Many pundits hailed this election year as the Year of Anti-Incumbency, but that phenomenon barely surfaced in Pennsylvania’s legislative races in Tuesday’s primary. All but one of the 28 contested House and Senate incumbents seeking re-election came away winners.
Where was the anger that Pennsylvanians were spewing last fall over the 101-day budget impasse? Where were the people who poll after poll give the Legislature low approval ratings? Where was the kick-all-the-bums-out spirit that tea party activists incited?
How in the world could two incumbent lawmakers who face charges in the attorney general’s Capitol corruption probe — state Reps. Bill DeWeese and John Perzel — survive an election when another candidate was on the ballot?
Political pundits and even lawmakers think the answer lies mostly in the power of incumbency, and all the resources and name recognition that come with it.
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