Adam Ravenstahl, brother of Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, is the Democratic nominee for the special election to fill the unexpired state legislative term in the seat vacated by former Rep. Don Walko, now an Allegheny County Common Pleas Court judge.

Mr. Ravenstahl defeated Dan Keller in the Democratic party endorsement for the special election as well as for the party’s support in the May 18 primary for the ensuing two-year term in the seat.

In an adjoining city district, former city Councilwoman Tonya Payne defeated incumbent Rep. Jake Wheatley for the endorsement in District 19.

In the only other contested legislative race, Rep. Nick Kotik held off a challenge from Maribeth Taylor, a McKees Rocks councilwoman, in the 45th District.

State law also gives the Republican Party the right to choose a nominee for the special election, but Jim Roddey, the GOP county chairman, said today that the party had not decided on whether or not to move forward on picking a candidate. He acknowledged that the party’s lack of urgency on those questions was due to the fact that that is a heavily Democartic district that hasn’t produced a GOP legislator in half a century or more.

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