Davanzo appears headed for first full term

Eric Davanzo watches the election results at By George Restaurant in Monessen with his wife Rachelle and daughters Brielle and Brianna.

By TAYLOR BROWN

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According to unofficial election results from Westmoreland County, incumbent state Rep. Eric Davanzo, R-South Huntingdon, appears headed to his first full term as representative for the 58th District in the House.

Davanzo won a special election to fill the seat left vacant by the January resignation of Republican Justin Walsh. 

As of presstime, 82 of the county’s 307 precincts had reported.

Unofficial results from the Westmoreland County Board of Elections began posting around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday.

As of 11 p.m., Davanzo had secured 10,127 votes, or 70.42%, against his Democratic challenger, Robert Prah Jr. of Rostraver, who earned 4,237 votes, or 29.46%.   There were 16 write-in votes.

Davanzo spent most of Election Day in Hempfield and Jeannette, where he said there was a very positive energy.

“We are just very excited, very hopeful and looking forward to getting the results, which at this point look very promising,” Davanzo said. “I knew it was going to be a great day.”

Davanzo, a life-long resident of the 58th District, said he hopes to secure the seat to get back to work, with a focus on safely reopening schools and businesses, protecting jobs and to be the voice of his constituents. 

“I knew it would be a great day,” Davanzo said. “I want to thank all of the voters who showed up to support me, to thank me for working hard for them and standing up to our governor and really having their backs. I want them to know that I will keep fighting for them and am looking forward to getting back to Harrisburg next week.

“I also want to thank my family because there is no way you could hold this position without a strong family.”

Prah, a Rostraver Township resident, spent most of the day in Fellsburg, the largest precinct within the district.

“From being in Fellsburg, we felt pretty good,” he said. 

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