Apr 22, 2023 5 min read

This commentary will discuss the final three contested Republican primary races that will appear on the May 16 ballot. Each race comes with its unique history of past performance on the part of the incumbent and a Republican challenger seeking public office for the first time.

Coroner

Tim Warco. Warco is a Washington funeral director who has served eight terms as the Democratic coroner. He has now switched parties and is running in the Republican primary. He has come under scrutiny by Republicans who question his sincerity as a conservative. Warco’s experience and job performance are beyond reproach.

Marc Zmijowski. The challenger to the long-term incumbent is also a funeral director with businesses in Roscoe and Charleroi. Zmijowski has not previously served in public office and his campaign is relying on testimonials from friends and family. He appears to have the full support of the Washington County Republican party as one of their own.

Register of Wills

James Roman. Roman’s term in office as the elected register of wills has been marred by his bravado, bullying, incompetence, and defensiveness. In my view, he exemplifies the opposite of what a responsible public servant should be.

I have observed Roman speaking at commissioners meetings and leveling personal attacks against other public officials. His bombastic rhetoric has included unfounded accusations of corruption and malfeasance. This has been embarrassing and disrespectful. Roman’s outbursts have had little to do with the business of the county or with his office. Ironically, his own conduct in office should be a concern for primary voters.

Roman boasts that the register of wills is the best-run office in Washington County. He does not want voters to focus on the unusual staff turnover in his office or his threats of violence in March against an employee. The incident required intervention by sheriff’s deputies. Recent disclosures by Republican commissioner Diana Irey Vaughan reveal that staff members have complained about Roman’s conduct. Some have expressed concerns about their safety. This should be enough to disqualify him.

Roman’s unwillingness to cooperate with county audit procedures is further grounds for rejecting him at the polls. In May 2021, the county controller found numerous defects with record keeping, internal controls over bank accounts, and untimely payments to the state and county. Rather than correct the problems, Roman challenged the required audit as an effort to discredit him. In March of this year, the Republican controller, April Sloane, was forced to subpoena documents from Roman in order to complete her most recent audit. She explained: “Mr. Roman kicked us out of his office and tried to fire my audit manager.” On Wednesday, the audit was released with findings of inadequate internal controls over bank accounts and accounting processes. Roman has attempted to hide behind state audits that do not address these issues.

During the pandemic, the president judge issued a courthouse mask mandate. Roman posted a sign stating that masks were not required in his office and was summarily directed to remove the sign. In July 2021, the Court of Common Pleas became aware of misplaced, incomplete, and late adoption filings from Roman’s office. After remedial measures were not taken, the president judge issued a five-page administrative order forcing Roman to correct the deficiencies under threat of contempt.

Christine Wiles Thomas. Thomas is a graduate of Washington & Jefferson College and has never served in public office. She has held positions in public education, as director of the Washington/Greene Association of Realtors, and as past president of Washington Business and Professional Women.

Thomas refuses to criticize Roman’s term in office, but she proclaims that if elected “the office will function in a culture of respect, honesty, and collaboration.” Her public statements do not give the impression that she fully understands the functions of the register of wills. However, I have no reason to disbelieve her desire to work to achieve “a positive result” and to “promote efficiency and transparency.”

Prothonotary

Laura Hough. Hough was swept into office in the last election cycle for row offices. She maintains an alliance with her fellow anti-establishment Republican officials. Hough supports the reelection of both Brenda Davis, the clerk of courts, and Roman. Hough has at times expressed dissatisfaction with the decision-making of the Republican-majority administration and of the Court. However, she has managed to avoid confrontations with the Court that would hold her in contempt, or place her at odds with the county controller. In this respect, she is the less extreme of the row office contenders that the “patriot” Republicans are supporting in the primary.

When the Court first introduced the new comprehensive Case Management System, Hough opposed it and was vocal in letting the county know she had a better plan. More recently, she has bought into the project and is now campaigning on how the system “will revolutionize the filing processes for the prothonotary’s office and its users.”

Kevin Hill. Hill is a former district manager for the Washington County Republican Party. A challenge by Hough to Hill’s nominating petition was dismissed on Monday. Hill maintains that he is self-employed, selling sports memorabilia, and that he has business knowledge as a manager in the insurance industry. Traditional Republicans appear to back Hill’s campaign.

Gary Stout is a Washington attorney.