Pennsylvania elections, 2010
Encyclopedia
Pennsylvania
held various elections on November 2, 2010. These include elections for a Senate seat, a Gubernatorial race, and many state legislature races.
, now Democratic
, Senator Arlen Specter
was defeated in a primary election to Joe Sestak who is facing Republican Pat Toomey
. In a narrow race, Pat Toomey was victorious over Sestak.
left vacant by the death of Democratic
U.S. Representative
John Murtha
. On March 8, 2010, the Pennsylvania Democratic Party
's Executive Committee nominated Mark Critz, Murtha's former district director. On March 11, a convention of Republicans from the 12th district nominated businessman Tim Burns
. The Democrats held the seat in the special election, with Critz defeating Burns. Both, however, will again face-off in November's general election.
(D) is term limited), Tom Corbett
, the Republican, won the general election with 55% of the vote against the Democrat, Dan Onorato
, who carried 45% of the final vote.
1. Call for a Constitutional Convention
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
held various elections on November 2, 2010. These include elections for a Senate seat, a Gubernatorial race, and many state legislature races.
United States Senate
Former RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, now Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, Senator Arlen Specter
Arlen Specter
Arlen Specter is a former United States Senator from Pennsylvania. Specter is a Democrat, but was a Republican from 1965 until switching to the Democratic Party in 2009...
was defeated in a primary election to Joe Sestak who is facing Republican Pat Toomey
Pat Toomey
Patrick Joseph "Pat" Toomey, Sr. is the junior United States Senator for Pennsylvania and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Toomey served as a U.S. Representative for three terms, but did not seek a fourth in compliance with a pledge he had made while running for office in 1998...
. In a narrow race, Pat Toomey was victorious over Sestak.
Twelfth District special election
A special election was held on May 18, 2010 to fill the seatPennsylvania's 12th congressional district
Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district is represented by Congressman Mark Critz after a special election was held on May 18, 2010 following the death of Democrat John Murtha. The district has a Cook Partisan Voting Index score of R+1...
left vacant by the death of Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
John Murtha
John Murtha
John Patrick "Jack" Murtha, Jr. was an American politician from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Murtha, a Democrat, represented Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1974 until his death in 2010....
. On March 8, 2010, the Pennsylvania Democratic Party
Pennsylvania Democratic Party
The Pennsylvania Democratic Party is the local branch of the United States Democratic Party in the state of Pennsylvania. The party has had strong support in the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia area for a long time, having controlled the mayoral office in Philadelphia since 1952, and the Pittsburgh...
's Executive Committee nominated Mark Critz, Murtha's former district director. On March 11, a convention of Republicans from the 12th district nominated businessman Tim Burns
Tim Burns (Pennsylvania businessman)
Tim Burns is a Pennsylvania businessman who ran as a Republican in the 2010 special election to represent Western Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. Burns won the party nomination but lost the November general election to Democratic incumbent Mark Critz...
. The Democrats held the seat in the special election, with Critz defeating Burns. Both, however, will again face-off in November's general election.
General election
All 19 seats will face an election. Pennsylvania is expected to lose one congressional seat after the 2010 census.Governor
A new governor was elected(incumbent Governor Ed RendellEd Rendell
Edward Gene "Ed" Rendell is an American politician who served as the 45th Governor of Pennsylvania. Rendell, a member of the Democratic Party, was elected Governor of Pennsylvania in 2002, and his term of office began January 21, 2003...
(D) is term limited), Tom Corbett
Tom Corbett
Thomas W. Corbett is the 46th and current Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. He is a former Attorney General of Pennsylvania and was elected to that office in 2004 and reelected in 2008...
, the Republican, won the general election with 55% of the vote against the Democrat, Dan Onorato
Dan Onorato
Daniel "Dan" Onorato is the current Chief Executive of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. On Tuesday, May 18, 2010, Onorato won a crowded four-way primary to become the Democratic nominee for governor...
, who carried 45% of the final vote.
Judicial positions
Pennsylvania holds judicial elections in odd-numbered years.- Pennsylvania judicial elections, 2010 at JudgepediaSam Adams AllianceSam Adams Alliance is a non-profit organization based in Richmond, Virginia. Founded in Chicago in 2006, the group describes itself as a "fiercely independent organization dedicated to inspiring and encouraging grass-roots citizen activism."...
Ballot measures
At least one statewide ballot question has been proposed for the November 2 ballot:1. Call for a Constitutional Convention
- Pennsylvania 2010 ballot measures at BallotpediaSam Adams AllianceSam Adams Alliance is a non-profit organization based in Richmond, Virginia. Founded in Chicago in 2006, the group describes itself as a "fiercely independent organization dedicated to inspiring and encouraging grass-roots citizen activism."...
External links
- Voting and Elections at the Pennsylvania Department of State
- Candidates for Pennsylvania State Offices at Project Vote SmartProject Vote SmartProject Vote Smart is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States...
- Pennsylvania Polls at Pollster.com
- Pennsylvania at Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports is an American media company that publishes and distributes information based on public opinion polling. Founded by pollster Scott Rasmussen in 2003, the company updates daily indexes including the President's job approval rating, and provides public opinion data, analysis, and...
- Pennsylvania Congressional Races in 2010 campaign finance data from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
- Pennsylvania 2010 campaign finance data from Follow the Money