Pittman leads race in 3 counties to fill seat
Republican Joe Pittman received more votes in Butler, Armstrong and Westmoreland counties than Democrat Susan Boser to represent the 41st state Senatorial District, but results from Indiana County were not available Tuesday night following the special election.
The district includes eastern Butler County, all of Armstrong and Indiana counties, and part of Westmoreland County. Pittman and Boser are from Indiana County.
Pittman received 4,311 votes in Butler County, 7,470 in Armstrong County and 3,610 in Westmoreland County, according to unofficial results.
Boser received 3,245 votes in Butler, 2,919 in Armstrong and 2,371 in Westmoreland, according to unofficial results.
The district includes Allegheny, Buffalo, Clearfield, Clinton, Concord, Donegal, Fairview, Jefferson, Middlesex and Oakland townships and Bruin, Cherry Valley, Chicora, Eau Claire, Fairview and Karns City boroughs in Butler County.
The special election was held to replace former state Sen. Don White, who retired in March with two years left on his term due to health issues.
Pittman worked as the chief of staff for White since he took office in 2001. The father of four graduated from Penn State University in 1998.
Boser is a public policy professor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The married mother of three received her doctorate in human services policy from Cornell University in 2001. Before that, she worked as a social worker and in drug and alcohol treatment for 20 years.
She unsuccessfully challenged U.S. Rep. Glenn “G.T.” Thompson in the 2018 election for the 15th Congressional District.
Pittman has said he supports the existing impact fee the state imposes on gas wells and is opposed to adding or replacing it with a severance tax based on the amount of gas extracted.
He said the legislature should reconsider limitations on how districts spend subsidies for basic education, special education, transportation and food service to provide flexibility in spending.
Boser supports limits on campaign contributions and gifts elected officials can receive in office.
She has said the state should cover half of school districts' education costs and districts should be allowed to base real estate tax rates on property values and resident income levels.
Boser said she supports imposing a severance tax on gas well drillers and using the money for improving roads and economic development. The money generated by a severance tax could be used for education and to provide high-speed broadband Internet service to rural areas, she said.
SUSAN BOSER (D) 42.8%JOE PITTMAN (R) 56.8%
