GREENSBURG, Pa. -- A Westmoreland County commissioner will take the Republican ballot spot of state Sen. Robert Regola, who dropped out of the race this week.

"This was a very tough decision," Commissioner Kim Ward said Wednesday. "It was very unexpected, and the phone calls just coming in from people encouraging me to do this, saying we need you to do this, and it took a lot of thought."

Ward hopes to retain the seat currently held by Regola, who decided not to seek re-election after being cleared of perjury and reckless endangerment charges in connection with the death of his teenage neighbor.

Regola, of Hempfield, blamed "unfair" media coverage and said he feared negative attacks, even though he was found not guilty after Louis Farrell shot himself with the senator's gun in 2006.

Ward will face Democratic nominee Anthony Bompiani, a chiropractor and a member of the school board in the Hempfield Area School District.

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