Republican minister wins 78th House election
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BEDFORD, Pa. (AP) — A Republican minister has won a special election to fill the seat of state Rep. Dick Hess, who died in office.
Republican Jesse Topper, of Bedford, won the unofficial tally with 4,269 votes to 925 for Democrat Barbara Barron.
The 74-year-old Hess was a 14-term Republican and chairman of the Transportation Committee when he died Sept. 6 from complications that arose after leg surgery.
The winner of Tuesday’s special election will fill the House seat for the remaining 10 months of Hess’ term in the 78th District, which includes parts of Bedford, Fulton and Huntingdon counties.
The district’s boundaries are set to change in the November general election, losing parts of Bedford and Huntingdon counties in exchange for part of Franklin County.