State Rep. John Evans this minute is walking into the Republican party headquarters in Millcreek to his campaign theme song "Running Down a Dream" by Tom Petty.

Evans and fellow Republican incumbent Matthew Good are both celebrating comfortable victories over Operation Clean Sweep challengers who had attempted to capitalize on Good's and Evans' votes on the pay-raise issue.

In the end, the incumbents ruled the day, though both could face stronger-than-normal challenges in the November election.

A victorious Good is holding a cigar and relishing his win. He looks to be facing Democrat John Hornaman in the general election.

Evans' chief challenger, Carol Loll, told Erie Times-News reporter Kara Rhodes tonight that she believes her campaign was lost not on her platform, but rather on the fact that a third candidate Clayton Schulze, split the vote in the race.