The GOP wave missed Pennsylvania at the gubernatorial level but that was just about it. Pennsylvania’s congressional breakdown remains 13-5 in favor of the Republicans and the GOP actually expanded its majority in the State House and Senate with districts 46, 52, 83, 115, 120 and 146 appearing to have flipped to the GOP in the House and districts 32 and 46 in the Senate as per the Keystone Report.
This would give the Republicans a 117 to 86 advantage in the House come January and a 29-21 advantage in the Senate.
One particular election of note is that of Russ Diamond to the 102nd District seat vacated by Republican RoseMarie Swanger. Diamond, a truck driver, created a political earthquake in 2006 when he organized PACleanSweep after the legislature voted itself a pay raise in 2005. Thirty-five CleanSweep candidates won their primaries knocking out seven long-term incumbents.
Diamond is a Republican albeit the party bosses don’t particularly like him.
Also Republican Tom Quigley won his rematch with Democrat Mark Painter who unseated him two years ago in the 146th District Race.
Closer to home, kudos to Springfield GOP Chief Mike Puppio who pulled Tom McGarrigle over the line in the 26th District State Senate race for the seat being vacated by Ted Erickson. Springfield gave McGarrigle a 3,419 majority (unofficially) over Democrat John Kane in a race he won by just 1,703 votes. Puppio was also instrumental in helping Jamie Santora beat Vince Rongione to keep the 163rd District seat vacated by Nick Micozzie in Republican hands. The unofficial tally was 11,362 to 9,963.
And kudos to Megan Rath who took on Democrat power Bob Brady in the 1st District. She ended up with 26,447 votes (unofficially) and hopefully she stays involved in politics. She was working on extremely unfriendly territory. For progress to happen, there must be people willing to do that.
No kudos, however, to Tom Corbett who managed to become the first Pennsylvania incumbent governor to lose an election since 1946 in a Republican wave year.
In a year even Illinois went Republican. In a year, that Maryland elected a Republican governor.
As of 12:20 a.m., the tally was Tom Wolf 1,851,462 to Corbett’s 1,526,595.
It should be noted that two governors who took on the unions in traditional union states — Scott Walker of Wisconsin and Rick Snyder of Michigan — cruised to re-election.
Gov. Corbett, of course, notably did not take on the unions.
The other lesson, for Pennsylvania Republicans? Don’t twist arms to push through historic tax hikes.
And sell the dang liquor stores.
GOP Wave Misses Corbett But Not PA
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