Two incumbent New Kensington councilmen survived a challenge in Tuesday’s Democratic primary to keep their seats, according to unofficial election results.

With 100% of precincts reporting, Councilman Tim DiMaio claimed the most votes, 709, or about 38% of the 1,886 votes cast.

By 43 votes, Councilman Dante Cicconi edged out a win over challenger Laurie Scheid, with about 32% of the vote over her 29%, according to unofficial results.

Scheid, who was seeking elected office for the first time, said she felt good about it the next day despite her loss. “I wish I could’ve gotten the 43 votes,” she said.

Scheid, 63, who operates Jazz Music Travel in the city, said she knocked on at least 800 doors during her campaign.

“I’ve learned to be a lot calmer. I’ve learned to be a lot more understanding of everyone’s needs,” she said. “I’ve learned that a lot of people have problems in New Kensington that you never know until you get out there and ask them for their vote and they talk to you and you learn so much about them.”

DiMaio, 59, was first elected to council in 2011 and is seeking a fourth term. He commended Scheid on running a positive campaign.

“Laurie Scheid ran a good campaign. She was knocking on doors. I have nothing bad to say about her,” he said. “I look forward to working with her in the future.”

On council, DiMaio oversees the city’s public works department. In another term, he said he wants to update the city’s equipment, pave more streets and replace catch basins.

“The town’s moving forward,” he said. “We‘ve got it going in the right direction.”

Besides focusing on her business and performing as a singer, Scheid said she plans to stay involved with the city to continue pursuing her ideas on her campaign issues of plastics use awareness, emergency preparedness and gun violence.

“I would really like to put forth a proposal for a bike path along the Allegheny River,” she said. “I’m going to work on that.”

Scheid said she would want to get the Black community involved in a forum on gun violence.

“I just feel like the people in the lower wards in New Kensington need that attention they deserve and they voted for me. I am very grateful I got those votes,” she said. “I know a lot of people on a first-name basis. I can’t be more excited about that. I feel I have new friends.”

Cicconi, 41, has been on council for eight years and is seeking his third term. He could not be reached for comment.

No council candidates appeared on the Republican ballot, on which 106 write-in votes were cast. Information on write-in votes was not available.

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