PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Special elections Tuesday in Western Pennsylvania will fill three vacant seats in the state House of Representatives.
Those seats, in the 32nd, 34th, and 35th legislative districts, have played a starring role in an ongoing impasse in the House, but it’s not clear if filling them will solve the problems.
The three seats are in districts where Democrats hold a significant registration advantage. Two Democrats resigned after they won higher office, while Allegheny County Democrat Dan DeLuca died shortly before the election.
Counting those three seats, Democrats won a 102-101 majority in the House.
It appeared Democratic leader Joanna McClinton from Philadelphia would become speaker, but with those seats vacant, Democrats didn’t have the votes.
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Berks County Democrat Mark Rozzi became speaker after pledging he wouldn’t caucus with either party.
That was the only business the House has been able to accomplish this session, as since then, members haven’t been able to agree on a rules package.
Rozzi never changed his party registration, prompting some Republicans to call on him to step down as Speaker. Rozzi could step down on his own or face a recall. But a recall vote would need every Democrat including Rozzi to vote or get assistance from House Republicans.
Last week, Rozzi said he won't necessarily step aside and support McClinton as speaker.
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“I know how to count votes, first of all,” said Rozzi. “So, you know, at the end of the day she still has to get the votes to become speaker of the House.”
McClinton responded to Rozzi's talk of keeping the job by saying she “would be honored” to be speaker, and that once the House vacancies are filled, she will “trust my colleagues will make the best decision to move Pennsylvania forward.”
The date of two of Tuesday’s special elections was at the heart of a controversy raging in the House for more than a month, as both parties staked a claim to the majority of the House.
Republicans requested that those two special elections would be held in May during the primary elections.
But in mid-January, a state court ruled the special elections for the open seats would all be held on Tuesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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