By Lance Knickerbocker,

A preliminary review of unofficial tally sheets from 79 precincts seems to indicate that Eric Roe, an assistant to Chester County Commissioner Michelle Kichline, has won the republican nomination for the 158th state congressional district.

Having bested Perry Bentley in an unusual write-in race, Eric Roe will face democrat Susan Rzucidlo in the November general election.

Copies of tally sheets were obtained by VISTA earlier this afternoon. Tally sheets are unofficial election documents on which Judges of Elections record write-in votes gleaned, in this case, from thousands of ballots (there were 5,910 write-ins for the 158th ballot box alone). Most of these sheets recorded a clear victory for Roe.

Even though voting officials are careful to stress the unofficial nature of the tally sheets, it seems clear Roe will be declared the official winner in mid-May after Chester County Voter Services completes a ballot-by-ballot audit.

How poll workers came to be hand counting write-in ballots late into the evening last night is something of a tale in itself. Kennet Square lawyer and original 158th republican candidate Leonard Rivera was forced to withdraw his name from the ballot due to petition irregularities. That bumbled start left republicans without anyone on the ballot. Rivera briefly considered a write-in campaign before removing himself from the race.

That decision opened the door for Perry Bentley and Eric Roe. Both candidates’ overnight campaigns drew attention from across the county.

In the end, however,  it was the political insider who won the day.

Perry Bentley, in an email released this afternoon, thanked supporters and pledged his support to Roe.

“As we move forward, I want to make it clear that I pledge my full support to Eric as he works to retain this seat for our Republican Party and continue the record of positive service provided by Representative Chris Ross.  The issues that unite us are far greater than those that divide us, and I look forward to working with Eric, his supporters, the Republican Party, and its committee members as we work to bring fiscally conservative, common sense policies to Harrisburg to keep Chester County the great place it is today.”