Donald A . Bailey Donald Allen " Don " Bailey ( born July 21 , 1945 ) is an American politician and lawyer , from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania . He was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from 1979 to 1983 , Auditor General of Pennsylvania from 1985 to 1989 , and a candidate for the Democratic nomination for United States Senate and Governor of Pennsylvania . His Congressional District ( PA - 21 ) included all of Westmoreland County , Pennsylvania with a sliver of Allegheny County , Pennsylvania , prior to the 1981 redistricting . Early life , education , and early career . Bailey was born Allegheny County to Glenn and Anna Bailey . He was raised in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties . He graduated from Greensburg High School in 1963 . He received a BA from the University of Michigan in 1967 . He was a member of both his high school and college football teams . After college he entered the United States Army , serving with the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions in Vietnam . He was awarded Silver Star , three Bronze Stars , two with the Valor device , one for meritorious achievement , Army Commendation Medal , with " V " for Valor , Air Medal , and a second Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service . After Vietnam , Bailey , worked at a number of " blue collar " jobs , including as a steelworker at J . & L . Steel Corp . , during which time he was a member of the United Steelworkers of America . He also graduated from Duquesne University School of Law with a J . D . , in 1976 , on the G . I . Bill . He was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar the same year . U . S . House of Representatives ( 1979 - 1983 ) . Elections . In 1978 , incumbent Democrat John Dent of Pennsylvania ' s 21st congressional district decided to retire . Bailey ran and won the Democratic primary with a plurality of 23 % in an 11 candidate field . He won the general election with 53 % of the vote . In 1980 , he was challenged by two candidates in the primary , but he defeated both of them in April with 60 % of the vote . He won re - election to a second term with 68 % of the vote . After redistricting by the state legislature , Bailey ' s district in 1982 was one of two eliminated as a result of slow - growth in Pennsylvania compared to other states . Most of his district , including his home in Westmoreland County , was merged with the 12th District of fellow Democrat U . S . Congressman and Vietnam veteran John Murtha , who had been serving since 1974 . Despite the fact that most of the district was represented by Murtha , Bailey decided to run in the newly redrawn Pennsylvania ' s 12th congressional district . Murtha defeated Bailey in the primary 52 % - 38 % . Tenure . He was generally considered as a moderate - to - conservative Democrat . In 1979 , he sponsored legislation to fund synthetic fuel . He frequently criticized Democrat President Jimmy Carter . However , when Carter was challenged by liberal U . S . Senator Ted Kennedy , Bailey and most Western Pennsylvania Democrats endorsed Carter . Bailey said " Carter is still the best alternative . " He neogotiated for loans for the Wheeling - Pittsburgh Steel company . In 1981 , he opposed raising the retirement age . He also voted against spending cuts proposed by Republican President Ronald Reagan and against a Balanced budget amendment . Auditor General of Pennsylvania ( 1985 - 1989 ) . In 1984 , Bailey ran for Pennsylvania Auditor General as a Democrat , defeating Republican Susan Shanaman 51 % - 48 % . He was the only Democratic nominee to win statewide that year . During his tenure as Auditor General , Bailey established the first work - site child daycare facility in Pennsylvania government , established minimum education standards for state auditors , and generally modernized auditing procedures . Legal career ( 1989 - Present ) . Since leaving the Auditor General office in 1989 , Bailey has been a full time attorney , based in Harrisburg , Pennsylvania . His specialties include civil rights . He is also quoted as calling himself , an " equal opportunity suer " and does take clients litigating with both Democrats and Republicans . Political campaigns since 1986 . 1986 U . S . Senate election . Bailey decided to challenge incumbent Republican U . S . Senator Arlen Specter . However , he lost the Democratic primary to U . S . Congressman Bob Edgar 47 % - 45 % . 1988 Auditor General election . Bailey ran for re - election in 1988 , but lost to Republican Barbara Hafer , an Allegheny County Commissioner , 49 % - 48 % ( difference of 35 , 618 votes ) . 1992 Auditor General election . Bailey ran for Auditor General again in 1992 . He lost the Democratic primary to State Senator H . Craig Lewis , who won with a plurality of 40 % of the vote . Businessman Jack O ' Brien ranked second with 27 % , Bailey ranked third with 20 % , and State Senator Roy C . Afflerbach was last with 12 % . 1998 gubernatorial election . In 1998 , Bailey ran for Governor of Pennsylvania , challenging incumbent Republican Governor Tom Ridge . Bailey lost the Democratic primary to State Representative Ivan Itkin 49 % - 39 % . 2012 Attorney General election . After fourteen years , Bailey has decided to run for public office again . This time , he is running for Pennsylvania Attorney General as an independent . Notes . Much of the information is taken from the Congressional Biography website and the offline " Pennsylvania Manual " , volumes 105 ( 1981 ) and 108 ( 1987 ) .