Here’s your Primary 2012 scoreboard, or sifting through the tea leaves of a stultifying election day.
Pennsylvania remains safe from the scourge of voter fraud. This marked the first election day since our pre-eminent Legislature OK'd the new Voter ID law.
For yesterday’s primary, voters were supposed to be asked to show a photo ID. The big difference is that if they did not have one, they would still be allowed to vote. That won’t be the case in the general election in November. The photo ID will be mandatory, unless the law is knocked down in court. No problems were reported in Delco yesterday with the new law.
State Sen. Dominic Pileggi crushed his challenger in the Republican primary for 9th District. But only thanks to a huge gap in Delaware County. The former Chester mayor and majority leader of the Senate rolled to a huge win here in Delco. But in Chesco it was another matter. Pileggi was clinging to a lead of just a couple of hundred votes over challenger Roger Howard, who hails from out in those parts. With about 80 percent of precincts reporting in Chesco, Pileggi led Howard 2,756-2,450. Didn’t much matter. Pileggi had an overwhelming lead of 7,687-1,784 here in the Delco portion of the district.
Patrick Murphy learned that name recognition here in the southeastern part of the state does not necessarily guarantee anything in a statewide race. And he also might have learned something else.
The former Congressman was facing Allegheny County prosecutor Kathleen Kane in the Democratic race for the nomination for state attorney general.
Murphy was backed by a lot of Philly Democratic heavyweights. Former mayor and Gov. Ed Rendell, Mayor Michael Nutter, and D.A. Seth Williams all got behind the Iraq vet.
But Kane had a secret weapon. And it’s another lesson learned for Murphy.
Don’t cross the Clintons. Former President Bill Clinton strongly backed Kane. If memory serves correct, Murphy was one of the first to abandon Hillary Clinton and get behind Barack Obama four years ago.
Apparently they did not forget.
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