Rothfus: ‘I’m not worthy’

WEXFORD—Before the polls closed Tuesday night, Republican Keith Rothfus said that win or lose, he was feeling one thing: Not worthy.

“I am humbled by the support I’ve received,” the Edgeworth lawyer and 4th District candidate said with a smile here. “I know it sounds cliché, but—I’m not worthy. The people I have met on this campaign—they are just people who believe in this country and believe in what this country can be. And I struck a chord with these people.”

In the end, Rothfus prevailed over former U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan by a large margin, and will face incumbent Democrat Jason Altmire in the fall.

The mood among Wexford supporters was upbeat, to say the least. Campaign manager Stephanie Miller described it as “ecstatic.”

“There wasn’t a person in the room who didn’t make a phone call, knock on doors or work the polls,” she said.

Miller, for her part, came all the way from Nevada to work for Rothfus, immediately agreeing to help when Rothfus called on her.

“I drove cross country with just three day’s notice,” she said. “He is one of the most ethical, responsible people I’ve ever met.”

A mile down the road at Buchanan’s campaign headquarters, things were far more somber. After delivering a concession speech and thanking her supporters, Buchanan hugged her husband and told him she’d have a second glass of wine.

“You’re driving tonight,” she told him.

She told her supporters not to be too downtrodden by the results.

“Try to enjoy yourselves,” Buchanan said. “I am.”