Although primary elections are typically sleepy affairs, there were some races which captured voters’ attentions and the general public’s curiosity.

Prime among these was whether Schuylkill County Republican voters would ignore all of the baggage that Commissioner George Halcovage Jr. has accumulated and give him another four-year term.

The answer was a resounding “no way.” Halcovage wound up seventh in an eight-candidate race for two GOP nominations. The other Republican incumbent, Barron “Boots” Hetherington, came in second so he will be on the November ballot with top vote-getter, Tamaqua businessman Larry Padora.

They will be pitted against Democratic incumbent Gary J. Hess and Rita Anczarski Baldino.

The way balloting for commissioners occurs is voters can vote for up to two candidates among the four on the ballot, with the top three becoming the winners. This uniqueness was intended to ensure two-party representation on county boards of commissioners.

There was much curiosity in Schuylkill about whether Halcovage would survive another run for office after being cited in a federal sexual harassment lawsuit that has resulted in mandated changes in the way county employees are trained and treated, along with restrictions placed on him.

He also is facing impeachment action brought before the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. If impeached, Halcovage would face a trial in the state Senate. There is now some speculation that since Halcovage was defeated in his re-election attempt that the state charges might just be left to languish until Halcovage leaves office at the end of the year.

Halcovage has not been charged with any crime. It’s been more of a reprimand so far because of his actions involving female county employees. Halcovage has repeatedly denied the allegations, and recently released a full-throated public defense of the allegations against him.

Halcovage has so far resisted stepping down despite being asked to do so by some of the most powerful Republican officials in local and state government. He did, however, relinquish the board of commissioners’ chairmanship when a county investigation confirmed allegations against him.

In Northampton County, incumbent District Attorney, Democrat Terry Houck, 67, of Forks Township, was defeated in his party’s primary by former Northampton County Judge Stephen Baratta, 66, of Bethlehem, but it appears as if he will not go away quietly.

It is unusual for a county judge to retire then run for district attorney, which most consider a political step down. The bitter campaign featured much negative advertising and recriminations by both candidates. Houck said no reputable law firm would hire Baratta after he retired as judge, while Baratta charged that Houck has done a terrible job as DA.

Houck is completing his first term as district attorney after having served from 2006 until his swearing in in 2020 as first assistant district attorney under John Morganelli, who successfully ran for judge of the Northampton County Court of Common Pleas in 2019, opening the door for Houck to step up to his boss’ old job. Baratta had been a judge for a quarter-century.

It appears as if there could be a November rematch, because Houck said he has received enough Republican write-in votes to secure a spot on the GOP ballot in the fall and plans to accept the nomination. There were more than 2,000 Republican write-ins, but the county election bureau won’t have complete tallies until the official vote count has been authenticated starting tomorrow. Glenn Geissinger, Northampton County GOP chair, said Wednesday, however, that Houck should not expect Republican support if he runs in the fall.

In Monroe County, two former Republicans were running for the Democratic nomination for district attorney. Michael Mancuso, current first district attorney, prevailed over Donald Leeth, who had worked in the DA’s office for 14 years until 2013. Mancuso faces unopposed Republican Alexander Marek in the November General Election. The winner succeeds Republican David Christine, who is completing his sixth four-year term, the longest serving DA in county history.

In one of the most watched races in Carbon County because of the seven-candidate field seeking to replace retiring magistrate Casimir Kosciolek, Billy O’Gurek won the Democratic nomination for the district magisterial office that includes the three Panther Valley boroughs in Carbon, along with East Penn Township and two voting districts in Mahoning Township.

He will face Beth Dodson, who captured the Republican nomination while trailing O’Gurek by just 40 votes on the Democratic side. District magisterial candidates are permitted to cross file. On the Republican side, Dodson easily outpaced second-place finisher Eric Filer, 609-297. O’Gurek finished fourth in GOP balloting with 220 votes.

By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com

The foregoing opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board or Times News LLC.