Nov 4, 2014 5 min read

Jesse White was riding in the car with his wife Eileen and infant son Atticus just moments after learning he would lose his re-election bid Tuesday night when he felt a “weight lifted off of me.”

The past 18 months since it was revealed in May 2013 that he had used various anonymous online personas to attack constituents and the ensuing firestorm it created had taken its toll, and likely led to his defeat against Republican challenger Jason Ortitay for the 46th state House District.

“You can always second-guess, but I think if I had been living in a bubble for the last two years, (his opponents) would have still found a way to turn that against me,” White said. “For right now, I’m looking forward to spending some time with my wife and son. I’ve got some catch-up work there, and I honestly can’t wait.”

Ortitay, a small-business owner who moved to South Fayette last year, easily defeated the four-term incumbent 10,462 votes to 8,169. Ortitay’s carried both Washington and Allegheny counties by similar 56-to-44-percent margins.

Ortitay told supporters gathered at his campaign party that he had “mixed feelings” of excitement and opportunity, but that his victory was still sinking in.

“I’m very excited to have this opportunity,” Ortitay said. “I don’t know if I could put it into words.”

But White, who often boasted he couldn’t be bullied by outside forces, blamed his loss on a litany of negative television commercials and mailers that he claimed were smears or “outright lies” about him and his record.

“This wasn’t a campaign; it was a character assassination. They dragged my name through the mud and it worked, this time,” White said. “We did everything we could have done. I’m proud of my campaign.”

Ortitay did not dispute the nastiness of the campaign, but said he’s ready to work for his new constituents as he learns the nuances of state government.

“From here on out, it’s about bringing people together,” Ortitay said. “If you have disagreements, I’m here to be reasonable and be fair and to help bridge the gap to bring people together to build a better 46th District.”

White rode the wave of incumbent resentment in 2006 following the illegal pay raise by state legislators the previous year and promised to be a different kind of representative. But his clashes with the Marcellus Shale industry, specifically Range Resources, and the state Department of Environmental Protection made him a polarizing figure within his district and constituents. He blamed the advertisements for his loss and said he did not think his own past was a factor.

“I’ve just become a cautionary tale,” White said. “If you stand up to these guys and they decide they want to take you out, then you have a tough road to hoe and there’s no way to get around that.”

White, who has a law office in Cecil Township, said he was unsure what the future will hold for him. He said he expects to spend time with his family while he ponders his options.

“What do I have to be upset about? (Family) is what matters and that’s what I’m going to focus on,” White said. “I’m going to figure out what I want to do and take my time and do it the right way.”

15th state House District

Jim Christiana of Beaver County defended his state House seat in his newly configured that now reaches into western and southern Washington County. Christiana, a Republican, won his fourth term in office easily swatted away challenger Paul Cain with 12,197 votes to 5,334.

39th state House District

It was a different challenger this time for state Rep. Rick Saccone, but the same result. Saccone, R-Elizabeth, beat Democratic challenger Lisa Stout-Bashioum by a margin of 11,221 to 7,368, which was a much healthier victory than his two previous elections against former Rep. David Levdansky. Stout-Bashioum is the daughter of former state Sen. Barry Stout.

48th state House District

Brandon Neuman won his third term in office on the same night his mentor, state Sen. Timothy Solobay lost his re-election bid. Neuman, D-North Strabane won against Republican challenger Sonia Stopperich with 9,847 votes to 6,884.

49th State House District

State Rep. Pete Daley cruised to his 17th term in office by handily defeating his Republican challenger Bud Cook for the 49th state House District. Daley won re-election with 6,636 votes to 5,269. Daley, D-California, has served 32 years in Washington County.