Government Relations
Election Results 2010 : Republican Victories in PA Part of Historic National Wave
The Democrats , and arguably President Barack Obama , faced crushing setbacks during the 2010 midterm elections as Republicans won back the majority in the House of Representatives at both the national and state levels , and also claimed a majority of gubernatorial seats . Nationally , Republicans picked up a total of 680 state legislative seats among all 50 states — the biggest pickup of state seats for either party in 40 years — and 19 state legislative chambers flipped from Democrat to Republican control .
In Pennsylvania , Republican and current Attorney General Tom Corbett bested his opponent , Democrat Dan Onorato , by a 54.5 percent to 45.5 percent margin . Corbett will take office in January allied with strong Republican majorities in both the state House of Representatives and Senate , which may serve the Commonwealth well in resolving its current budgetary crisis . Governor-elect Corbett will have to address the looming problems of an unfunded pension program , lack of job creation , conflicting interests in drilling areas of the Marcellus Shale and state agencies ’ abuse of taxpayer money . It remains to be seen how well Corbett will work with Republican leadership in the House and Senate , after six years of serving as Attorney General and investigating the alleged misuse of taxpayer money by legislators from both political parties .
Corbett will be one of 29 Republican governors come January after the GOP won 23 of 37 gubernatorial races , including the battleground states of Ohio , Florida , New Mexico , Nevada , Wisconsin , Iowa and Michigan .
While Republicans maintain a comfortable 10-seat majority in the state Senate , the party ’ s real victory in Pennsylvania was winning the solid majority it now holds in the House of Representatives . Republicans secured 112 seats in a 203-seat chamber , leaving Democrats with 91 seats . Two of the biggest shockers on election night were the upset defeats of former House Majority Leader Todd Eachus ( knocked off by Republican Tarah Toohil in Luzerne County ’ s 116 th District ) and former House Speaker John Perzel of Philadelphia ( defeated by Democrat Kevin Boyle in the 172 nd District ), the lone Republican incumbent to lose in the House .
Coming in the January / February issue of the Journal is a list of all members who will be seated in the state House and Senate come January , the individuals who will determine your fate on a number of dental-related issues , such as insurance practices , scope of practice and small business ownership . Be sure to check out who your legislators are for the 2011-2012 legislative session .
Senate of Pennsylvania As expected , the Republicans held on to their comfortable majority with a 30-20 advantage over Democrats in the state Senate . The gridlock that existed when the Democrats controlled the House should be diminished now that the Republicans control both chambers . However , the issues they face remain just as controversial as they were last session : how to fund the state ’ s pension program , how to tax the energy drilling companies operating in the Marcellus Shale and how to balance a budget with even less revenue than last year .
Pennsylvania ’ s Congressional Delegation Pennsylvania glowed red at the national level , too , spotlighted by the razor-thin U . S . Senate win by Republican Pat Toomey over Democrat Joe Sestak , 51 percent to 49 percent , a major feat in a state where Democrats have a one million-voter registration advantage . Toomey joins Democratic Sen . Bob Casey in Washington . Casey , now our state ’ s senior Senator , faces his re-election test in 2012 .
Republicans picked up five Congressional seats , defeating four Democrat incumbents and claiming the open 7 th District seat vacated by Sestak , to do their part to help the GOP reach its national goal of gaining at least 40 seats to regain the majority in the House of Representatives . As of press time , Republicans had gained at least 63 House seats with a handful of races still up in the air due to recounts or late ballots being tabulated . The Pennsylvania congressional delegation now includes 12 Republicans and 7 Democrats .
November / December 2010 • Pennsylvania Dental Journal
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