Dormont-Brookline Patch: 2012 Election Guide

As we look ahead to November’s elections, Dormont-Brookline Patch is devoted to bringing you the information you need about every race in town. Here's our start on the candidates and issues we'll be covering as November draws near. Bookmark this page for updates.

Here are the local races:

Erin Molchany vs. Chris Cratsley for PA House District 22

One of the biggest races in Brookline this November will be between Democrat Erin Molchany and Republican Chris Cratsley, who will compete to represent Pennsylvania's 22nd House District.

In April's Democratic primary, Molchany, of Pittsburgh's Mount Washington neighborhood, defeated former Baldwin-Whitehall School Board member Martin Michael Schmotzer.

Cratsley won the Republican nomination, but lost to Schmotzer in a special election at the same time to fill the once-vacant 22nd District seat. Schmotzer is currently filling the remainder of former Rep. Chelsa Wagner's term, from which she resigned when she became the Allegheny County Controller.

Dan Deasy Uncontested for PA House District 27

Incumbent State Rep. Dan Deasy, of Westwood, is running unopposed for the 27th District House seat he currently holds.

Deasy, a Democrat, was elected to the House of Representatives in 2008. He has partnered with the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania to address blighted communities in this area. He also serves on the Land Recycling Task Force.

The 27th District includes the communities of the Keystone Oaks School District.

Mike Doyle vs. Hans Lessmann for PA Congressional District 14

Incumbent Mike Doyle, of Forest Hills, is serving in his ninth term in the U.S. Congress and has been the 14th District representative since 2003.

Doyle, a Democrat, and Republican Hans Lessmann, who has an optometry practicein Edgewood, are vying for the seat.

The 14th District includes Brookline and Beechview.

As a result of legislative redistricting, Dormont also will fall under the 14th district as of Jan. 1, 2013. Dormont residents will vote as constituents of the 14th district in the Nov. 6 election, and as such, will be voting in the Doyle vs. Lessmann race.

Here are the state and national races:

U.S. PRESIDENT

Republican: Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts governor.

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

Libertarian: Gary Johnson

Green: Jill Stein

U.S. SENATOR FROM PENNSYLVANIA: (Click here to read the election story)

Republican: Tom Smith, Armstrong County

Democrat: Bob Casey, the incumbent U.S. senator from Scranton, Lackawanna County

Libertarian: Rayburn Smith

STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL

Republican: David Freed, Cumberland County

Democrat: Kathleen Kane, Lackawanna County

STATE AUDITOR GENERAL

Republican:  John Maher, Upper St. Clair, Allegheny County

Democrat: Eugene DePasquale, York County

STATE TREASURER

Republican: Diana Irey Vaughan, Nottingham Township, Washington County commissioner

Democrat: Robert McCord, incumbent state treasurer, Montgomery County

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