You get the feeling that Mike Turzai and Joe Scarnati know something the rest of us don't?
They are two of the most powerful Republican officials in Pennsylvania.
But not for much longer.
Turzai, from Allegheny County, is the Speaker of the House.
Scarnati, of Jefferson County, is Senate president pro tempore.
Both have announced that they will not seek re-election and will leave the Legislature in Harrisburg.
The GOP has controlled both chambers in the state Capitol for years. But their reign could be coming to an end.
Need proof? Just look at the 2018 mid-terms, when Democrats made some serious inroads into the Republican majority in the House. Nowhere was that more evident than right here in Delaware County, where Democrats turned out several longtime GOP state reps.
The GOP margin in the Senate is still sizeable, but it is getting slimmer. That also was helped when Swarthmore Mayor Tim Kearney showed one-term incumbent Tom McGarrigle the door in the 26th District state Senate seat.
This time around, Sen. Tom Killion, R-9 of Middletown, will have a target on his back as the Dems look to continue the Blue Wave that has washed over the region.
And over in the House, longtime state Rep. Steve Barrar, R-160 of Upper Chichester, indicated he would retire at the end of his current term. That seat also could fall to the Dems.
Here's where the two chambers stand now:
There are 203 seats in the Pa. House. Right now the breakdown is 109 Republicans, 92 Democrats and two seats vacant. The Dems gained 14 seats, almost all in the Southeast, in the last election. They need to flip nine more to take control.
In the Senate, Republicans still hold a 28-21 edge, with one Independent.
Democrats say they are targeting 40 House races and several in the Senate, with Killion's seat being one of the biggest battles.
It doesn't take a lot to see the trend here. Is that why Turzai and Scarnati are getting out now? Nobody wants to be the guy at the helm when his party loses control.
Comments
Why?... Prior to his run for State Senate in 2016, he followed along with Scott Wagner (who lost handily to Governor Wolf) in supporting the so-called "bathroom bill" which I felt (and still feel) would have deleterious consequences on our schools (in addition to unanticipated ramifications in other areas). I expressed my concerns in a letter to him and documented reasons for my positions. When I spoke with him at an Open House in his office almost two weeks later, it was apparent that he had not even seen, or been apprised by his staff of what I wrote. When I attempted to explain my concerns regarding the problematic consequences of this bill, he was confused and did not seem to fully understand what he was supporting. Even worse, when I went to a subsequent Town Hall of his and politely attempted to bring this up during the designated time period for constituent input, he rudely and inappropriately attempted to prevent me from speaking. I should mention that others were able to express concerns on different topics but he obviously did not want his support of the "bathroom bill" discussed and criticized in that forum. It was only after another attendee objected to his attempt to shut me up that I was able to speak. This is NOT a person who represents his constituents in the best manner. I of course will not vote for his opponent, but because of his aforementioned actions four years ago, decided that he will never receive a vote from me. I wish the Republican party would choose someone more competent to be their candidate, but that obviously won't happen this year.