In one of the region's most-watched races, Democrat Kevin Steele held off Republican Bruce L. Castor Jr. to become the next district attorney of Montgomery County.
Steele, the first assistant district attorney, will succeed District Attorney Risa Ferman, who did not seek reelection.
According to unofficial tallies, Steele garnered 55 percent of the vote.
- ELECTION 2015 COVERAGE
- Mayor-elect Jim Kenney: 'Every neighborhood matters'
- Dems grab both seats in South Jersey's 1st Legislative District
- Taubenberger in position to unseat O'Brien from City Council
- Bailey remains upbeat despite sizable loss to Kenney
- LGBT office gains permanency
The contest, with its subtext of Bill Cosby and Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane, made it one of the most interesting this election.
Castor, who was district attorney from 2000-2008, investigated Cosby for an incident that allegedly happened in the county a decade ago but did not bring a case against the comedian. He is leaving his seat as a county commissioner.
Steele has shouldered much of the case against Kane, a fellow Democrat accused of leaking secret grand jury information and then lying to cover it up.
Carrying through on the Kane case would fall to the winner of the race. And the statute of limitations on reconsidering the Cosby sexual assault allegations and bringing charges expires early next year.
In the race for Montgomery County commissioner, incumbent Democrats Josh Shapiro and Val Arkoosh were re-elected with 31 and 28 percent of the vote, respectively, according to unofficial tallies. Republican Joseph Gale won the third seat on the board vacated by Castor, with 21 percent of the vote.
In the race for Montgomery County sheriff, incumbent Republican Russell J. Bono was surprised by Democratic challenger Sean P. Kilkenny, who grabbed 52 percent of the vote.
BUCKS COUNTY
In the Bucks County Commissioners race, all three incumbents – Democrat Diane Ellis-Marseglia and Republicans Robert G. Loughery and Charles H. Martin – were re-elected. Martin held off Democratic challenger Brian Galloway by less than 750 votes. Loughery took 27 percent of the vote, while Ellis-Marseglia grabbed 26 percent and Martin, 24 percent.
CHESTER COUNTY
In Chester County, incumbent Republicans Terence Farrell and Michelle H. Kichline and incumbent Democrat Kathi Cozzone all won re-election to the Board of County Commissioners.
In the race for district attorney, incumbent Republican Thomas Hogan was re-elected.
DELAWARE COUNTY
In Delaware County, three seats were open on the five-member county council. Three incumbent Republicans – John McBlain, Colleen Morrone and Michael Culp – were re-elected.