Down goes Dermody. The House Minority Leader conceded his Allegheny County-based seat on Tuesday night after several tense days of tallying ballots. Dermody has served in the state legislature for 30 years and spent the last 10 as Minority Leader.
Republican Carrie DelRosso, an Oakmont Borough Councilwoman, won the race for the 33rd House District.
“I’m honored and humbled that the people of this district have entrusted me with the job or representing them in the Pennsylvania State House and I promise to bring fresh ideas and new energy to the job,” DelRosso said. “I want the citizens of District 33 to know that I will be a voice for everyone in the Allegheny Valley. The next two years pose many challenges. A pandemic has hurt our economy, and government has yet to live within its means. I hope to be a voice for fiscal responsibility and commonsense government in the years ahead.”
“It has been my honor for 30 years to represent my neighbors in the 33rd District,” Dermody wrote in a statement. “I had hoped to continue this work for two more years, but voters in the district appear to have made a different choice.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, DelRosso leads Dermody by just under 3 points in the race, according to returns from the DOS.
It’s not unheard of for a caucus leader to lose re-election in Pennsylvania. In fact, over the past two decades it’s fairly common: Todd Eachus (2010), John Perzel (2010), Robert Jubelirer (2006), David Brightbill (2006).
Dermody’s departure from the state legislature will lead to a battle among Democrats to lead the caucus. Several sources told PoliticsPA that those that have been mentioned as having interest in this role include Whip Jordan Harris (D-Phila), ranking Appropriations Committee Matt Bradford (D-Montgomery), Caucus Chairperson Joanna McClinton (D-Phila), and State Government Committee Chair Kevin Boyle (D-Phila).
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4 Responses
Dermody lost to a feckless smiley face who had no education, tiny experience and zero aptitude for the job except to do what her million dollar backers tell her. The main job of a legislator is to provide adequate constituent services to his people. Dermody provided great. Personal service and his constituents won’t realize they traded it away for a phony intern until December.
Dermody looks like he is past due for retirement. Dems need fresh blood and dinosauers like Dermody do their party and citizens a disservice by hanging on too long.
Your comment couldn’t be more inaccurate. He has gone above and beyond, and it’s people like you that should just be quiet! Grow up and seek some intelligence before commenting.
Tenacious…Dude…You got defeated so ya got to do a gut check and ask what happened. I am sure Dermody is a good man and no saying anything other than that but when you win you party and you lose you ponder. And the Dem leadership in the House and Senate in Pa is like an expansion team in professional sports—they lose a lot to the Republicans in the House and Senate in the Commonwealth. They lost a State Senate seat this past cycle and they lost a State Senate seat when someone left their caucus in recent times. Now the House Minority Leader goes down to defeat against a newbie. Time to review mattters.