Following Republican state Sen. Mike Waugh’s announcement Monday morning that he would resign, Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley announced a special election to be held March 18.
Waugh represented the 18th district since 1998 and is resigning to take over as executive director of the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg.
“(Agriculture) tended to be where I migrated to, and I guess that’s because I was raised on a farm, always interested in agriculture,” said Waugh.
Waugh announced in August he would not run for another term. At the time, he cited health concerns among other reasons.
Now he says he is “doing great, everything is on the uptick and positive.”
Scott Wagner, a businessman who last fall launched his campaign to succeed Waugh, criticized the timing of the special election. He said it’s wasteful to spend the money on it just two months before the primary in May.
York County Commissioner Steve Chronister told FOX43 Monday he’s still trying to decide whether to run for the seat. State Rep. Ron Miller (R- 93rd) has been rumored to be in the mix as well. Miller did not respond to a request for comment.
Zachary Hearn, an Air Force veteran who works for the American Legion, announced his candidacy last week.
Wagner said he believed the special election is meant to help establishment Republicans give their preferred candidate an advantage in the primary two months later.
“With the budget debate about to begin, residents of the City and County of York deserve to be fully represented in the legislature. After consulting with Governor Corbett and Senate leaders, I decided to set an early date to give those citizens the chance to elect a state senator as soon as possible,” said Lt. Gov. Cawley, in a news release.