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Former prosecutor, state lawmaker seek Murphy’s seat

3 min read
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Rep. Jason Ortitay

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Rep. Conor Lamb

A sitting state lawmaker and former federal prosecutor have added their names to the list of hopefuls seeking the soon-to-be-vacant seat of Congressman Tim Murphy.

Former assistant U.S. attorney Conor Lamb, a Democrat, and state Rep. Jason Ortitay, R-South Fayette, announced their plans to compete for their parties’ nominations to be the candidate in a special election to fill Murphy’s seat representing the 18th Congressional District. Murphy – who was unopposed when he won an eighth term in the seat last year – intends to resign Oct. 21. The district includes most of Washington and Greene counties and parts of Allegheny and Westmoreland.

Lamb, 33, a Mt. Lebanon native, announced his plans Saturday. The former Marine Corps captain, who served as a federal prosecutor for the Western District of Pennsylvania, said in a statement his priorities include building “a 21st-century government that helps create jobs, improve pay and benefits, improve health care and education.”

“We need to reaffirm our commitment to seniors by strengthening Medicare and Social Security,” he added. “We need to build the most highly trained, hardest-working, highest paid workforce in the world.”

Ortitay, also 33, has represented the 46th Legislative District in the state House since 2015. He said Monday in a release announcing his candidacy his previous experience in the banking industry and running Jason’s Cheesecake Co., which he founded, “has given me invaluable insight into the financial and economic concerns of the people in our region.”

“I plan to focus on building educational opportunities for all our citizens, generate family-sustaining jobs, work on creating a fair and reformed tax code, and to ensure the safety and prosperity of not only Pennsylvania, but all of our great nation,” he said.

Among others with designs on the seat are GOP state Sens. Kim Ward of Hempfield and Guy Reschenthaler of Jefferson Hills. State Rep. Rick Saccone of Elizabeth and Castle Shannon resident George Karpacs have also said they plan to join the race as Republicans.

On the Democratic side, Mike Crossey of Mt. Lebanon, a former Keystone Oaks schoolteacher and Allegheny County councilman; Pam Iovino, a former Navy officer; and physician Bob Solomon said they planned to run for the Democratic nomination before Murphy announced his resignation. Westmoreland County Commissioner Gina Cerilli, another Democrat, announced her bid for the seat last week.

Representatives of both the Democrat and Republican parties will each choose a candidate to run in the special election to replace Murphy. The election date will be set within 10 days of Murphy’s resignation and must be at least 60 days later.

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