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 ...
I agree!
You think god will send him to hell?
Obama has said that Gitmo needs to close because “perception becomes reality”, that even if conditions really weren’t horrible, false reportage from Newsweak that we were flushing korans down the toilet served to recruit terrorists to engage in jihad.
John Murtha’s trumped up claims of a Haditha massacre likewise serves as a terrorist recruiting tool.
Ted Kennedy served the enemy’s cause too when he said that Abu Ghraib had simply reopened under new management (with the implication being that we were committing the very same deadly attrocities that Saddam Hussein had overseen there: mutilations, rapes, and murder).
What happens to Murthat’s vote in the meantime. Do they get to seat a temporary replacement?
>Ill just state that this will be another GOP gain and leave it at that...
I’ll second that, even if Murtha campaigns from Hell...
Hopefully, Bill Russell will clean his clock in the November Election, but there are probably going to be two elections on the primary ballot: 1 to fill Murtha's seat until next January; the other to pick who will face off in November.
Hopefully, Bill Russell will clean his clock in the November Election, but there are probably going to be two elections on the primary ballot: 1 to fill Murtha's seat until next January; the other to pick who will face off in November.
Good riddance.
I’m no fan of the guy, but I’ve still said a prayer for his family.
Rename, repackage, rewrite it a tad smaller, and sell another pig in a poke.
Tennessee has joined several other states in trying to pass a Health Care Freedom Act. NO COLAs for granny, retired Military or retired fed employees. BIG NEW fees for Tricare for Life retired over 65 Military's secondary health ins. (DOD bill already passed, delayed but goes into effect 2011)
New Dem mantra: Woof, woof eat dog food granny....ala let them eat cake.
But see, since whomever fills the seat will have NO pull to bring in tons of tax $$$, nor will this person head a single leadership post, they no longer have any obligation to pull the lever for the Democrat.
Murtha was only as useful as the depth of his wallet.
That POS has been on auto-pilot since he embraced the motto.
” If your not cheating, your not trying hard enough”.
“Good hes 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.”
Seems like the man upstairs is cleaning house along with voters.
Does that mean he’s a “teabagger”?
Here's another Dem that's seeking the seat: Ron Mackell Jr. who I'd also be surprised to see get the Party's OK.
Proverbs 29:2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people groan.
An evil man has been removed from our midst, what are good people supposed to do, cry?
Seeing how that District went for Palin/McCain in '08 by 50-49%, I reckon there could be some hope there. especially in this particular political climate.
THAT'S nonsense.
Members of our House can only sit there by election. They are NEVER appointed (as Senators can be).
“What happens to Murthats vote in the meantime. Do they get to seat a temporary replacement?”
RATS vote the dead all the time - only usually it’s not a Congressional vote...
in other words Congressmen are not as important as Senators. If Spector would have died and they were in danger of losing another of the Dem majority in the Senate, they would probably have the special election next month.
Since the general is only 9 months off, just wait until then to replace him.
No rep, no vote.
Not like that will stop Nancy from trying, though
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