Eichelberger, Barclay together again
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Bruce Barclay, left, and Gary Eichelberger are all smiles as the polls come in showing them in the lead positions for the Cumberland County Republican commissioners primary Tuesday night at Theo's Bar and Grille in Camp Hill. Jason Malmont/The Sentinel)
Commissioner Gary Eichelberger said he had a good feeling leading up to primary day.
That good feeling lasted through the night Tuesday as the incumbent held on to win one of two Republican ballot spots. Commissioner Bruce Barclay, who never completely abandoned Eichelberger, won the other spot with a commanding vote total.
Political newcomer Karen Gunnison fell short in her bid to add a female to the board of commissioners. Despite never having run for office before, Gunnison, a Silver Spring lawyer and stay-at-home mom, gained the endorsement of the county GOP committee and spent heavily to gain name recognition.
"I'd like to thank the voters for their vote of confidence on how we're running the county," Barclay said from Theo's Bar and Grille, where he spent the evening with Eichelberger's supporters.
Barclay said the results mirrored a poll he had done last week. Although Eichelberger said he expected to win, he admitted to some uneasiness.
"I had no idea what to expect," he said. "My whole focus was on getting our message out in front of the public and making sure it was clear and truthful.
"I think we got a thumbs-up from the voters that we're on the right path with the county."
County GOP Chairman Victor Stabile congratulated Barclay and Eichelberger and said it is time for the committee to rally around the winners in the fall.
Republicans split into two camps in February after the committee endorsed Barclay and Gunnison. Stabile saluted Gunnison for her contributions.
"Even though you did not win this evening, i want to thank you for getting us to think about ourselves and what we're doing in the commissioner's office," he said.
Stabile said he does not think the Republican Committee needs to reorganize or change the way it does business.
"We win some and we lose some," he told the crowd. "In the end, it's how we conduct ourselves as a party."
Eichelberger said he is less sure than Stabile that the commissioners can let bygones be bygones and resume working with the committee.
"The primary battle "was absolutely unnecessary," he said. "There's obviously some things within the committee that need to be addressed and we're going to be addressing those things in a constructive manner."
In the end, Republican voters opted to stay the course with Barclay/Eichelberger. They will move on to face Democrats Rick Rovegno and Linda Cecconello.
Commissioner Rovegno seeks his third term, while Cecconello, a Carlisle councilwoman, is making her first bid for commissioner. They are not running as a team, a decision reached by Cecconello.
