Resignation Of State Rep. Jeff Pyle Leads To Special Election On May 18 With 3 Candidates
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Primary Election Day is just two weeks from Tuesday, but not every election is a party primary.
There's a special state House election in Armstrong, Butler and Indiana counties, where all voters are choosing a new state representative.
When Republican Pa. Rep. Jeff Pyle resigned in March for health reasons, that required a special election to fill his seat. There are three candidates on the ballot.
All voters get to vote in the 28 communities of the 60th Legislative District, a mostly rural area.
"People who have half-mile-long driveways made of dirt that take 10 minutes to visit one house – yeah, mostly a lot of farmland, a lot of natural gas drilling," says Republican nominee Abby Major, who worked for Pyle.
She said she's ready for the job.
"I do have the experience. I know this job. I know what it entails. I am ready to go on day one," Major told KDKA political editor Jon Delano.
"I like a challenge," says the Democratic candidate Frank Prazenica
Prazenica is a retired school superintendent, school director and colonel in the Reserves.
"I would like to have that power to be where I could go to Harrisburg, and one thing they will not do – and I don't care if they are senior legislators or whatever – they will not intimidate me. I'm going there to get things for my district," he says.
"This is a prime time. We need more liberty in the state Legislature," said Libertarian Andrew Hreha.
Want a third choice?
Hreha, a 22-year-old who just graduated from Waynesburg University, is also on the ballot. He says Libertarians want less government intrusion.
"We want individuals to live their lives as they see fit, to do what they want with their life as long as it doesn't harm the life, liberty or property of another individual," says Hreha.
Voters in this district will decide their next representative on May 18.
