It appears as though Ridgway attorney Shawn McMahon unseated incumbent Elk County District Attorney Bradley Kraus in Tuesday’s primary election.
According to unofficial results from the Elk County Board of Elections website, McMahon garnered 1,649 votes, while Kraus earned 1,288, earning the political newcomer a spot on the Democratic ballot in the fall general election.
Both candidates were seeking the Democratic nod; there were no Republican challengers. There were 1,025 write-in votes on the Republican ballot, but those results were not available as of late Tuesday.
McMahon was quite surprised — and pleased — when contacted by The Era late Tuesday. He declined to comment at that time, and could not be reached later Tuesday night for comment.
Ridgway second precinct was a strong showing for McMahon, with 177 votes to Kraus’s 23.
According to the unofficial results, Kraus did well in the nine precincts in St. Marys, but McMahon did well in Ridgway and many of the smaller municipalities throughout the county.
McMahon, of Ridgway, has been a practicing attorney since 2004. In addition to his private practice, where he focuses on criminal law, McMahon is an assistant part-time public defender in Clearfield County.
During law school, McMahon served as summer law clerk for Roof as well as for Judge Richard Masson, current president judge of the Elk County Court of Common Pleas. He worked as an associate attorney for Coppolo & Coppolo in St. Marys before opening his own law practice in 2007.
Kraus, of St. Marys, was first appointed to the position of District Attorney in 1996 when the late Judge Vernon “Buddy” Roof vacated the office to become president judge of the 59th Judicial District. Kraus was re-elected for four terms.
