This week's announce by longtime state Rep. Steve Barrar that he was retiring at the end of his term was jarring in more ways than one.
Barrar, R-160, of Upper Chichester, has spent two dozen years representing portions of Delaware and Chester counties in the Legislature.
But he's part of an increasingly rare breed, a sign of the times and a clear example of the seismic shift in Delco politics.
If Democrats continue their roll in county elections, it would be easy to see a Dem taking that seat.
That would leave the once-powerful Delco Republican Party, which consistently rolled up big wins in legislative races, with exactly one representative in the state House.
Ironically, that survivor, Rep. Chris Quinn, R-168 of Edgmont, is the one guy I believed was most at risk in the last election. Opponents of the Mariner East pipeline project had dogged Quinn for months, tying his time on the Middletown supervisors at the time when the project was given the green light, even though Quinn had actually left the board when the final vote was taken.
But Quinn survived; lots of other Republicans did not.
Rep. Alex Charlton, R-165 of Springfield. Gone.
Rep. Jamie Santora, R-163 of Upper Darby. Outta here.
Rep. Nick Miccarelli, R-162 of Ridley Park, opted not to run after having his own issues.
Democrats won all three of those seats.
They also showed state Sen. Tom McGarrigle, R-26 of Springfield, the door. He was felled by Swarthmore Mayor Tim Kearney.
Think of the names that are no longer representing Delaware County in the Legislature.
Civera, Micozzie, Adolph. All gone.
So how to do you think Tom Killion is feeling these days. You can bet that 9th District state Senate seat will be a battleground next time around.
It's not just County Council that has been hit by a blue wave.
It's rolling over the entire county.
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