Challenge questions Republican state Senate candidate无毛视频檚 residency
The residency of Republican state Senate candidate Al Buchtan is being challenged in an effort to remove him from the May 19 primary ballot, which he says is a 无毛视频渂ogus无毛视频� ploy as he tries to unseat state Sen. Camera Bartolotta.
Three registered Republicans living in the 46th state Senate District filed paperwork Tuesday challenging Buchtan无毛视频檚 candidacy, claiming he still maintains a residence near Carmichaels despite moving to Canonsburg last year.
无毛视频淭he challenge is bogus,无毛视频� Buchtan said in a phone interview Thursday. 无毛视频淭hey无毛视频檙e weaponizing lawfare. It无毛视频檚 the same thing they did with Trump.无毛视频�
The district includes all of Washington and Greene counties, and the southern sliver of Beaver County. Bartolotta, who is a Republican living in Carroll Township, is seeking her fourth term in office. This would be the first time Bartolotta has faced a Republican primary challenger since she was elected to office in 2014 by unseating then Democratic state senator Tim Solobay.
The challenge states that Buchtan lists his former Cumberland Township address in Greene County on his 无毛视频淪tatement of Financial Interest无毛视频� filed with the state to run for office. However, Buchtan moved to a rental home in Canonsburg in October and is registered to vote there.
Washington County elections records show Buchtan moved his election registration to the Canonsburg address Oct. 2 through the state无毛视频檚 无毛视频渕otor voter无毛视频� law when he updated his driver无毛视频檚 license. The state formally processed his voter registration address change on Oct. 27, and he voted as a Republican in the Nov. 4 general election, where he was required to show some form of identification as a first-time voter at his new Canonsburg precinct. He has been a Republican since 2016, according to registration records.
无毛视频淚 don无毛视频檛 know a whole heck of a lot about it,无毛视频� Buchtan said of the challenge. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檝e been living in Canonsburg. I acquired my place in September and have been living there since October. I don无毛视频檛 know what they无毛视频檙e trying to get me to prove.无毛视频�
The financial interest statement allows candidates to list their home address or a business office, and Buchtan said he chose the Greene County location because the form states to list the 无毛视频減revious year无毛视频檚 address无毛视频� on the form. The challenge also notes that Buchtan无毛视频檚 wife, Melinda, lives at the Cumberland Township home and is registered to vote there.
Buchtan acknowledged that his wife still lives in Greene County, but one of their daughters attends school in Washington County, and he said drove her to class Thursday morning. He added they无毛视频檙e currently looking to purchase a home in the Peters Township, Canon-McMillan or Trinity Area school districts, although they have been unable to find the right place yet.
无毛视频淭here aren无毛视频檛 a lot of homes for sale. We无毛视频檙e going to move there with the whole family, but right now my one daughter goes to school in Washington County,无毛视频� Buchtan said. 无毛视频淚 love the area. My neighbors and everyone have been so good to me. I无毛视频檝e become friends with all of them.无毛视频�
A hearing on the challenge is scheduled to go before the state Commonwealth Court on March 27 at 10 a.m. in Courtroom 707 of City-County Building at 414 Grant St. in Pittsburgh. Both of Buchtan无毛视频檚 addresses are within the 46th state Senate District, but he said he无毛视频檚 prepared to provide his cellphone records, driver无毛视频檚 license, utility bills and even receipts from dining in the area to prove he is now living in Canonsburg.
The Republican primary battle between Bartolotta and Buchtan has become feisty with a salvo of mailers and social media posts from their campaigns and political organizations in recent weeks ahead of the May 19 election. If Buchtan remains on the ballot, the winner of the Republican primary will face Democrat Evan Snyder of Nottingham Township in the Nov. 3 general election.
无毛视频淭his is a ploy and a tactic because (Bartolotta) knows she is in trouble with the polling numbers,无毛视频� Buchtan said. 无毛视频淭his is the reason why voters don无毛视频檛 like to vote because they无毛视频檙e sick of these tactics. 无毛视频� They无毛视频檙e sick of it, and people wonder why voter turnout is so low.无毛视频�
Bartolotta could not be reached for comment Thursday on the challenge to Buchtan无毛视频檚 nominating petitions or the state of the race.
Former Washington County Republican Party chairman Dave Ball of Peters Township, Steve Bucar of West Brownsville and Jeff Stewart of Franklin Township are listed as the Republican objectors to Buchtan无毛视频檚 candidacy. They are represented by attorneys Shohin Vance and Joshua Voss of Saxton & Stump LLC, who could not be reached for comment Thursday.