On October 5, Pennsylvania U.S. House member Tim Murphy, a Republican representing the 18th district, said he will resign from the U.S. House effective October 21. This means a special election is likely, probably in December 2017 or January 2018. In Pennsylvania, in special elections, qualified parties choose their nominees by convention.
The Libertarian Party and the Green Party have limited status as qualified parties in Pennsylvania. Although they must petition for their nominees in regular elections, they don’t need any petition in special elections. The 18th district is in southwest Pennsylvania. Ever since the district was created in 2011, there have been no minor party or independent candidates in that district.
Why is he resigning?
To quote wikipedia, “On October 5, 2017, after allegations arose that Murphy had encouraged his extra-marital lover to terminate a pregnancy despite holding a strict anti-abortion stance, House Speaker Paul Ryan announced that Murphy had tendered his resignation effective October 21. Murphy’s final decision to resign, may have been due to pressure by Republican House leadership in regards to the abuse of staff and the potential for investigations by the House Ethics Committee over outside income paid by Murphy’s campaign to his Chief of Staff, Susan Mosychuk.”
In Republican circles, it looks like it’ll end him, though I’ll note Republican Scott DesJarlais of Tennessee was a serial cheater and also urged one of his mistresses to get an abortion, but has still survived two primaries since the revelations and handily won the generals. Just goes to show that some Republicans don’t abide hypocrisy, and some don’t mind at all. And in case I get accused of partisanness, the same is true for Democrats.
Just the same old crap! I only wish there was a peaceful way to get rid of Democrats and Republicans!