Girardi narrowly defeats Karaica for Lower Valley magistrate, unofficial tally shows

In a back-and-forth race for the Lower Valley’s district judge seat, Michael Girardi defeated Mitchell Karaica by a 26-vote margin, according to unofficial election results from the Allegheny County Elections Department.

Girardi had 1,853 votes, or just over 50.33%; and Karaica had 1,827 votes, or 49.62%; results showed.

Both men sought to replace David Sosovicka, who held the seat for more than 20 years and did not seek reelection.

Girardi, 37, of Cheswick, is a former councilman and council president of Cheswick Council. He works as an attorney in Lower Burrell and teaches law at Penn State New Kensington.

“The role handles incredibly complex legal issues, and it’s vitally important that we have a judge that has legal experience,” Girardi said in a previous interview with TribLIVE. “As a law school graduate, attorney and professor, I believe I have the experience needed to get it right.”

Karaica, 51, of Springdale, is a former councilman and council president of Springdale Council. He is a control room operator at the Brunot Island Power Station.

“(The office) has been run well for the last 24 years, and I plan on keeping the same hours and the same staff,” Karaica said in a previous interview with TribLIVE. “This is the first, and sometimes the only, interaction that most people have with the criminal justice system, so I feel that being fair, impartial, objective and compassionate goes a long way to district judge level.”

The district he will hear cases about covers Cheswick, Frazer, Harmar, Springdale and Springdale Township.