Elections in Pennsylvania |
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Government |
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Statewide primary elections for various state offices were held in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on May 15, 2007.[1] Pennsylvania's general elections were then held statewide on November 6, 2007.[2]
Justice of the Supreme Court
Two seats were open on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, after Justice Russell Nigro, a Democrat, and Justice Sandra Schultz Newman, a Republican, vacated their seats. Justice Nigro vacated his seat on December 31, 2005, after failing to be retained for an additional 10-year term.[3] Justice Schultz Newman, unlike her counterpart, did succeed in being retained to an additional 10-year term in 2005, but decided to retire on December 31, 2006.[4] Governor Ed Rendell appointed Cynthia Baldwin,[5] a Democrat, and James Fitzgerald,[6] a Republican,[7] to fill the vacancies of Justice Nigro and Justice Schultz Newman, respectively. Neither incumbent Justice sought reelection.
The election of Justices McCaffery and Todd, flipped the Supreme Court from a 4–3 Republican majority to a 4–3 Democratic majority.[8]
Democratic primary
Candidates
Results
Democratic primary results (vote for 2)[10] Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Debra Todd | 515,909 | 35.68% |
| Democratic | Seamus McCaffery | 452,662 | 31.31% |
| Democratic | C. Darnell Jones | 261,200 | 18.07% |
| Democratic | Willis W. Berry | 216,033 | 14.94% |
Total votes | 1,445,804 | 100.0% |
Republican primary
Candidates
Results
Republican primary results (vote for 2)[10] Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Maureen E. Lally-Green | 530,827 | 42.37% |
| Republican | Mike Krancer | 459,990 | 36.71% |
| Republican | Paul P. Panepinto | 262,090 | 20.92% |
Total votes | 1,252,907 | 100.0% |
General election
Results
Judge of the Superior Court
Initially, there were only two seats open on the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. These seats were open due to the retirement of Judge Joseph A. Del Sole, a Democrat,[13] in September 2006, as well as the impending mandatory retirement of Judge Joseph A. Hudock, a Democrat,[14] on December 31, 2007. Judge Del Sole's seat was held by Judge Robert C. Daniels, a Republican[7] who was appointed by Governor Ed Rendell.[6] Judge Daniels did not run for re-election.
A third seat was on the November ballot because Judge Michael T. Joyce announced his retirement to be scheduled for January 2008 after being indicted by a grand jury for mail fraud and money laundering.[15] Since Judge Joyce announced his retirement after the May primary, the Democratic and Republican state committees nominated a third candidate at their respective party conventions. Jacqueline Shogan, a Pittsburgh attorney, was chosen as the Republican candidate, after facing opposition from state senator Jane Earll.[16] John Younge, a Judge on the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, was chosen as the Democratic nominee, facing no opposition.[16] Both Shogan and Younge had earlier lost the race for their respective nominations in the May primary.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Results
Democratic primary results (vote for 2)[10] Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Christine Donohue | 376,644 | 25.72% |
| Democratic | Ron Folino | 263,760 | 18.01% |
| Democratic | Anne E. Lazarus | 255,284 | 17.43% |
| Democratic | Timothy J. McCormick | 254,512 | 17.38% |
| Democratic | John Milton Younge | 124,474 | 8.50% |
| Democratic | Jimmy Lynn | 101,569 | 6.94% |
| Democratic | Jame M. DeLeon | 88,313 | 6.03% |
Total votes | 1,464,556 | 100.0% |
Republican primary
Candidates
Results
Republican primary results (vote for 2)[10] Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Cheryl Lynn Allen | 416,730 | 35.49% |
| Republican | Bruce F. Bratton | 383,444 | 32.66% |
| Republican | Jacqueline O. Shogan | 373,915 | 31.85% |
Total votes | 1,174,089 | 100.0% |
General election
Results
Judicial retention
Supreme Court
Justice Thomas G. Saylor (R) retention, 2007 Choice | Votes | % |
Yes | 1,184,546 | 66.89 |
No | 586,330 | 33.11 |
Total votes | 1,770,876 | 100.00 |
Source: PA Department of State[12] |
Superior Court
Judge Joan Orie Melvin (R) retention, 2007 Choice | Votes | % |
Yes | 1,157,431 | 67.02 |
No | 569,538 | 32.98 |
Total votes | 1,726,969 | 100.00 |
Source: PA Department of State[12] |
Judge John L. Musmanno (D) retention, 2007 Choice | Votes | % |
Yes | 1,048,803 | 62.06 |
No | 641,302 | 37.94 |
Total votes | 1,690,105 | 100.00 |
Source: PA Department of State[12] |
Judge Correale F. Stevens (R) retention, 2007 Choice | Votes | % |
Yes | 1,083,484 | 63.92 |
No | 611,503 | 36.08 |
Total votes | 1,694,987 | 100.00 |
Source: PA Department of State[12] |
Commonwealth Court
Judge Bonnie B. Leadbetter (R) retention, 2007 Choice | Votes | % |
Yes | 1,062,403 | 63.44 |
No | 612,136 | 36.56 |
Total votes | 1,674,539 | 100.00 |
Source: PA Department of State[12] |
Judge Bernard L. McGinley (D) retention, 2007 Choice | Votes | % |
Yes | 1,039,215 | 62.75 |
No | 616,828 | 37.25 |
Total votes | 1,656,043 | 100.00 |
Source: PA Department of State[12] |
Judge Doris A. Smith-Ribner (D) retention, 2007 Choice | Votes | % |
Yes | 1,051,793 | 62.90 |
No | 620,319 | 37.10 |
Total votes | 1,672,112 | 100.00 |
Source: PA Department of State[12] |
References
- ^ Commonwealth of PA - Elections Information
- ^ Commonwealth of PA - Elections Information
- ^ "Pennsylvania Ousts Supreme Court Justice". The New York Times. November 10, 2005.
- ^ Bumsted, Brad (November 18, 2006). "Supreme Court justice plans to step down". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
- ^ Nephin, Dan (December 17, 2005). "Judge Cynthia Baldwin gets nod for Pa. Supreme Court". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on December 19, 2023.
- ^ a b "State Senate approves two interim judicial nominees". Philadelphia Inquirer. March 29, 2007.
- ^ a b "Rendell loses showdown". The Mercury. May 16, 2008.
- ^ Jackson, Peter (November 8, 2007). "McCaffery, Todd give Dems the high court". Philadelphia Inquirer.
- ^ a b c d "Democratic high court hopefuls outline views ** Debra Todd, Seamus McCaffery, C. Darnell Jones, Willis Berry vying for two seats". The Morning Call. May 10, 2007.
- ^ a b c d "2007 Municipal Primary - Official Returns". Pennsylvania Department of State.
- ^ a b c "GOP Supreme Court hopefuls sketch their beliefs ** Maureen Lally-Green, Michael L. Krancer, Paul Panepinto seek nod for a pair of seats". The Morning Call. May 9, 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "2007 Municipal Election - Official Results". Pennsylvania Department of State.
- ^ "Joseph A. Del Sole". OurCampaigns.
- ^ "Joseph A. Hudock". OurCampaigns.
- ^ "Superior Court losers may yet win". Philadelphia Inquirer. August 25, 2007.
- ^ a b Jackson, Peter (September 9, 2007). "Unusual process adds 2 to Superior Court ballot". Philadelphia Inquirer.
- ^ "Political influence to be tested in courts primary". Pocono Record. May 14, 2007.
- ^ "Christine L. Donohue - Personal Data Questionnaire" (PDF).
- ^ a b c d e f g "17 file for judgeship nominations in Pa". Philadelphia Inquirer. March 7, 2007.
- ^ "Timothy J. McCormick- Personal Data Questionnaire" (PDF).