Republicans sweep race for 3 Plum Council seats

Republicans will have full control of Plum Council after securing a sweep in Tuesday’s election.

Republicans Steve Schlauch, Dave Majernik and Jerry Purcell won the three council seats that were up for election, according to complete but unofficial Allegheny County election results.

Schlauch, chairman of the Plum Republican Committee, was also on the ballot as a Democrat, having secured that nomination by write-in in the May primary.

Democrats Ryan Joseph Delaney, the only incumbent seeking re-election, and newcomer James Patrick McBride II were unsuccessful.

Councilmen Dave Vento and Dan Hadley did not seek reelection.

Republicans won four of the council’s seven seats in 2021, and got the remaining three this year, said Schlauch, who was the top vote-getter.

“I’m very, very pleased,” Schlauch said. “It just goes to show hard work along with great candidates goes very far.”

There will be a vacancy to fill on Plum Council. Mike Doyle, council’s current president, said he intends to resign at council’s meeting Monday after winning his race for district judge.

While Amy Wetmore, chair of the Plum Democratic Committee, lost her own bid for re-election to the Plum School Board, she said she was most disappointed with the outcome of the council race.

“It’s never good to see one party take full control of everything,” she said. “You lose perspective. That’s a disappointment.”