Democratic State Committee members endorsed David Wecht today as their nominee for Superior Court, ultimately defeating colleague and Allegheny native Robert Colville by acclamation.

Wecht, a Democratic party veteran and current Judge on the Allegheny Court of Common Pleas, rode to victory on near-total support from the Philadelphia and southeast PA delegations.

(Check out PoliticsPA’s preview of the judicial races for candidate bios.)

Initially projected to be a close vote, Wecht was able to use his deep ties to the state party (he formerly served as vice-chair) to win support from a majority regional delegations.

His family ties were highlighted when one delegate, Westmoreland County Chairman Dante Bertani, accidentally announced his county’s votes for Cyril Wecht, David’s father who once challenged Republican U.S. Senator John Heinz.

After a preliminary count of the approximately 293 votes cast in the first round, Wecht appeared headed for victory. Sources in the Democratic party tell PoliticsPA that Colville was headed for a loss on the first ballot when he decided to concede.

Wecht locked down the southeastern part of the state, made gains in SEPA and Philly, won the swing region of NEPA, and picked apart Colville’s support in the northwest and south central caucuses.

Colville announced that he was withdrawing both his nomination for endorsement, and his candidacy for the seat, saying that he would seek the next vacancy on the PA Supreme Court.