Dems get 2 seats in Mercer County

The minority-party winner wants to work as a team with the Democrats.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
MERCER, Pa. -- The Democrats have regained control in Mercer County.
The race for county commissioner was close, coming down to the last few precincts, but Democratic incumbent Olivia Lazor of South Pymatuning Township and Democrat Brian Beader of Hermitage will serve as the majority on the three-member board for the next four years.
Beader was the top vote-getter, with Republican Michele Brooks of Jamestown coming in second and Lazor third, barely defeating Republican George Pokrant by about 400 votes.
Brooks will be the minority commissioner but said she plans to play an active role in determining the county's future.
"I'm going to make my voice heard," Brooks said after Tuesday's general election.
"We're going to work as a team. That's what serves the people of Mercer County," Brooks said.
"I welcome that statement," said Lazor, who was the minority commissioner as the Republicans were the majority.
Working as a team is the only way to move forward, said Lazor, who won her fourth term.
Reasons for outcome
Beader said he thinks personalities played the major factor in the voters' choices but acknowledged that large tax increases enacted under the Republican administration could have played a role in the outcome of the election.
His promise to the voters is to work hard for the county, but he's offering no guarantees.
The immediate focus will be on the new budget, which is already faced with a $500,000 shortfall in the county pension fund, Beader said.
Although he won't take office until January, Beader said he plans to attend this fall's budget hearings so he will have a clear understanding of county finances.
Pokrant, of Grove City, came close to unseating Lazor and said the fact that he entered the campaign late could have worked against him.
It appears that many voters were looking for a change, he said, referring to the closeness of the results.
The winners need to take that into account and work for the voters, he said.
Pokrant said recent tax increases enacted by the Republican administration could also have worked against him.
County voters are likely to hear from him again, he said.
Incumbent felt pressure
Lazor said that, as an incumbent, she knew "the target was on my back," yet she touted her experience in the job during her campaign.
"I knew it was going to be a tough race. I didn't know how tough," she said. Lazor said she was humbled and pleased that her supporters stood by her.
"I will do my very, very best not to let them down," she vowed.
Mercer County voters had something new in this race -- an independent candidate in Daniel Berent of West Middlesex, who was a distant fifth.
"I thought Mercer County was ready for something new," he said, adding that the vote totals showed that more than 5,000 Democrats voted straight-party ticket and more than 4,000 Republicans did the same.
Berent said it isn't likely that he will run again. The time was right to do it this year, he said, noting that he promised his family it would be a one-shot deal. He also told voters he was running only for a single, four-year term.
Berent, who owns a plastic recycling and manufacturing company, said he'll go back to creating jobs the way he did before -- by starting a second company.
gwin@vindy.com