With the exception of headliners U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa, and his Republican challenger Lenny McAllister, most of the candidates for state office sent surrogates to represent them at last month’s Great Debate in Oakland.
One who did not was V. Fawn Walker-Montgomery, who personally made her case that she should be elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for District 35 over seven-term incumbent Rep. Marc Gergely, D-McKeesport, who has been indicted on corruption charges related to illegal gambling.
“I’m running because I care about my community. I’m tired of walking outside and hearing gunshots. I’m tired of seeing no grass cut and I’m tired of no development coming to the area,” she told the debate audience Oct. 24.
“My opponent faces corruption charges as we speak. He has been arrested and his trial date is set for December—so I’m running to end some political corruption in my district because, at this point it’s ongoing and expected. We have to change that. My election is a statement election. I’m running to let the Mon Valley politicians know that we’re going to take our district back.”
Gergely faces felony counts of dealing in the proceeds of illegal activity and two counts of corrupt organizations, plus three misdemeanors. He is one of 70 individuals charged in connection with “Operation Pork Chop,” which brought down illegal gambling kingpin Ronald “Porky” Melocchi, whose video poker machine operation that had some 335 machines at 70 restaurants, bars, bowling alleys and other locations throughout the Mon Valley.
Gergely pleaded “not guilty” at his preliminary hearing. Melocchi was sentenced to 10 years probation after pleading guilty last year.
In the May Primary Election, Walker-Montgomery, a two-term McKeesport councilwoman, was forced to run a write-in campaign after operatives loyal to Gergely, removed her from the Democratic ballot. Despite these machinations, she garnered enough votes to win a spot on the Republican ticket and oppose Gergely for the 35th State House District race in November. She is the first African American to run for the seat.
Since the debate, Walker-Montgomery has continued her door-knocking campaign to educate district residents about her run—and how to vote for her.
“I’ve knocked on over 8,000 doors, talking to people. They tell me they are ready for something new and for something to actually get done,” she said.
“I talk to people more about the race than party. Still, I’ve run into people who say they don’t vote for Republicans. But then when I explain who I am, people tell me they didn’t know they could vote for me and still vote for Hillary (Clinton.) And some people have even been told they can’t vote for me. I’m surprised how many older people don’t know you can vote a split ticket.”
While running as a Republican has presented challenges, Walker-Montgomery said the Party has been quite supportive.
“They held a fundraiser for me just last week at Luciano’s in White Oak,” she said. “The chairman (D. Raja) was there, and so was Rep. Mark Mustio (R-Moon).
Her other biggest challenge has been voters who have little or no knowledge of Gergely’s indictment.
“A lot of them don’t know he’s been indicted, but then we don’t have (the McKeesport Daily News) any more,” she said.
“It’s astounding, in this day and age. I don’t get it. He faces three felony charges and no one is talking about it. He was caught on a wiretap, but about 40 percent don’t know or they forgot. I think it goes back to the deep, deep corruption in this state—and we have to get it out of there. How do you tell kids not to get into criminal activity if they see elected officials doing this?”
Duquesne University Law Professor Bruce Ledewitz said district voters may also not know that if Gergely wins, and is later found guilty, he would not be forced out for some time.
“In that circumstance, he would not have to leave until he is actually sentenced, which in a two-year term, could be a long time,” said Ledewitz. “The seat would then be filled via special election.”
So Walker-Montgomery continues to make her rounds through the district. White voters, she said, have been very responsive, and those that aren’t Republicans generally ask how they can vote for her.
“I have people putting me be on absentee ballots—and they took time to call first. I thought that was cool,” she said. So I’m believing. It’s looking good, and when it’s over, either way, I can definitely say I left it all out there.”
(State House representatives serve two-year terms at an annual salary of $84,012. The 35th legislative district includes Clairton, Duquesne, Lincoln, McKeesport, Munhall, South Versailles Township, Versailles, parts of West Mifflin, Whitaker and West Mifflin.)
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