For the first time since 1998, it appears 20-year veteran Democratic state Rep. Frank LaGrotta will have to campaign to keep his office.

Not only could LaGrotta of Ellwood City have opposition in the May 16 primary, he may have a Republican challenger in the Nov. 7 election in the 10th District.

Charles Morse, 55, of Slippery Rock, a freelance writer and television producer and videographer, on Monday announced he plans to seek the GOP nomination in the district.

The incumbent's newfound opposition for re-election comes the year after he voted for the Legislature's controversial pay raise that he accepted in the form of equally controversial "unvouchered expenses."

Under the provision, lawmakers could choose to immediately accept their 16 percent to 54 percent pay raises — in the form of an expense check — rather than wait until the start of the new legislative session next January.

The Legislature subsequently repealed the salary hike; however, the 47-year-old LaGrotta is one of only about a dozen Western Pennsylvania legislators who has not returned the money collected during the five months the raises were in effect.

The 10th District includes Slippery Rock borough and township in Butler County and parts of Beaver and Lawrence counties.

Jaret Gibbons, a 25-year-old University of Pittsburgh Law School student, last month announced he plans to oppose LaGrotta for the Democratic nomination in the May 16 primary.

Gibbons hopes to gain his law degree in May; he already holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Duquesne University. He also has served a fellowship with the Pennsylvania Department of State.

Morse is the first Republican to announce his candidacy in the primary.

He has been self-employed since 1990 and does public relations and TV production work.

Previously, he worked as a political campaign media manager, and served the campaigns of Bill Scranton for governor in 1986, Barbara Hafer for auditor general in 1988; and Mike Fisher for governor in 1994.

Morse holds a bachelor's degree in radio and television from Butler University in Indianapolis, Ind., and a master's degree in journalism from Ohio State University.

LaGrotta has served in the House of Representatives since 1987.

The last time he had opposition was in November 1998, when he captured 69 percent of the vote to defeat Republican challenger Dennis Neese of Perry Township, Lawrence County.