Chesco Senate election surprise (first time in more than a century!)

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Thu, May. 18, 2006

Chesco Senate election surprise
Democratic candidate Andrew Dinniman trounced Carol Aichele in a special election.
By Nancy Petersen
Inquirer Staff Writer

Democrats crashed through the walls of the formerly impenetrable Republican fortress known as Chester County on Tuesday, sending one of their own to the state Senate for the first time in more than a century.

In a special election for the 19th District state Senate seat, Democrat Andrew Dinniman trounced Republican Carol Aichele by 13 percentage points, a margin that no politician can recall even for a Democrat winning a local office in Chester County.

Democrats were predictably gleeful, and said it could bode ill for U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach, (R., Pa.) who is seeking reelection and faces a tough rematch against lawyer Lois Murphy. The 19th District is in the heart of the congressional district.

"This is the rare political event here or in the country where you have an upset landslide," said Democratic party activist and former Congressional candidate Dan Wofford. "It's a true watershed election that breaks the Republican stranglehold in Chester County."
(snip/...)

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/states/pennsylvania/counties/bucks_county/14606798.htm

[Robbien]

1. Pa. has been picking up some progressives in its state legislature

Chris over at MyDD has been blogging the PA state races. He even signed up for a seat eight days ago and won yesterday!

Go PA!

[Patiod]

2. Montgomery County is charging toward a Democratic majority

From the "Norristown Times Herald" :

There are 252,683 Republicans registered to vote on May 16. This is a 1,439 voter decrease from those eligible in Nov. 2005.

There are 209,026 Democrats registered to vote on May 16. THIS IS AN INCREASE OF 1,276 VOTERS!

A total of 1, 193 Republicans switched to Democrat since the last election. 684 voters switched to Rebuplican. 2,272 switched to non-partisan.

"Overall, Democrats in this registration cycle out-registered their GOP coutnerparts, registering 2,215 new Democrats to the GOP's 1, 670 new voters."

Democrats are the majority party in 11 municipalities including Ambler, Conshohocken, Jenkintown, Narberth, Norristown, Pottstown, West Conshohocken, Cheltenham, Lower Merion, Springfield and West Pottsgrove.

"I am tickled pink," said county Democratic chief Marcel L. Groen. "We are going in the right direction."

-----------------

I'm going to a meeting tonight about voter registration in the county - intend to make those Dem numbers even bigger!