Hafer says she'll run for Murtha's old seat

Former State Treasurer Barbara Hafer, a Democrat, says she is running in a special election for the late Rep. John Murtha's 12th District congressional seat.

Hafer, who also was auditor general and the Republican Party's 1990 nominee for governor, announced her intentions yesterday on the Web site pa2010.com and in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, saying she would "never be able to fill Murtha's shoes but would be honored to follow him." Hafer became a Democrat in 2003 after endorsing Gov. Rendell.

Still, she said she would step aside if Murtha's widow, Joyce, decided to run to fill his unexpired term, as some Democrats are urging. Ryan Bucchianeri, a young Navy veteran and a favorite of progressives, was already running against Murtha in the primary and will keep pursuing the seat.

Party leaders will select the nominees for a special election to be scheduled by Rendell, who has said his preference is May 18, when primaries are scheduled for both parties. To win a full term, a candidate would have to be nominated in the primary and be elected in the fall.

Hafer, widely known in the region and statewide, is seen as a strong candidate. On the Democratic side, members of the state committee from the nine counties in the district will make a recommendation, and then the state party's executive board will make the call.

Other Democrats interested include former Lt. Gov. Mark Singel of Johnstown, State Sen. John Wozniak, and Westmoreland County Commissioner Tom Ceraso.