Here’s what to know about Donald Trump’s indictment in Georgia
Former President Donald Trump was indicted by a Georgia grand jury on conspiracy charges for his attempts to overturn the 2020 election.
Claire Hardwick and Tracy Martinez, USA TODAY
This is my last column before the April 23 Primary Election, so I want to share some observations on this important contest.
Primary elections are important, but average turnout locally has been lackluster. Hopefully, this time will be different.
Your Republican ballot in Franklin County will contain some contested races. Donald Trump and Nikki Haley are at the top of the ticket, so the opportunity to vote for our once and future president should bring out many Republicans. Regardless of your choice, don’t stay home and let someone else call the shots for you.
The second choice you have is for the United States Senate candidate who will take on clueless Bob Casey in November. Well, it’s actually not a choice anymore despite the fact that there will be two candidates on the ballot.
The names you will see are Dave McCormick and Joseph J. Vodvarka. McCormick is really the only pick here, since Vodvarka’s name was ordered to be taken off the ballot by the Commonwealth Court due to several technicalities, and that removal was upheld by the PA Supreme Court. Since the appeal wasn’t settled before our ballot was printed, both names are still listed.
If you fill in the oval for Vodvarka, that vote will not be counted. Of course, you could always write in Vodvarka, Mickey Mouse, your dog or anyone else and that vote WOULD be counted. Great system we have, isn’t it?
The next race is for PA Attorney General, where Dave Sunday from York County is facing off against Craig Williams from Delaware County. Both seem to have good backgrounds.
Sunday is the pick of the State Republican Committee, but I encourage you to visit the candidates’ websites for more info. For Sunday, go to https://www.davesundayforag.com/ and for Williams go to https://www.craigwilliamsforpa.com/.
Unless you are in the 90th PA House District, all of the remaining offices are unopposed, until you get to the “Delegate To The Republican National Convention” and “Alternate Delegate To The Republican National Convention” races. You can vote for three in each race, but you will notice that there are only two people running for the Alternate race, so some may want to write in a name there. Personally, I will be writing in someone I know from Blair County, A.C. Stickel, a Donald Trump supporter, but don’t take that as an endorsement and please make your own decision.
More: Dwight Weidman 90th District Republican voters need to be careful who they vote for
I mentioned the PA 90th House District race as being the exception to the “unopposed races” on the bottom of your ballot. If you live in PA 90, you have a hot legislative race that you need to come out for. PA 90 is made up of the following townships and boroughs: Antrim Township, Greencastle, Mercersburg, Mont Alto, Montgomery Township, Peters Township, Quincy Township, Warren Township, Washington Township and Waynesboro, and is currently represented by Rep. Paul Schemel, who is hanging it up after this term.
On your ballot, you will have two choices: Chad Gerald Reichard from Washington Township in ballot position No. 1 and Janon R. Gray from Antrim Township in ballot position No. 2. Reichard is a lifelong conservative Republican and Gray is a former Democrat who moved here in 2020 from Maryland.
Reichard, from a local farm family and an avid gun owner and sportsman, has been endorsed by Gunowners of America and is the obvious conservative choice in the race. Gray is the establishment candidate without conservative bona fides and is part of a Biden Administration-funded program that many say engages in targeting conservatives and Christians over their opposition to aggressive Biden LGBTQ policies.
In a recent candidate forum held in Waynesboro, Reichard ran rings around Gray with his command of the issues.
Coffman re-elected as council president: Chambersburg Town Council re-elects Allen Coffman as Council President
Since this is a primary, only registered Republicans or Democrats can vote.
Franklin County is also trying to ensure that this is a clean election and is asking for volunteers to staff the county’s mail-in ballot drop box at the county administration building at 272 N. Second St. in Chambersburg. The shifts for volunteers are from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. daily through election day. If interested, call 717-264-4125 or email rmstone@franklincountypa.gov .
Please also be aware that there are two new polling places in Franklin County: Hamilton 1 (formerly at the National Guard Armory) will now be voting at the West Side BIC Church, 2665 Lincoln Way West, Chambersburg, and Quincy 4 (formerly at Michaux Manor Living Center) will be voting at the South Mountain Bible Church, 11275 South Mountain Road, Fayetteville.
Please turn out on April 23! Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Dwight Weidman is a resident of Greene Township and is a graduate of Shepherd University. He is retired from the United States Department of Defense, where his career included assignments In Europe, Asia, and Central America. He has been in leadership roles for the Republican Party in two states, most recently serving two terms as Chairman of the Franklin County Republican Party. He has been an Amateur Radio Operator since 1988, getting his first license in Germany, a past volunteer with both Navy and Army MARS, Military Auxiliary Radio Service, and is also an NRA-certified firearms instructor. In his spare time, he dabbles in genealogy and learning new languages.