Election 2022 Kephart tops GOP challengers in open 73rd state House district primary

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May 18—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — A Decatur Township man has won the Republican nomination in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives' 73rd District in Tuesday night's primary election.

John Sobel, Derek Walker and Dallas Kephart were all vying for the seat currently held by Republican state Rep. Tommy Sankey, who decided to not run for reelection.

Kephart came out on top of his challengers with just under 6,000 votes when the unofficial results from Clearfield and Cambria counties were in on Tuesday night. Walker had 2,580 votes and Sobel had 1,118.

The district includes Barr, East Carroll, Elder, Susquehanna and West Carroll townships in northwestern Cambria County, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State's website.

To the north, the 73rd also covers a large area in southern and eastern Clearfield County that includes the boroughs of Brisbin, Burnside, Chester Hill, Clearfield, Coalport, Glen Hope, Houtzdale, Irvona, Osceola Mills, Ramey, Wallaceton and Westover.

Kephart previously said that he knew he wanted to run for office since he was younger, and when he heard Sankey was not running for reelection, he knew it would be a good time to enter the race.

Kephart has been a coal miner and a law clerk for the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Oversight and Reform, as well as a clerk for a Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court judge and an intern for U.S. Rep. Glenn "GT" Thompson.

Kephart said Tuesday's win wasn't just due to him, but also to backers he had across both counties.

"It was all of my supporters working hard for me, and they believed in me," he said. "They all believed in me and they fought for me."

Going forward to November, Kephart said he is going to "keep meeting the people of the great 73rd District."

Sobel congratulated Kephart on his win Tuesday night.

"He ran a very effective campaign and I wish him the best," Sobel said.

Walker could not be reached for immediate comment.

Because there are no Democratic primary candidates running in the 73rd District, the Republican primary winner will be unopposed in the Nov. 8 general election, unless there is a Democratic write-in candidate.