DeWeese faces another battle

Be sure to see Janice Crompton on Bill DeWeese's reelection fight:

Eighteen months ago, when state Rep. Bill DeWeese, D-Waynesburg, won his 17th term in office amid controversy and calls for him to resign, he gave all the credit to the local United Mine Workers of America, saying he "could never have won" without the powerful union.

The former House speaker and longtime Democratic leader, charged in December with having a staff member do political work on state time, will get the chance to put that statement to the test May 18 as he faces off against two strong primary opponents, including a popular Greene County commissioner and the president of a UMW local union.