Rafferty, Stewart, Walsh win judicial nominations

By Joe Napsha

Trib Total Media News Wire Services

Two Democrats — Michael Stewart II of Hempfield and Jessica Rafferty of Unity — and Republican Justin Walsh of Rostraver Township will battle in the November general election for two seats on the Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas, based on unofficial results in Tuesday’s primary.

Stewart took second on the Democratic ballot with 25.9% of the vote and first on the Republican ticket with 22%. As a result, he will appear on both sides of the ballot in November. Rafferty won the Democratic ticket with 27.7% of votes. Walsh finished second in the Republican primary field of six candidates with 20.3%, based on the vote total reported from all 305 precincts.

Democrat Matthew Schimizzi, 35, of Hempfield, came in third on both tickets — 19.3% of Democratic vote and 17.1% on the GOP ballot.

Rafferty, 39, overtook Stewart, 37, in late vote results for the Democratic party nomination. On the Republican side, she came in fourth (14.1%).

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