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Special Election for House of Representatives

TOWANDA, Pa. — Newswatch 16 spoke with voters in Bradford County about who they wanted to see replace Rep. Tom Marino in the PA 12th District’s spec...

TOWANDA, Pa. -- Newswatch 16 spoke with voters in Bradford County about who they wanted to see replace Rep. Tom Marino in the PA 12th District's special election.

Justin Popovich and Steve Homet are two voters supporting two different sides in the 12th District special election. We spoke to the two men outside Trinity Lutheran Church in Towanda.

Popovich cast his ballot for Republican Fred Keller.

"I just actually saw that the president endorsed Fred Keller and he got my support because I support the president's policy," Popovich said.

Homet voted for Democrat Marc Friedenberg.

"There are several issues that Republicans have that I agree with but democratically I believe we have some social issues we need to deal with," said Homet.

After holding office for several years, Republican Tom Marino resigned from the House of Representatives in January. Whoever wins on Tuesday takes his spot in Washington.

Homet says it is time for a change.

"I came down to vote in the special election not only because it is my duty, but because we have had a Republican for some time now and at this point, I am veering Democrat," said Homet.

"Hopefully, you trust what the president is endorsing and I support him accordingly," said Popovich.

People may have disagreed on who should replace Marino in the 12th District, but one thing everyone could agree on was finding your local polling place and voting.

"It is very important in our world if you care about our world, with our world being so divisive right now, the people have to follow what is going on, that it is our duty, and we should not complain unless we are going to participate," Maggi Frawley said.

Keller is a Pennsylvania State Representative who just began his fifth term in office.

In 2017, Friedenberg, the Democratic nominee, decided to run against Glenn Thompson and filed to run in the new 12th District after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court handed down its “gerrymandering” decision. He won an extremely close vote in May of 2018, defeating Judy Herschel by just 196 votes out of more than 25,000 votes cast, and lost to Marino in the fall.

The winner will serve out the remainder of Rep. Tom Marino’s term in the U.S. House 12th District which doesn’t expire until January 2021.

Marino, a Republican who easily won re-election to a fifth term in the U.S. House 12th District in the fall of 2018, resigned in January. 

The 12th District covers all or parts of 15 counties, stretching from Susquehanna County in the east to Potter County in the west and the New York State line all the way to Perry County in the south.

CLICK HERE for the latest election results and more.

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