For Pennsylvania Republicans looking for a glimmer of hope following Tuesday's Election Day drubbing, here's a few points to consider:
* Incumbent Republican Congressman Jim Gerlach won re-election against Lois Murphy. Gerlach was the No. 1 target of Democrats in the House of Representatives. Despite millions of dollars poured into the Murphy campaign and visits from Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi, Murphy was rejected by 6th District voters. This is a reace the Democrats wanted to win badly.
* Congressman Charlie Dent, R-15th, survived the Democratic tidal wave to easily win re-election to a third term representing the Lehigh Valley and parts of Montgomery County.
* Congressman Joe Pitts, R-16th, easily won re-election to his Congressional District in Chester, Lancaster and Berks counties.
* Incumbent Republican Phil English won re-election in the 3rd Congressional District
* Incumbent Republican John Peterson won re-election in the 5th Congressional District.
* Incumbent Republican Bill Shuster won re-election in the 9th Congressional District
* Incumbent Republican Tim Murphy won re-election in the 18th Congressional District
* Incumbent Republican Todd Platts won re-election in the 19th Congressional District.
* Mike Veon, the No. 2 Democrat in the state House and one of the architects of the July 2005 payjacking, lost to a GOP reformer in western Pennsylvania. Veon was the last man standing, voting against the pay raise repeal in November 2005. Veon is no longer standing, losing to Republican Jim Marshall.
* Seven of the 10 Republicans running for state Legislative seats in my neck of the woods, Berks County, won their races. The group of 10 ran as a reform coalition and promises to stir things up in Harrisburg.
* It does not appear that Democrats were able to win control of the Pennsylvania House despite Gov. Ed Rendell's coattails and the $3 million Rendell tossed into various Legislative races to help Democrats.
* The Republicans still hold a majority in the Pennsylvania Senate and with Rendell cronies Bob Jubilirer and Chip Brightbill gone, don't expect cooperation from the Republican Senate when it comes to pushing Rendell's agenda.
* Three candidates endorsed by the conservative Pennsylvania Club for Growth PAC, Mike Folmer (State Senate 48th District), Jim Cox (State House 128th District) and Todd Rock (State House 90th District) won their respective races Tuesday.
* The long-overdue house cleaning of what amounts to GOP leadership in Pennsylvania can now begin. After the loss of the U.S. Senate seat, the majority of U.S. House seats and the shrinking majority of the state House, it's time to take out the garbage. The only way the Republican Party can regain control of this state is to return to its conservative roots.
Tony Phyrillas is a columnist for The Mercury in Pottstown, Pa.
No comments:
Post a Comment