With nearly all of the precincts reporting, incumbent Democratic state Sen. Daylin Leach has defeated GOP challenger Charles Gehret handily in the 17th District, with more than 65% of the vote.
Leach is a ten-year veteran of state politics, having been elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 2002 and the State Senate in 2009. Before throwing his hat in the ring in the 17th, Gehret was chief fiscal officer and top aide for Pennsylvania's Lieutenant Governor Jim Cawley.
Leach accepted the win late this evening.
"Well, it appears that I have been re-elected," Leach wrote in a post on his campaign's Facebook page. "I want to thank everyone for all of their help and support. Truly, I am humbled. And I am hardly ever humbled."
Gehret was unable to be reached for comment on election night.
According to The Times Herald, Leach attributed his win to "hard work and being honest about what we believe in. It is OK to be bold it’s OK to be controversial. Constituents will respect that. Voters and citizens will appreciate that. I’m going to continue to be that. I’m grateful for the confidence the voters put in me.”
Unofficial general election results are available on the county's website.
