Republican state Sen. David G. Argall, whose 29th legislative district includes Schuylkill County, said a poll he hired a Harrisburg firm to conduct found that county Commissioner George F. Halcovage Jr. stands little chance of winning another term in this year’s election.

Argall said he used his own campaign money to hire Susquehanna Polling and Research to gauge how a sample of 300 Republican voters who were likely to vote in the May 16 primary election felt about each of the 10 candidates seeking the GOP nod for a seat on the Board of Commissioners.

The survey, conducted by phone between Jan. 25 and 27, also included three questions concerning Halcovage. Susquehanna formulated the questions.

“Given George’s legal problems, we decided to test the additional three questions,” Argall said in a telephone interview Tuesday.

Halcovage is in the midst of a federal sexual harassment lawsuit filed in March 2021 by four women who work in the courthouse. He’s also the subject of state House impeachment hearings that began in the fall. In 2021, the county Human Resources office found he had violated the sexual harassment policy.

Halcovage has repeatedly denied the allegations.

The questions

The first question asked voters whether knowing that a 2020 county investigation found that Halcovage violated three county policies on sexual harassment, physical and verbal abuse would make them more or less likely to vote for him.

The first question asked voters whether knowing that a 2020 county investigation found that Halcovage violated three county policies on sexual harassment, physical and verbal abuse would make them more or less likely to vote for him.

Of the voters, 65 percent answered “less likely.”

The second question asked voters if they’d be more or less likely to vote for Halcovage knowing that the women rejected an offered settlement of $850,000 plus legal fees, meaning higher insurance premiums the taxpayers would have to pay.

Of those polled, 75 percent said it would make them “less likely.”

The third question asked the voters if they would be more likely or less likely to vote for Halcovage if they knew the state House of Representatives is considering impeaching Halcovage because of the sexual harassment accusations.

Of the voters polled, 60 percent answered “less likely.”

“These numbers are some of the worst I’ve ever seen in decades of campaigns,” Argall said. “I believe if he is the Republican candidate in the fall, he will be defeated.”

The turn of events was tough for Argall.

“I was George Halcovage and (the late) Frank Staudenmeier’s honorary campaign chairman four years ago,” he said. “This is a difficult time for all of us. But the party needs to know the reality of public opinion in Schuylkill County.”

Halcovage has not responded to requests for comment.