Election 2012: Sewickley Patch Primary Voting Guide

Pennsylvanians will be going to the polls during the primary election today, April 24 to choose who will be on the ballot this fall for the U.S. presidency, U.S. Senate and a number of statewide offices.

Here are your choices, in ballot order:

U.S. PRESIDENT: 

Republican:

• Newt Gingrich, former U.S. Speaker of the House and congressman from Georgia's 6th District
• Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts governor who  recently
• Ron Paul, the congressman from Texas' 14th District who grew up in Green Tree and attended Dormont High School

Democrat:

• Barack Obama, incumbent U.S. president and former U.S. senator from Illinois

 U.S. SENATOR FROM PENNSYLVANIA:

Republican:

• David Christian, Bucks County
• Marc Scaringi, Cumberland County
• Steven Welch, Chester County
• Tom Smith, Armstrong County
• Sam Rohrer, Berks County

Articles: 

Post-Gazette endorses Steven Welch, saying he "is a smart, well-informed candidate who is also a job creator." 

Democrat:

• Joseph Vodvarka, Robinson Township, Allegheny County ()
• Bob Casey, the incumbent U.S. senator from Scranton, Lackawanna County

REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS:

Newly Formed 12th U.S. Congressional District

Republican: 

• Keith J. Rothfus, Allegheny County

Democrat: 

• Mark S. Critz, incumbent, Johnstown, Cambria County
• Jason Altmire, incumbent, McCandless, Allegheny County

Articles: 

Post Gazette endorses Jason Altmire, saying "he is more in line with the party mainstream than his opponent." 

18th U.S. Congressional District:

Republican:

• Tim Murphy, five-term incumbent congressman for the 18th district ()
• Evan Feinberg, Peters Township native who has worked for two U.S. senators ()

Democrat:

• Larry Maggi, current Washington County commissioner and former county sheriff ()

REPRESENTATIVES IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY:

37th State Senate District: 

Republican

• D. Raja, former Mt. Lebanon commissioner and Republican nominee for Allegheny County chief executive 
• Sue Means, Bethel Park resident and nurse at Children's Hospital
• , current state representative in the 44th state House district

Democrat: There are no Democrats on the ballot

16th State House District

(Which includes Crescent,  and Ross townships, , Bellevue, Franklin Park, and  in Allegheny County, and Ambridge, Baden, Aliquippa, Economy, Harmony and Conway in Beaver County.) 

Democrat:

• Robert Matzie, incumbent, Ambridge, Beaver County 

Republican: 

• Kathleen Coder, Bellevue, Allegheny County
• Jeremy Angus, Harmony Township, Beaver County 

Articles: 

Post-Gazette endorses Kathleen Coder in the Republican contested race. 

44th State House District

Democrat: Mark Scappe of Moon is running unopposed

Republican:  is running unopposed

45th State House District: 

Democrat:

• , the five-term incumbent state representative from Robinson
• Maribeth Taylor, a McKees Rocks councilwoman

Republican: Aaron Kime is running unopposed

STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL:

Republican:

• David Freed, Cumberland County

Democrat:

• Kathleen Kane, Lackawanna County
• Patrick Murphy, Bucks County
• Don Bailey, Dauphin County

Articles: 

Post-Gazette endorses Patrick Murphy, saying "to win the attorney general's race, something no Democrat has done since it became an elected office, the party will need a prosecutor and politician. Mr. Murphy brings the whole package." 

Pittsburgh City Paper compares the candidates. 

 STATE AUDITOR GENERAL:

Republican:

• Frank Pinto, Dauphin County
• John Maher, Upper St. Clair, Allegheny County

Articles:

Post-Gazette endorses John Maher, saying he "has valuable experience that is unmatched by his opponent." 

Democrat:

• Eugene DePasquale, York County

 STATE TREASURER:

Republican:

• Diana Irey Vaughan, Nottingham Township, Washington County commissioner

Democrat:

• Robert McCord, incumbent state treasurer, Montgomery County