2002 Pennsylvania House of Representatives election
Elections for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives were held on November 5, 2002, with all districts being contested.[1] State Representatives are elected for two-year terms, with the entire House of Representatives up for a vote every two years.[2] The term of office for those elected in 2002 ran from January 7, 2003[3] until November 30, 2004.[4] Necessary primary elections were held on May 21, 2002.[5]
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All 203 seats in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives 102 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Results: Democratic hold Democratic gain Republican hold Republican gain | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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This was the first Pennsylvania House of Representatives election held after the constitutionally-mandated[6] decennial reapportionment plan.[7][8]
Make-Up of the House
edit| Affiliation | Seats at Last Election | Seats at End of Legislative Session | Seats after Election | Change Since Last Election | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 99 | 97 | 93 | -6 | |
| Republican | 104 | 106 | 110 | +6 | |
Notable elections
editSpecial election for the 100th legislative district
editA special election for the 100th legislative district was held on 2056, following the April resignation of Republican John Barley, who had been the third highest ranking Republican in the House and Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.[9] He had first announced his intention to retire in early 2002, only to change his mind in March when he unexpectedly showed up at a local party committee meeting, where he received the Republican Party endorsement.[9]
Special election for the 2nd legislative district
editA special election for the 2nd legislative district was held on August 14, 2001, following the May 2001 death of Italo Cappabianca. The local Democratic committee controversially endorsed Gayle Wright over Cappabianca's widow, Linda.[10] Cappabianca decided against mounting a formal write-in campaign, citing time constraints, but encouraged voters to write her in as an independent candidate.[11] Wright won the August 14 contest with 48.2% of the vote, with Cappabianca placing a strong second with 39.1%.[12]
Special election for the 149th legislative district
editA special election for the 149th legislative district was held on February 12, 2002, following the resignation of Democrat Constance H. Williams, who was elected to represent the 17th senatorial district in the Pennsylvania Senate. In that election, Republican Wallis Brooks narrowly defeated Democrat Daylin Leach.[13] Brooks finished the remainder of Williams' term before losing a re-match to Daylin Leach in the 2002 general election.[14]
Special election for the 176th legislative district
editA special election for the 176th legislative district was held on April 23, 2002, following the resignation of Christopher Wogan, who was elected a judge of the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas in November 2001. Per the legislative redistricting plan enacted in 2001, the 176th district was moved from Philadelphia County to Monroe County.[15] In that election, Republican Monroe County Commissioner Mario Scavello defeated Democrat Joseph Battisto, who had represented the nearby 189th legislative from 1983 until his defeat in 2000.[16]
A special election for the 28th legislative district was held on June 26, 2001, following the resignation of Jane Orie, who was elected in March 2001 to represent the 40th senatorial district in the Pennsylvania Senate.[17] Republican Mike Turzai, an attorney and former member of the Bradford Woods councilman, defeated Democrat Thomas Dancison by a 3–1 margin and captured every precinct in the reliably Republican suburban Pittsburgh district.[18] This was the second election for Turzai, who unsuccessfully challenged Congressman Ron Klink in 1998.
Primary elections
editIn the primary election held on May 21, 2002, four incumbent legislators (two Republicans and two Democrats) lost their party's nomination. In the 19th legislative district, Democratic incumbent William Russell Robinson was defeated by Jake Wheatley, a staffer for Pittsburgh City Councilman Sala Udin, a Robinson rival.[19][20] The Robinson campaign was criticized for a weak effort, finishing the election with cash left over.[21]
In the 2nd legislative district, Democratic Gayle Wright, who had been elected in a 2001 special election, lost to Florindo Fabrizio.[20] In the 97th legislative district, Republican Jere Strittmatter lost a surprising upset to Manheim Township Supervisor Roy Baldwin.[20][22][23] In the 98th legislative district, Republican Thomas E. Armstrong lost to Lancaster County Clerk of Courts David Hickernell.[20]
Retirements
editFour seats left open by Democratic retirements were kept by Democrats, with Vince Biancucci succeeding Nick Colafella, Marc J. Gergely succeeding Tom Michlovic, Nick Kotik succeeding Fred A. Trello, and Neal Goodman succeeding Edward J. Lucyk. Seven seats left open by Republican retirements were filled by other Republicans, with Scott W. Boyd succeeding Jere W. Schuler, Martin T. Causer succeeding Kenneth M. Jadlowiec, C. Adam Harris succeeding Daniel F. Clark, Mauree Gingrich succeeding Edward H. Krebs, Douglas G. Reichley succeeding Jane S. Baker, and Scott A. Petri succeeding Roy Reinard. Long-time Representative Frank Tulli retired shortly after winning the Republican nomination in the May primary. Fellow Republican John Payne took his place on the November ballot, winning easily.[24]
Three Western Pennsylvania incumbent Democrats retired after their districts were moved to the eastern portion of the state during the decennial redistricting process. All three of these seats were captured by Republicans. Democrat David Mayernik had his district, the 29th legislative district, "diced" into seven other districts and moved across the state from Allegheny County to Bucks County, Pennsylvania.[15] Democratic leaders were unhappy that he had crossed party lines and otherwise disobeying caucus leaders.[15] This newly reconfigured seat was captured by Bernie O'Neill, a Bucks County Republican. Democrat Ralph Kaiser retired when the 41st legislative district was moved from Allegheny County to Lancaster County, which was retribution by the House Democratic caucus for his fiscally conservative voting pattern.[25] The seat was taken by Katie True, who had previously represented the 37th legislative district, a seat she gave up in 2000 to run for Pennsylvania Auditor General. Democrat Leo Trich's Washington County-based district, the 47th legislative district, was moved to York County, where it was captured by Republican Keith J. Gillespie.[citation needed]
62nd legislative district
editIn the 62nd legislative district, incumbent Democrat Sara Steelman was upset by Dave L. Reed, a 24-year-old Republican.[26] Both candidates made improving the local economic climate part of their platforms.[27] Steelman had become a GOP target after " alienating" some in her home district.[28] As a challenger, Reed followed the campaign blueprint established in 2000 by when young Jeff Coleman defeated Tim Pesci in nearby Armstrong County.[29] Reed raised $120,000 for the campaign and knocked on 11,000 doors in the district.[30] During the campaign, Steelman "erupted" on the district's airwaves with taxpayer-funded "public service announcements" for the first time in a decade.[31] With the 57-43 victory, Reed became the youngest member of the House.[26]
149th legislative district
editIn the 149th legislative district, Republican incumbent Wallis Brooks, who had been elected in February, lost to Democrat Daylin Leach in a rematch of their February special election. The Brooks campaign sent dozens of direct mail advertisements, including one accusing Leach of defending child molesters as an attorney.[32] On the Saturday before the election, one was sent to voters accusing Leach, a practicing Orthodox Jew who lost family in the Holocaust, of being anti-Semitic.[32] The mailer carried a bold headline of "Anti-Semitism, Neo-Nazism, Holocaust Denial. They are not 'a big joke.'"[32] The incendiary charges stemmed from Leach's 1999 defense of an in absentia client from Texas who was sued in Allentown, Pennsylvania for comments allegedly made in an Internet chat room.[32][33] Following the dismissal, the plaintiff took to the internet and posted diatribes denouncing Leach and the Texas man as anti-Semites that were unearthed by a Brooks researcher and used in the mailer.[32] "She had to know I was Jewish, because it had come up in a debate. But since I have a non-Jewish surname, she apparently thought she could get away with this," Leach said.[32] The campaign immediately convinced a local Jewish newspaper to denounce the mailer and reproduced the article on a flyer with a profile of Leach, emphasizing his Jewish roots and activism, on the reverse.[32] By election day, 70 volunteers had hand-delivered the literature to most district households.[32] Leach won the election by over 1,000 votes.
150th legislative district
editIn the 150th legislative district, Republican-turned Democrat John A. Lawless was defeated by Republican Jacqueline Crahalla by 62 votes. Both candidates easily won their respective party's nomination in the primary election.[20] The district was designed to be disadvantageous to Lawless, who had run afoul of the Republican Caucus leadership.[15] In September, Lawless caused a controversy when he was pulled over for a minor traffic violation by a Lower Providence Township, Pennsylvania police officer. Lawless used vulgar language to berated the officer and threatened the police department with a loss of state funds.[34] Following the loss, Lawless destroyed many constituent-related documents, rather than surrender them to Crahalla.[35]
General election
editReferences
edit- Cox, Harold (November 3, 2004). "Pennsylvania House of Representatives - 2001-2002" (PDF). Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
- "2002 General Primary - Representative in the General Assembly". Commonwealth of PA - Elections Information. Pennsylvania Department of State. 2004. Archived from the original on June 26, 2008. Retrieved June 28, 2008.
- "2002 General Election - Representative in the General Assembly". Commonwealth of PA - Elections Information. Pennsylvania Department of State. 2004. Archived from the original on June 26, 2008. Retrieved June 28, 2008.
- ^ "2002 General Election". Commonwealth of PA - Elections Information. Pennsylvania Department of State. 2004. Archived from the original on May 15, 2008. Retrieved May 16, 2008.
- ^ "Senator in the General Assembly, 2002 General Election". Commonwealth of PA - Elections Information. Pennsylvania Department of State. 2004. Archived from the original on May 15, 2008. Retrieved May 16, 2008.
- ^ "House of Representatives Daily Session Update January 7, 2003" (PDF). Pennsylvania General Assembly.
- ^ House of Representatives
- ^ "President of the United States, 2002 General Primary". Commonwealth of PA - Elections Information. Pennsylvania Department of State. 2004. Archived from the original on May 15, 2008. Retrieved May 16, 2008.
- ^ Pennsylvania Constitution Article II, Section 17
- ^ elections: 2001 Reapportionment Plans
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 12, 2008. Retrieved June 12, 2008.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ a b Bull, John M.R. (March 28, 2002). "Capitol abuzz over powerful Republican Barley's abrupt exit". Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
- ^ "North Briefs: 7/25/01". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. July 25, 2001.
- ^ "North Briefs: 8/5/01". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. August 5, 2001.
- ^ "2001 Special Election for the 2nd Legislative District". Commonwealth of PA - Elections Information. Pennsylvania Department of State. 2004. Archived from the original on November 28, 2008.
- ^ "2002 Special Election for the 149th Legislative District". Commonwealth of PA - Elections Information. Pennsylvania Department of State. 2004. Archived from the original on November 28, 2008.
- ^ "2002 General Election - Representative in the General Assembly". Commonwealth of PA - Elections Information. Pennsylvania Department of State. 2004. Archived from the original on November 27, 2008.
- ^ a b c d M.R. Bull, John (September 26, 2001). "Redistricting zaps Mayernik, Kaiser; Bodack's Senate seat kept intact". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. PG Publishing.
- ^ "2002 Special Election for the 176th Legislative District". Commonwealth of PA - Elections Information. Pennsylvania Department of State. 2004. Archived from the original on November 9, 2008.
- ^ O'Toole, James; Edward G. Robinson III (June 27, 2001). "Turzai easily wins Orie's House seat". Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
- ^ Robinson III, Edward G. (July 4, 2001). "Election North/ Turzai's, Orie's common roots could unify efforts, observers say". Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
- ^ O'Toole, James (March 11, 2002). "Allegheny County Dems make endorsements". Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
- ^ a b c d e "2002 General Primary - Representative in the General Assembly". Commonwealth of PA - Elections Information. Pennsylvania Department of State. 2004. Archived from the original on June 26, 2008.
- ^ "The Best and Worst of Primary '02". PoliticsPA. 2002. Archived from the original on June 3, 2004. Retrieved May 27, 2009.
- ^ Adams, Helen Colwell (October 3, 2004). "Seeking the state House; It's GOP vs. Green in 97th contest". Sunday News Lancaster.
- ^ Alexander, Larry (October 21, 2004). "In 97th, third party facing off against GOP; It's Baldwin vs. Marten for state house seat".
- ^ "PA Gov. Schweiker Issues Statement on Rep. Tulli's Announcement Of Withdrawal From State House Race". PR Newswire. May 30, 2002.
- ^ Stuart, Roger (December 11, 2002). "Kaiser's independence became a double-edged sword". Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
- ^ a b Shannon, Joyce (November 6, 2002). "Reed upsets Steelman". Pittsburgh Tribune Review. The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Archived from the original on January 4, 2013.
- ^ Katarski, Jeffry (October 15, 2002). "62nd District race pits youth vs. experience". Pittsburgh Tribune Review. The Tribune-Review Publishing Co.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Neri, Al (September 2002). "The Insider/September 2002". The Insider. Neri & Associates. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007.
Guy Travaglio of Butler County and Sara Steelman of Indiana County are in danger after alienating some in their home bases.
- ^ Neri, Al (September 2002). "The Insider/November 2002". The Insider. Neri & Associates. Archived from the original on October 13, 2007.
The new representative is 25-year-old Republican Dave Reed, who used the blueprint that was established two years ago when young Jeff Coleman defeated Tim Pesci in nearby Armstrong County
- ^ Brownawell, Angel (November 7, 2002). "24-year-old pulls House upset". Pittsburgh Tribune Review. The Tribune-Review Publishing Co.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Roddy, Dennis (December 21, 2003). "Mine! Mine! Mine!". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. PG Publishing Company.
Incumbent Democrat Sara Steelman, who went a decade without doing such broadcast spots, suddenly erupted on her district's airwaves promoting state programs as if she had invented them, in the months leading up to election. Reed defeated her, anyway.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Beiler, David; Joshua Runyan (May 1, 2006). "The mail-zilla: attack of the monster direct mail mistakes". Campaigns & Elections.
- ^ Levy, Faygie; Joshua Runyan (October 2002). "When Even the Mudslinging Gets Dirty". The Jewish Exponent. Philadelphia.
- ^ "Report: Lawless rebuked officer after stop, The lawmaker says he swore at the patrolman, but denies a threat to stop helping Lower Providence police get Pa. aid". Philadelphia Inquirer. September 18, 2002.
"State Rep. John Lawless (D., Montgomery) berated a Lower Providence police officer who stopped him for a minor traffic violation and later threatened the police chief with a loss of state funds for the department, according to an internal police document. According to the five-page document detailing the incident, Lawless used vulgar language, suggested to Officer Mark Wells that he "should be out looking for real criminals," and later made a veiled threat about..."
- ^ Dobo, Nichole (November 15, 2002). "Lawless destroys files and disappears after loss, opponent says". The Daily Collegian. University Par, Pennsylvania. Archived from the original on September 3, 2006.
- ^ Elected in a special election Archived 2008-11-28 at the Wayback Machine on August 14, 2001 to fill the unexpired term of Italo Cappabianca, who died on May 28, 2001.
- ^ Elected in a special election Archived 2008-11-28 at the Wayback Machine on June 26, 2001 to fill the unexpired term of Jane Orie, who was elected Archived 2008-06-27 at the Wayback Machine to the Pennsylvania Senate
- ^ Elected in a special election Archived 2008-11-22 at the Wayback Machine on July 16, 2002 to fill the unexpired term of John E. Barley, who resigned on April 2, 2002
- ^ Elected as a Democrat, but changed parties in October 2001
- ^ Elected in a special election Archived 2008-11-28 at the Wayback Machine on February 12, 2002 to fill the unexpired term of Connie Williams, who was elected Archived 2008-11-28 at the Wayback Machine to the Pennsylvania Senate.
- ^ Changed parties from Republican to Democrat in November 2001
- ^ Elected in a special election Archived 2008-11-09 at the Wayback Machine on April 23, 2002 to fill the unexpired term of Christopher Wogan, who was appointed Philadelphia City Judge.