S. Side independent drops state Senate bid

S. Side independent drops state Senate bid S. Side independent drops state Senate bid

Tuesday, August 15, 2006
By Tom Barnes, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

HARRISBURG -- South Side activist Mark Rauterkus withdrew today from the race for state Senate in the 42nd District.

His decision leaves first-term Sen. Wayne Fontana, D-Brookline, as the sole candidate in the Nov. 7 race.

Mr. Rauterkus told Commonwealth Court Judge Dan Pellegrini he wanted to withdraw, just before the judge began going through 967 petitions signatures Mr. Rauterkus had submitted in an effort to get on the ballot.

Dan O'Shea, Mr. Fontana's campaign treasurer, had challenged over 500 of the signatures, mostly on the basis that the signers didn't live in the 42nd District. If true, that would invalidate the signatures and leave Mr. Rauterkus short of the 500 valid signatures he needed, the judge said.

Dan O'Shea didn't even show up for the court hearing. The challenge had O'Shea as the one who made the petition to scratch me from the ballot. However, if that challenge came from O'Shea or his attorney or else the office of the PA Senate 42 remains to discovered in certainty.

I asked the court to include Wayne Fontana as a co-petitioner on the challenge. Stay tuned....