothonotary.

Miller had 3,903 votes to get the nod while Gricoski finished third with 2,986. New Ringgold Councilman Larry Padora finished second with 3,233 votes, and the fourth candidate, Dan Daub, county GOP chairman, was last with 2,704 votes.

Miller will now face off in the fall against Democrat Mark Atkinson, who got 6,311 unopposed votes.

Miller said she is looking forward to the coming months.

“I’m very excited about people choosing me, and I’m looking forward to working with the other Republican candidates,” she said. “So many people have been supportive, and I couldn’t have done it without everyone’s support.”

Padora said that with the primary over, it was time to unite.

“I congratulate the winner,” he said. “Now we have to come together in the general to support the Republican candidates.”

Daub said that Miller ran a good campaign.

“She built a good organization to make sure her voters turned out,” Daub said. “I wholeheartedly support her and look forward to helping her win in the fall.”

Gricoski said, “Of course I am disappointed with the results.”

“I wasn’t sure how it would be divided with four candidates, but I ran a good, clean campaign and just couldn’t pick up enough votes in some of the larger southern Schuylkill precincts,” he said. “I wish Bridget Miller well and thank everyone who supported and encouraged me in my campaign.”

Row offices

There were races in three other row offices on the GOP side.

Incumbent Republicans faced challengers for clerk of courts, register of wills and treasurer. In the treasurer’s race, incumbent Linda Marchalk defeated challenger Kira Adams, 8,207 to 4,038.

Marchalk will battle Catherine Cat Mahon, who gathered 6,244 uncontested votes; and Gaffney will face Joe Dutchie Ferraro, who had 6,566 unopposed votes, in the fall.

“I certainly want to thank the voters of Schuylkill County and all my friends and family who helped me to this victory — as a candidate I certainly can’t do it on my own,” Marchalk said. “The results show me that the taxpayers have trust in me, and I want to acknowledge my staff, who do an outstanding job every day.”

The competition for clerk of courts and register of wills was tight, with fewer than 100 votes keeping clerk of courts incumbent Maria Casey ahead of challenger Melissa Santai-Clark during early results. After the final tally, Casey defeated Santai-Gaffney, 6,277 to 5,953 votes. Casey will face Democrat Ron Pellish in the fall.

“Thank you to the voters and I look forward to representing you with professionalism for the next four years,” Casey said.

For register of wills, incumbent Theresa Santai-Gaffney held a 230-vote lead over Frank DiMarco with half the precincts reported. In the final tally, Santai-Gaffney defeated DiMarco, 6,418 to 5,920 votes. She’ll face Democrat Joe Ferraro in the fall.

“I thank the voters for their support and continued trust,” Santai-Gaffney said Tuesday night. “I’m grateful and humbled.”

DiMarco thanked his supporters.

“Congratulations to my opponent — Theresa Gaffney and I ran a clean race,” DiMarco said. “Thank you to all my supporters and voters.”

Incumbent Republican Controller Christy Joy got 11,684 unopposed votes. No Democrat ran on Tuesday for controller. Recorder of deeds Republican Ann Dudish got 11,848 unchallenged votes. No Democrat ran for the position.

Republican coroner Dr. David J. Moylan got 11,267 votes and was not opposed. However, he will face Democrat Deb Detweiler in the fall election, who got 6,588 votes unopposed Tuesday.

Den McLaughlin and Lisa Price contributed to this report.