(The Center Square) – A state House committee chairman with a long record of speaking out on environmental issues, Delaware County Rep. Greg Vitali, was among a handful of incumbent representatives who lost to primary election challengers on Tuesday.
Vitali, who has represented the 166th House District for about 33 years, chairs the Environmental & Natural Resource Protection Committee. Rep. Bob Freeman, a Northampton County Democrat who is the longest-serving member of the House, said Vitali “has been the premier advocate in the House for protecting the environment.”
Unofficial results on Wednesday showed him losing to Judy Trombetta, a Haverford Township commissioner, by a 62%-38% margin. Trombetta will face Republican Joe Walker in the November general election.
Vitali was among a small group of incumbent House members who lost their bids for re-election. Others were state Rep. Keith Harris of Philadelphia, a Democrat; Rep. Ana Tiburcio, a Democrat from Lehigh County who just joined the Legislature after winning a special election early this year; and Republican Rep. Bud Cook of Washington County.
No incumbents seeking re-election to Senate seats were defeated on Tuesday, despite some heated campaigns.
In one of those, incumbent Republican Sen. Chris Gebhard of Lebanon County turned back a challenge from Clovis Crane, a wrestling coach and former professional cowboy who won more than two dozen rodeo circuit titles. The candidates peppered mailboxes in the 48th Senate District with flyers that often were less than positive.
“I have had a constant influx of flyers; two and three and four every day in the mail,” said Lebanon County voter Dennis Wagner, a pastor. “If they were all totally honest, it wouldn’t bother me.”
The primary results set up the November battle for control of both chambers of the Legislature.
Democrats currently hold the House by a 102-101 margin. Some in the party believe they have a chance at taking the Senate, now in Republican control by a 27-23 count.
“For too long, Senate Republicans have stood in the way of meaningful progress on issues that matter most to Pennsylvanians,” said Democratic Sen. Vincent Hughes of Philadelphia, chairman of the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee. “This election is about accountability. It’s about whether we continue with obstruction and extremism, or whether we choose leadership focused on solving problems and improving people’s lives.”
A spokesperson for the Senate Republican Campaign Committee, Michael Straw, saw the opposite.
The primary results, he said, show “voters trust the PA Senate Republicans’ proven record of fighting to lower costs, reduce taxes, crack down on crime and support small businesses. That message resonated with Pennsylvanians yesterday and we are optimistic it will in November as well.”
In one closely watched primary race, two Democrats faced off for the chance to challenge Republican Sen. Jarrett Coleman of Lehigh County in the November election. The apparent winner was Mark Pinsley, currently serving as Lehigh County controller.
One incumbent who went unchallenged on Tuesday was Democratic Sen. Lisa Boscola of Northampton County. A longtime advocate for “opening” primary elections rather than restricting them to voters registered with a particular party, Boscola said primaries “are odd elections” where a small percentage of people can elect a candidate.
In her district on Tuesday, she said, 21% of voters could not go to the polls because they are independent. That, she said, allows candidates with off-center views to fare better and also gives an opening to “more extreme-type candidates.”
