Three individuals are running for the Republican nomination for the state Senate seat currently held by Roger Madigan. They are current Bradford County Commissioner Doug McLinko, current state Rep. Steven Cappelli and Lycoming County Solicitor Gene Yaw.
    And none of these three men are a great choice for this seat.
    Let’s look at all three men:
    • Cappelli — voted in favor of tolling Interstate 80, but flip-flopped on that action by acknowledging in a candidate’s forum in Williamsport that the legislation had little chance of passing. The state representative and former mayor of Williamsport has voted against House Bill 1, the clean energy program; Senate Bill 1137, which would expand the state’s subsidized health care program; House Bill 1200, which would authorize the commonwealth to develop alternative energy incentives; and House Bill 1202, which would require the use of biodiesel and ethanol in transportation fuels. He also voted for his own illegal midnight pay raise. The pluses — he voted in favor of a marriage definition constitutional amendment, the minimum wage increase and the state smoking ban in most public places and workplaces that are enclosed or largely enclosed.
    • Yaw — has promised to fight the idea of tolling Interstate 80 because, as quoted at the Union County Republican Committee’s annual Lincoln Day dinner, he knows how drastically it would affect businesses in the area. However, that is about all he has promised to do and that promise has been blown out of the water since the governor has now taken that proposal off the table. Yaw really has not offered any clear solutions regarding job creation, property tax reform or the big issue facing many local voters — the regulations being mandated for local sewer plants in an effort to clean up the Chesapeake Bay. Add to the fact that he has no elected government experience at all and it paints a clear picture of someone who will not be able to keep his head above water in Harrisburg.
    • McLinko — recently was re-elected to the board of commissioners for Bradford County and has drawn criticism from many area residents over his decision to run for the state Senate after just winning re-election as commissioner. He has been endorsed by the Bradford County Republican Committee and national conservative leader Pat Toomey, and is the only resident from Bradford County campaigning for this senate seat — which has been held by a resident from Bradford County since 1984. However, the fact that he avoided answering questions back in October of last year — just prior to the general election — as to whether he would run for state senate was disingenuous as best.
    McLinko has proven that he is for the taxpayers, though, by opposing the Bradford County jail project and raising concerns over the financial “black hole” that the county’s day care program has become. He has gone on record that he will vote against any unfunded mandates that come down from the state to the local level. However, he has also stated that he is against state grants and earmarks, which are something that many local municipalities utilize for improvement projects such as infrastructure construction and replacement. In our opinion, the best way that McLinko can serve the residents of Bradford County is to remain a member of the county’s board of commissioners.
    Of course, the race gets even worse when some candidates drag it into the gutter. One major example of this involves a Yaw supporter calling in a tip to Williamsport police that resulted in a campaign official with the Cappelli campaign being pulled over on suspicion of driving drunk.
    While we are glad that there is a choice for Republican voters when they go to the poll Tuesday, we can’t see how this Senate district would benefit from any one of these individuals, if the presumptive nominee wins in November against Democrat Louis Trey Casimir.
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    Information regarding Cappelli’s voting record was acquired from Project Vote Smart.