A family affair: State Rep. Brendan Boyle gets ready to walk on stage at FOP Lodge 5 to declare victory in the 13th Congressional District. His wife Jenny and daughter Abby are seated behind him. MARIA POUCHNIKOVA / TIMESÂ PHOTO
Democrats Brendan Boyle and Mike Driscoll on Tuesday easily won open seats for the U.S. and Pennsylvania House of Representatives, respectively, while Somerton’s Mike Stack was elected lieutenant governor.
Stack, a Democrat who represents the 5th Senatorial District, was on a ticket with York County businessman Tom Wolf. The Wolf/Stack ticket defeated Republican Gov. Tom Corbett and Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley.
The Democrats had 55 percent of the vote with about 92 percent of divisions reporting, as the Times went to press.
Stack watched the returns from the sheet metal workers union hall in South Philadelphia, while Wolf celebrated at the York Fairgrounds.
Wolf said Corbett made a “very gracious” concession call. He plans to address issues such as education funding and jobs.
“I want to make my state better,” he said.
Corbett, who joined Cawley Tuesday night at a Pittsburgh hotel, was the state’s attorney general when he easily defeated Democrat Dan Onorato in the 2010 governor’s race.
However, he has struggled in polls during most of his four years in office.
Wolf is a former secretary of the state Department of Revenue. He entered the race as a longshot, with U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz and State Treasurer Rob McCord seen as frontrunners.
However, Wolf used much of his personal fortune to run effective television commercials last winter. He took a big lead in the polls and never gave it up, beating runner-up Schwartz by 40 percentage points.
Stack, a lawyer, was elected to the Senate in a 2000 upset over Republican Sen. Hank Salvatore. He had lost two previous races against Salvatore and also dropped a campaign for an at-large City Council seat.
Unable to move up in Senate Democratic leadership, Stack mounted a campaign for governor. He eventually abandoned that race for the second slot, and used the money from his Senate and governor campaign account to overwhelm the opposition in the primary.
Wolf led Corbett by a wide margin in polls since the primary. Still, unseating an incumbent governor isn’t easy. Since the state started allowing governors to seek a second term, all have won re-election. The list consists of Milton Shapp, Dick Thornburgh, Bob Casey, Tom Ridge and Ed Rendell.
Stack will be resigning his Senate seat, forcing a special election that will likely take place on May 19, 2015, the date of the primary. Contenders include Democratic ward leader Shawn Dillon, state Rep. John Sabatina Jr., state Rep.-elect Mike Driscoll and Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 president John McNesby.
Wolf/Stack will be dealing with a Republican-controlled Senate and House of Representatives.
Corbett released a statement that said, “Tonight, I called and congratulated Gov.-elect Tom Wolf on his victory and thanked him for a spirited and thoughtful campaign on the issues that matter to the people of Pennsylvania and their future. It has been a sincere honor to have faithfully served and held the people’s trust and confidence as governor and attorney general.”
Here is a look at the other local races:
• State Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-170th dist.) will be moving from Harrisburg to Washington, D.C. The Democrat defeated Republican businessman Dee Adcock with 68 percent of the vote to win the 13th Congressional District seat.
Boyle, of Somerton, celebrated at the FOP Lodge 5 hall in the Far Northeast. He’ll be the first Northeast resident to serve in Congress since Bob Borski retired in 2002.
The DJ played the Notre Dame fight song as Boyle, an ND grad, walked on stage.
“I’m deeply appreciative,” he told supporters.
Boyle started his political career with losses in 2004 and ’06 to Republican state Rep. George Kenney. When Kenney declined to run again in 2008, Boyle became the instant frontrunner, and captured the seat.
Most political observers expected Democratic Rep. Allyson Schwartz to leave her seat in 2016 to challenge Republican Sen. Pat Toomey. However, Schwartz surprised many by jumping into the governor’s race.
Boyle entered the congressional race in a district that is about evenly split between Philadelphia and Montgomery County. He was the only Philadelphian in a primary with three opponents from the suburbs, and he went on to win by 14 percentage points.
Boyle described himself as a “proud son of Philadelphia” who will bring idealism and optimism to Washington.
“Nothing changes,” he said of his vision.
In Congress, he’ll address the wealth gap and decreasing middle-class incomes.
“In this country, we can turn it around,” he said.
Adcock, who owns a family swimming pool company, was making his second bid for Congress. He took 44 percent against Schwartz in 2010.
However, that was an especially good Republican year. More importantly, redistricting in 2012 made the district much more Democratic. That year, Schwartz piled up 69 percent of the vote against Republican Joe Rooney.
The district includes wards in places such as Olney, Feltonville, Frankford and Summerdale, where Republicans are nearly extinct.
In the Philadelphia portion of the district, Boyle won 75 percent of the vote. He took 62 percent in Montgomery County.
Boyle was joined on stage by his wife, 10-month-old daughter, dad, brother and sister-in-law. His mom Eileen died a year ago at age 61, and the congressman-elect credited her for showing him hard work, love and sacrifice.
“She’s very much with us tonight,” he said.
Boyle thanked his campaign staff and interns, along with his legislative staff and that of his brother, Kevin. He added that the only sad part of winning is that he will no longer serve with his brother in Harrisburg.
Boyle, not willing to risk giving up his state House seat for what was then an uphill battle for Congress, also ran for-election on Tuesday. He was unopposed. He will resign that seat, which includes Bustleton, Somerton and the Far Northeast. The Republican House speaker will call a special election.
• U.S. Rep. Bob Brady (D-1st dist.) defeated Republican Megan Rath with 83 percent of the vote.
The district includes 30 percent of the Northeast, including much of the territory east of Frankford Avenue.
Brady, of Overbrook, was first elected in 1998.
Rath, of Fairmount, is a sales consultant for a company that provides hip and knee replacement hardware. She did better in the Delaware County portion of the district, taking 23 percent of the vote.
• State Sen. Tina Tartaglione (D-2nd dist.) defeated Republican John Jenkins with 79 percent of the vote.
Tartaglione was first elected in 1994, and had to survive a tough three-way primary in May.
Jenkins is admissions director at West Catholic High School, and is active with the Mayfair Civic Association and Mayfair Town Watch.
Democrats appear to have lost seats across the state, meaning Tartaglione will remain in the minority, where she’s been for the last 20 years.
• Democrat Mike Driscoll defeated Republican Mike Tomlinson with 67 percent of the vote to win the 173rd Legislative District seat.
The seat was open because Democratic Rep. Mike McGeehan declined to seek another term.
Driscoll celebrated at FOP Lodge 5.
“We can do better in Northeast Philadelphia,” he told supporters.
Driscoll, of Torresdale, is business development administrator for the Philadelphia Federal Credit Union.
Tomlinson, a CPA, community activist and former high school math and accounting teacher from Holmesburg, conducted a vigorous door-knocking campaign.
Republicans entered the night with a 111–92 advantage in the House of Representatives, and look like they’ve increased that margin. Democrats, though, will occupy the governor’s mansion.
“Tonight is the beginning of a fresh start for Pennsylvania,” Driscoll said.
Driscoll promised to provide strong constituent service.
“Our door is going to be open for you every day and all day,” he said. ••
Time to celebrate: Mike Driscoll gets a hug from his daughter as he claimed victory in the 173rd Legislative District. City Councilman Bobby Henon is to his right. MARIA POUCHNIKOVA / TIMESÂ PHOTO
Victorious: State Sen. Mike Stack celebrates on Tuesday night at the sheet metal workers union in South Philadelphia. Stack ran for lieutenant governor on a ticket with fellow Democrat Tom Wolf. The Democrats defeated Republican Gov. Tom Corbett and Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley. MARIA POUCHNIKOVA / TIMESÂ PHOTO
