Elder Vogel Jr.

One of the state's most closely watched regions Tuesday will be Beaver County, which features one competitive state Senate and three heated state House races.

And like practically every other area in the state, the county has seen a huge voter turnout thus far, Beaver County Democratic Party Chairman Mike Sisk told PolitickerPA.com.

A hundred people had lined up outside Sisk's voter precinct by 7 a.m., he said. He said he thinks turnout in his precinct will reach 80 percent.

The still relatively new county chairman thinks that will bode well for the four Democrats running in the county -- state Senate candidate Jason Petrella and state rep. candidates Dennis Rousseau, Vince Biancucci and Jaret Gibbons. 

"Voter registration is 3-to-1 in favor of Democrats," Sisk said. "So according to history, that should be good for us. But you never know, these are changing times."

Petrella's race against Republican Elder Vogel Jr. has been been one of the state's most closely watched campaign as each tries to replace retiring state Sen. Gerald Lavalle (D-Beaver County).

"I'm confident in Jason Petrella," Sisk said. "It'll be close, but I think Jason will win."

Reports of hour-plus waits at the polls are reaching PolitickerPA.com from across the state.

One of those areas is Center Township's 5th Precinct in Beaver County, according to Kyle Mullins, state Senate candidate Jason Petrella's campaign manager. He told PolitickerPA.com in an e-mail that one woman who reported to the polls at 7 a.m. finally voted just after 8 a.m.

He indicated the apparently high turnout is good news for Petrella, who faces Republican Elder Vogel Jr. in one of Pennsylvania's most competitive state Senate races.

"That's what we're hoping for," he said.

A report from the Centre Daily Times says voter turnout in that area is at an unprecedented level. 

"I've never seen anything like this," Jeff Kern, a precinct judge of elections in the State College told the paper.

The paper reported the lines were as long as a hundred people. 

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports similar turnout in western Pennsylvania while The Erie Times-News reports each party is offering rides to voters.

MONACA -- Democrat Jason Petrella and Republican Elder Vogel Jr. have engaged in a sharply negative campaign as they vie to take the reins in the 47th Senatorial District.

In response, their debate moderator on Tuesday night, KDKA political analyst Jon Delano, made a simple plea to each: please, don't attack your opponent during your opening remarks.

"If you believed all that was said you would not want to vote for either of these candidates," Delano told a sparse crowd at the Penn State-Beaver auditorium. "So, tell us who you are during your opening remarks and do so without mentioning the name of your opponent."

Did his request work? Sort of. The hour-long debate focused largely on issues, with Vogel arguing he will "put Harrisburg on a diet," and Petrella offering more detailed proposals to expand health care while revitalizing the region's economy.

However, at times the debate did wander into campaign tactics, and it's clear neither candidate is pleased with how their opponent has waged his campaign. Vogel bristled at the claim he is in the pocket of big-time GOP strategist Mike Long, and Petrella rejects the insinuation he is part of the Beaver County Democratic Party currently embroiled in scandal.

MONACA -- Former Mike Veon foe and Beaver County political fixture Jay Paisley has thrown his support behind Democratic state Senate candidate Jason Petrella in his neck-and-neck race against Republican Elder Vogel Jr.

Paisley, who attended Tuesday night's debate between the two candidates, had originally committed to remaining neutral. But he said a series of attacks against Petrella linking him to the scandal-plagued Beaver County Democratic Party made him "feel obligated" lend his support.

Petrella isn't part of the party machine run by former Minority Whip Veon no matter what Vogel and the State Republican Party say, Paisley told PolitickerPA.com. Petrella was enemy No. 1 to Democrats in the county after running just six months ago against their anointed choice to take the reins in the 47th Senatorial District, state Rep. Sean Ramaley. Petrella lost to the now indicted lawmaker by an unexpectedly close margin.

Paisley's words might carry more weight with voters because of his well-known challenge to Veon in the 2006 Democratic primary. Veon later lost to state Rep. Jim Marshall (R-Beaver County), who Paisley backed in the general election.

Jason Petrella's selection to ballot by the Pennsylvania Democratic Party in the 47th Senatorial District on Wednesday has infuriated local Democratic and union leaders, who said the state party unilaterally made a decision while ignoring their recommendation.

The anger runs deep enough that the decision might even endanger the union's endorsement of the Democratic candidate.

As Dennis Bloom, president of Beaver-Lawrence County Central Labor Council, put it, "We gave them our two selections and kind of got slapped."

The two preferred selections Bloom referred to are Bob Grotevant, former spokesman for Gov. Bob Casey (D) who emerged as a last-minute candidate this week, and Beaver County Commissioner Joe Spanik, originally considered the favorite to replace Ramaley.

Independent candidate Jay Paisley will not be on the ballot in the 47th Senatorial District after collecting 200 fewer signatures than required, the candidate told PolitickerPA.com.

He needed about 1,900 supporters to sign his petition to be placed on the ballot.

"We came close, but no cigar," Paisley said. "If the deadline had been Monday instead of Friday, we would have been in no problem ... but I'm not complaining."

Current state Rep. and now former state Senate candidate Sean Ramaley announced Thursday he is dropping out of his Senate race, ending weeks of speculation about his political future.

Earlier this month, Ramaley was one of 12 people implicated in "Bonusgate." He surprised some immediately following the allegations when he said he wanted to stay in the Senate race. 

Whoever replaces Ramaley faces an uncertain campaign. Beaver County Democrats, including former House Minority Whip Mike Veon, are heavily implicated in the Bonusgate charges, and the candidate would already have to make up for lost time on the campaign trail.

Further complicating matters is the potential candidacy of Jay Paisley, who is trying to collect enough signatures by Friday's deadline to be placed on the ballot. The former Democrat would likely siphon votes from whoever replaces Ramaley, potentially opening the door for Republican Elder Vogel Jr. 

Replacement speculation has centered on Beaver County Commissioner Joe Spanik and Ramaley's rival for the  Democratic nomination this April, Jason Petrella.

State Rep. Sean RamaleyThe Beaver County Times is reporting state Rep. Sean Ramaley (D-Beaver County) will apparently stay in his state Senate campaign despite being indicted last week in the first phase of 'Bonusgate' charges.

“He indicated that he was still in the race,” Beaver County Commissioner Joe Spanik told The Beaver County Times. “In his mind, he feels that he’s innocent.”

The paper reported Spanik, who is a candidate to replace Ramaley on the ballot, spoke to him Tuesday.

Ramaley's decision could open the door for Republican dairy farmer Elder Vogel Jr. to gain traction in the heavily Democratic area.

Asked whether he would use the allegations against Ramaley, Vogel told the paper, "We'll probably use it sometime down the road."