John Murtha dies, special election looms

[cali]

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.

snip

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/inner-circle/john-murtha-dies-special-elect.html

[liberal N proud]

1. Here goes the special interest again

Special election they throw everything they can at it. Maybe being an election year already will save some of that.

[spanone]

2. somebody wake up tim kaine

[still_one]

3. who?

(please note that this is a scarcastic comment)

[Sebastian Doyle]

4. Maybe it's best to keep Tim Kaine as far away from this as possible?

Ed Rendell too, except for what the state law requires him to do.

Murtha wasn't exactly a "liberal" but he deserves better than some DLC turd replacement.

[C_Lawyer09]

8. Are you kidding?

Murtha set a standard for special interest pandering and home state pork projects.

[Jennicut]

5. So when a Rethug wins in this competitive district will everyone on DU slit their wrists?

Because I doubt a Dem is going to win this seat.

[blue neen]

7. IMHO, it will depend on who runs for the seat here.

I know of a few Democrats who could win it. We'll see what happens.

[Bitwit1234]

6. I think even tho it is the states congress should pass a law.

That the governor of the state appoints a successor. Now if the person who held the seat was republican, the governor has to appoint a republican and if they were a democrat, the governor has to appoint a democrat. Then after a certain numbers of days, and to take this state for example 60 days they could hold that special election. That way it would be fair for everyone. But the infighting in the House and Senate would never let that happen.

[WillyT]

9. So... The Person That Gets Elected Has To Run Again A Few Months Later ???

Talk about the permanent campaign...

:wow:

:shrug:

[saracat]

10. Don't worry . Rahm will find another anti-choicer to replace Murtha.

[AlinPA]

11. His district was reconfigured to be more republican. It will be easy for a republican to win there.