Representative Scott Conklin (D-Centre County) received 316,192 votes in yesterday’s Democratic race for lieutenant governor– his closest opponent, Jonathan Saidel, received 311,538. These are equivalent to, respectively, 35.4% and 34.9% of the total votes.

The race is still too close to call for two reasons. According to the official website, as of 10:10 am this morning, 75 districts had not yet reported voting totals. Moreover, the Centre Daily Times reported this morning that if the final margin is less than one half of one percent of the total number of votes cast, a recount would be automatically triggered in all 67 counties. The eventual winner of the election will run in the fall election with gubernatorial candidate Dan Onorato against Tom Corbett and Jim Cawley.

Scott Conklin was an underdog throughout the race– his opponent received the nomination of the Democratic party and the support of Governor Ed Rendell (though Conklin was endorsed by the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). Conklin has an impressive background in politics though. He served as the Centre County Commissioner for seven years before being elected to the State House in 2006.

Conklin’s platform in brief is:

Conklin, 51, favors a constitutional convention, downsizing the legislature, expanding early voting, performance audits for all state agencies, and term limits. As a small businessman – he and his wife own an antiques mall – Conklin also brings that perspective on state economic issues.

He and his wife also own an antiques market in Philipsburg. With 82.5% of the Democratic votes for lieutenant governor in Centre County, Scott Conklin is definitely a friend of the region– and indeed, some have said that the worst part of a Conklin victory is that the 77th district would lose a competent legislator. In any case, the race isn’t over yet. We’ll update the story when it is.

[Photo: Scott Conklin’s Facebook Profile]