Steve O'Donnell

U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Upper St. Clair) continues to hold a prodigious fundraising advantage over Democratic opponent Steve O'Donnell after raising nearly $250,000 more than O'Donnell did in the second quarter.

Murphy raised $280,000 this quarter, bringing his total cash on hand to just more than $1 million. His campaign reported more than 1,200 donors have contributed.

O'Donnell, on the other hand, raised $43,000, bringing his total to little more than $113,000.

MONACA -- U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire (D-McCandless) told PolitickerPA.com in an interview after Wednesday night's town hall meeting he thinks his voting record, which he said is about 50 percent Democratic, proves his political philosophy matches the mostly centrist 4th Congressional District, which covers an area from the northern Pittsburgh suburbs to Mercer County.

Those votes, he said, will be the biggest difference this fall when he faces a rematch against Republican Melissa Hart, who had represented the district three terms until defeated by Altmire in 2006.

During that race, people voted against Hart more than they voted for him, he said.

"I have a record to run on now," he said.

MONACA -- Wednesday night at Penn State Beaver was one of the few times to see a Republican and Democratic congressman tout the other.

U.S. reps. Tim Murphy (R-Upper St. Clair) and Jason Altmire (D-McCandless) want voters to know it wasn't a one-time event.

The two congressmen Wednesday held the second of two joint town halls, this time in Beaver County, to highlight how they have worked together to help western Pennsylvania, even if that meant crossing party lines. It's an effort from both campaigns to position themselves as centrists ahead of November's election, where being viewed as ideologically extreme isn't beneficial in either district.

Congressional candidate Steve O'Donnell: Courtesy Steve O'Donnell campaignMONROEVILLE -- The 18th Congressional District splashes across southwest Pennsylvania to create what can best be described as a giant Rorschach test. Its array of nooks and crannies, which spread across four counties from the Ohio border to near Johnstown, covers not just a range of geographic but socioeconomic areas as well.

But Democratic congressional candidate Steve O'Donnell contends the district's odd configuration works to his advantage. The former social worker and business owner says support from a constellation of local elected officials gives him access to voters his opponent, U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Upper St. Clair), simply doesn't have.

Winners based on the vote count from the PA Secretary of State website.

Democratic Presidential: Hillary Clinton
Democratic State Treasurer: Robert McCord

Congress
PA-03 Democratic: Kathy Daulkemper
PA-05 Democratic: Mark McCracken
PA-05 Republican: Glenn Thompson
PA-10 Republican: Chris Hackett
PA-18 Democratic: Steve O'Donnell

State Senate
SD1 Democratic: Lawrence Farnese
SD13 Republican: Lloyd Smucker
SD15 Democratic: Judy Hirsh
SD17 Republican: Lance Rogers
SD23 Republican: Gene Yaw
SD33 Republican: Richard Alloway
SD39 Democratic: Tony Bompiani
SD47 Democratic: Sean Michael Ramaley
SD47 Republican: Elder Vogel

Here's a look at the fundraising numbers for U.S. House races in Pennsylvania at the end of the first quarter:

Democrat Beth Hafer, running for the U.S. House seat currently occupied by Republican Tim Murphy in District 18, raised $43,095 in the first quarter and has taken in $49,193 to date, campaign manager Ryan Matthews says.

“We are excited to have raised more money before the primary than any other candidate to run against Tim Murphy in previous cycles,” says Matthews.

“This shows we have a broad-based support and have the financial and grassroots network it will take to take on Murphy in November.”