Kopas may be out as Republicans win Westmoreland majority

By Rich Cholodofsky

Trib Total Media

Republicans reclaimed a majority on the Westmoreland County board of commissioners.

Voters elected GOP political newcomers Sean Kertes and Doug Chew to the three-member board. Democrat Gina Cerilli finished third for an apparent second term in office. In doing so, county voters on Tuesday turned out incumbent Ted Kopas in favor of Cerilli, who retained her board seat by what appears to be a slim 234-vote margin

With all 305 precincts reporting, Kertes received 27.2%, Chew 26.5% and Cerilli 23.2%, with support for Kopas at 23%. All of the results are unofficial until certified by the county election’s board.

“I am ecstatic. I’m blown away, and I’m beyond happy,” Kertes said from his victory party at All Saints Brewery in Greensburg. “It’s been a year and a half we’ve been getting the message out there, and the voters responded. The voters have spoken that they want a Republican majority.”

Kertes, 33, of Greensburg, will replace his boss, Commissioner Charles Anderson, who is retiring at the end of the year.

Along with Chew, 49, of Hempfield, the GOP will reclaim the majority it lost in 2015.

“The voters have spoken, and they wanted a return to a fiscal-conservative approach and to no no-bid contracts,” Chew said from his victory party at Ferrante’s Lakeview in Hempfield. He vowed to work with Kertes during the next four-year term.

“We are Republicans first and we should be the team the voters expect us to be,” Chew said.

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