On Tuesday, Pennsylvania voters nominated Republican Montgomery County President Judge Carolyn Carluccio and Democratic Superior Court Judge Daniel McCaffery (pictured right) to run against each other for state Supreme Court.
By a margin of 53.5 percent to 46.5 percent, Carluccio (pictured left) bested Commonwealth Court Judge Patricia McCullough in a contentious nomination campaign for the seat left open by the death of Democratic Chief Justice Max Baer last autumn. McCaffery defeated his Superior Court colleague Debbie Kunselman in his primary 59.4 percent to 40.6 percent.
Carluccio and McCaffery, both from the state’s southeast, benefitted from their respective party committees’ endorsements.
They both also racked up a formidable array of other supportive organizations, including, in Carluccio’s case, many Fraternal Order of Police lodges and the County Detectives Association of Pennsylvania who praised what they consider her commitment to law and order. The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry also backed her, citing her “dedication to impartiality, commitment to judicial ethics, and her deep knowledge of the issues facing the Commonwealth’s business community….”
In a social-media post, the Montgomery Countian was discernibly upbeat coming out of an arduous nomination process and preparing to face an equally demanding general-election campaign.
“The energy on the ground felt great,” she told supporters.
Despite serving on the Commonwealth Court since 2010, McCullough ran what sometimes seemed an outsider’s campaign. Among her more outspoken supporters was state Senator Doug Mastriano (R-Gettysburg), last year’s failed Republican candidate for governor who is far from a favorite of most party insiders.
“She always ruled in favor of the Constitution,” the senator said on the John Fredericks Radio Show.
Throughout the primary season, Carluccio emphasized what she deemed her superior electability. The Pennsylvania Bar Association bestowed on her the organization’s coveted “highly recommended” rating whereas the PBA deemed McCullough “not recommended,” a description they give a small minority of judicial candidates.
Many of the Philadelphia-based McCaffery’s pillars of support were labor unions, including the Sheet Metal Workers’ Local Union No. 19, the Pennsylvania Conference of Teamsters and the Pennsylvania State Building and Construction Trades Council.
Returns also decisively show Philadelphia Judge Timika Lane and Pittsburgh attorney beating Philadelphia Judge Pat Dugan for the two available Democratic nominations for Superior Court. They will face Clarion County-based former prosecutor Maria Battista and Westmoreland County Judge Harry Smail Jr., both Republicans who ran unopposed.
And another race is underway for Commonwealth Court: Mechanicsburg-based attorney Megan Martin received the Republican nod over Bechtelsville-based lawyer Josh Prince. Martin will face Philadelphia Judge Matt Wolf, who beat Lebanon-based lawyer Bryan Neft in the Democratic primary.
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Bradley Vasoli is managing editor of The Pennsylvania Daily Star. Follow Brad on Twitter at @BVasoli. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Judge Carolyn Carluccio” by Judge Carolyn Carluccio and “Judge Daniel McCaffery” by Judge Daniel McCaffery.
