PA House Election Results and Impact on the Insurance Sector

November 10, 2020 10:06 AM | Deleted user

  • All 203 House seats were up for election.  A quarter of House seats were elected without opposition in the general election (28 Republicans and 29 Democrats).

  • There were 20 races where the margin of victory was less than 54% (10 Republicans, 10 Democrats).

  • Three Democratic incumbents appear to have lost their seats (pending uncounted and provisional ballots).  Minority Leader Frank Dermody had 48.5%, or 923 votes short of re-election.  The apparent winner is Oakmont Boro Council member Carrie Delrosso.  Joseph Petrarca (Indiana/Armstrong/Westmoreland) is the apparent loser with 47.7% of the vote,1,445 votes short. Perhaps the biggest upset was in Democrat -trending Bucks County where incumbent Democrat Rep. Wendy Ullman lost to political newcomer Republican Shelby Labs (Bucks) with 51.7% to 48.3%, a 1,472-vote deficit.  

HOUSE CLOSE CALLS.  Ten Democrats won with less than 54% of the vote.  Closest margins were Rep. Chris Sappey (Chester) with 50.6% (485 margin of victory) and Rep. Chris Sainato (Lawrence) at 50.2%.  There were ten Republican close calls with the victors receiving less than 54% of the vote.  The closest margins were Rep. Aaron Bernstine (Beaver/Butler/Lawrence) with 51.7% and Rep. Chris Quinn (Delaware) with 51.9% of the vote, a margin of 812 votes.

HOUSE OPEN SEATS.  There were 17 open seats due to retirements or primary losses.  All six Democratic open seats stayed in the Democratic column.  Of the 11 Republican open seats, one seat flipped to Democratic control.  The seat currently held by Rep Tom Murt (R-Montgomery) will be filled by Hatboro Mayor Democrat Nancy Guenst.  Murt’s district has never had a Democratic House member.  Rep. Murt retired after seven terms.

HOUSE LEADERSHIP

House leadership will see some changes.  For Republicans, Majority Caucus Chair Marcy Toepel (R-Montgomery) is retiring.  On the Democratic side, Minority Caucus Secretary Rep. Rosita Youngblood (D-Phila.) is retiring and was replaced with another Philadelphia Democrat.  A surprising election result is Minority Leader Frank Dermody (D-Allegheny) who appears to be losing a seat which he has held since 1991.  The result is not final because of uncounted and provisional ballots but right now, he is 923 votes behind Republican challenger Carrie Delrosso.  This deficit dropped from 1,248 votes on 11/6.  

IMPACT ON INSURANCE

  • Both House Insurance Committee Majority Chair Rep. Tina Pickett (R-Bradford) and Minority Chair Rep. Tony DeLuca (D-Allegheny of the had no general election opponent.

  • A big vacancy to fill with be the seat of retiring Rep. Mike Tobash (R-Schuylkill/Berks).  He is a licensed insurance agent for Nationwide. PERSONAL NOTE:   As far as is known, he was the last licensed insurance agent in the legislature.

  • Rep. Justin Simmons (R-Lehigh/Northampton/Montgomery is another vacancy in the House Insurance Committee.

  • These two vacancies were retained by Republicans.  Replacing Tobash is Dauphin County prosecutor Joseph Kerwin who was unopposed.  Simmons’ replacement is V. Milou Mackenzie, an interior designer.  She won 54.5% - 45.6%.

  • Embattled incumbent and Insurance Committee member Rep. Aaron Bernstine (R-Beaver/Butler/Lawrence) was able to prevail over his two opponents with 51.7% of the vote.

  • Except for the two vacancies mentioned above, all other Insurance Committee members were re-elected with comfortable margins.  Of these, five Democrats and one Republican had no opponent in the general election.

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