he shoulda laid off the pork...
Posted on 02/08/2010 2:24:03 PM PST by Smogger
The death of longtime Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha (D) this afternoon will set off a special election in his very competitive western Pennsylvania 12th district.
According to state law, the governor has ten days once the vacancy is officially declared to decide on the date for the special election, which can come no sooner than 60 days following that proclamation.
That likely means the special election will be held on May 18, which is the date already set for federal primaries around the state. (Special elections costs the state huge sums of money and it's likely that Gov. Ed Rendell will choose to go with an already established election day to save some cash.)
Murtha's passing comes at a tenuous time for House Democrats as they seek to convince some of their older members to re-up for another term in the face of what looks to be a difficult national political environment for the party.
To date, 12 Democrats -- including long-serving Members like John Tanner and Bart Gordon (both of Tennessee) -- are calling it quits at the end of the year. Sixteen Republicans are retiring at the end of the 111th Congress although just four of them are leaving office entirely; the other dozen are running for higher offices like Senate or governor.
Murtha, 77, had held his seat with ease since 1974 even as it became increasingly more competitive between the two parties. The only semi-serious challenge to him in recent years came in a redistricting-forced primary race against then Rep. Frank Mascara in 2002, which Murtha won easily.
(Excerpt) Read more at voices.washingtonpost.com ...
Governor's cannot appoint House members to fill vacant seats. House seats can only be filled by elections.
Bill Russell has already run courageously against Murtha. I pray that now is his time. Go Bill!
McCain carried the 12th Congressional District of PA but I think the State has gone Dem in the last 4 Presidential Elections; maybe the last 5.
That said, I think the GOP has a “chance” now of winning that seat back.
Of course, at the end, Hitler poisoned his dog.
Well that’s good news. I thought I’d read a reference in an article today about appointing a replacement until the special election. I may have misread the thread or been misinformed.
Thanks for the correction.
Nonsense. The governor(D) can appoint a lameduck Democrat to pass the Party legislation and not face the wrath of the voters (no intent to run for re-election).
I don’t believe Governors appoint replacement Representatives. Special election, seat stays empty until, IIRC
but then again, we’re talking about a Democrat
Seat here, so any and all previous election/selection laws are hereby and forthwith rendered null and void.
Why pray for his family? They’ll be living high on the hog for THEIR lifetimes due to the millions in ill-gotten booty the mursa socked away for them in numbered swiss bank accounts.
Why? I like Scranton. Only thing is, why do people say “Scranton” by itself in the rest of the country, when if you live there you know it’s “Scranton Wilkes-Barre” (pron, berry) all the way?
Amen to that!
Make sure the Honor Guard does not have live ammo. His “final home” may end up being WELL VENTILATED!
Losing Murtha’s seat to the Republicans will not go over well with the dem crowd. I anticipate and look forward to their pain.
Scranton Wilkes Barre Hazleton if you wanna get technical but there are certain parts of Scranton you used to be able to walk through not exactly that way anymore
Good he’s dead. Good, Teddy is dead. This is starting to be a good twelve months. They are about the same and left the same dump in the outhouse of history.
May he rest in peace, and may God give comfort to his family.
he shoulda laid off the pork...
I hear you, and it’s a real possibility. :-)
If Billow gets wind of your comments, he’ll be on you like a loofah falafel.
Hopefully before the special election 0bama will campaign in person in that congressional district.
I agree!
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