Candidates unopposed for 5 seats

STEVE MOCARSKY

smocarsky@timesleader.com

Candidates vying for seats in five state House districts that encompass at least part of Luzerne County had little to worry about Tuesday night.

The only local contested state legislative races in this year’s primaries occurred in the 114th District, which is represented by state Rep. Jim Wansczak, D- Old Forge, and the 119th District, represented by state Rep. John Yudichak, D-Nanticoke.

That means barring any monumental write-in campaigns, which didn’t appear to have emerged on Tuesday, five state representatives had clear sailing to their parties’ nominations for re-election, and their opponents also navigated smooth waters.

According to unofficial election results:

In the 116th District, incumbent Todd A. Eachus, 47, of Butler Township, a Democrat, garnered 3,522 votes. He will meet attorney Tarah Toohil, 30, a Republican and fellow Butler Township resident, in November. Toohil took in 2,734 votes. There were 133 write-in votes from Democrats and 30 from Republicans in Luzerne County‘s portion of the district.

In the 117th District, incumbent Karen Boback, 58, of Harveys Lake, amassed 4,640 votes on Tuesday. In November, she is in line for a challenge from Democrat Richard Shermanski, a 23-year-old law student from Wright Township, who mustered 2,372 votes. Democrats lodged 46 write-in votes in the district while Republicans filed 30.

In the 118th District, incumbent Democrat Mike Carroll, 47, of Avoca, won 4,244 votes, while Republican Terrance O’Connor, an attorney from Chestnuthill Township, Monroe County, received 784. There were 10 write-in votes on the Republican ticket and 33 on the Democratic ticket in the Luzerne County area of the district.

Vote totals for Monroe County were unavailable as of press time.In the 120th District, incumbent Phyllis Mundy, 61, a Kingston Democrat, swept up 5,398 votes, while West Pittston Mayor Bill Goldsworthy, a 55-year-old Republican, captured 3,222 votes. Both candidates will face Tim Mullen, a 51-year-old registered nurse from Kingston Township, who will be running on the Libertarian ticket in the 120th District. There were a total of 110 write-in votes on the Democratic ticket and 105 on the Republican ticket in the 120th.

In the 121st District, incumbent Democrat Eddie Day Pashinski, 64, from Wilkes-Barre, walked away with 5,779 votes. Republican James O’Meara Jr., a 52-year-old computer repairman from Plains Township, seized 1,327. There were 71 Democratic and 16 Republican write-in votes in the district.