Carluccio makes appearance at Big Butler Fair
FRANKLIN TWP — As part of her whistle-stop tour of the state of Pennsylvania, Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas judge Carolyn Carluccio made a public appearance Thursday night at the Big Butler Fair to promote her campaign for state Supreme Court.
Carluccio, a Republican, is looking to hit all 67 counties in Pennsylvania while on the campaign trail, “some more than once.” After her appearance in Butler County, she will travel to Lancaster, York, Bucks and Bradford counties over the next week.
“We just drove straight from Montgomery County, my hometown ... a five-hour drive,” Carluccio said. “That’s how important it is that I get out to Butler County.”
In this November’s general election, Carluccio will face Democratic candidate Daniel D. McCaffery from Philadelphia County. The winner of the election will fill the seat vacated by Democratic judge Max Baer, who died in September. Carluccio defeated Patricia McCullough in the Republican primary in May.
Carluccio’s choice to appear at the Big Butler Fair was a strategic one, as she is aiming to attract the rural vote.
“My opponent is from Philadelphia ... big city, and I’m going to the rural counties to get them to support me,” Carluccio said.
Carluccio says she is running on a platform of restoring balance, as well as law and order, to the bench in Pennsylvania.
“I’m not an activist judge,” Carluccio said. “I have been a judge for 14 years, and what I do as a judge is apply the law. As long as it’s constitutional, I’m going to apply it. ... Politics does not belong in the judiciary, and I will not bring it with me. It does not belong there.”
Accompanying Carluccio to the Big Butler Fair were a host of Butler County Republican political leaders, including District Attorney Richard A. Goldinger, County Commissioner Kim Geyer, Sheriff Michael T. Slupe, Register of Wills Sarah Edwards and Prothonotary Kelly Smith Ferrari.
“Carolyn possesses knowledge, skills and the mindset to be a wonderful Supreme Court justice in Pennsylvania,” said Slupe. “She has a proven record and will be an impartial jurist on the bench.”
In addition to promoting her campaign, Carluccio was on hand to participate in the Big Butler Fair’s celebrity bunny hopping contest. Also taking part in the contest were a slew of firefighters, beauty pageant contestants and other elected officials from around the county, including Geyer.
The celebrities in the contest had the duty of leading the bunnies along as they navigated an obstacle course of hurdles in both directions. The bunnies — all donated by members of the local 4-H club — were judged on both speed and cleanliness, and were penalized for knocking any hurdles down or moving around the hurdles.
In an upset win, Carluccio came in first in the competition, guiding a bunny named “Squirrel.” According to Carluccio, it was only the second time the young Squirrel had ever hopped.
