HARRISBURG – While PA House Democrats are claiming they are in the majority in Harrisburg, Republican Lancaster County Rep. Bryan Cutler says that’s not the case. The Republican lawmaker says it’s currently tied at 101 to 101 with the need for a special election to see who will fill the seat of the late Democrat Rep. Tony DeLuca who died while running for office and winning the election. Cutler says House Democrats can not claim their the majority until a special election for that seat. The last time the House chamber was tied with a vacancy was in 1979. Cutler added that there is “no world in which 101 is greater than 101, so by definition there can be no majority.” Cutler said the Democrat leader has been in contact with him to work on details of governing until a special election to replace DeLuca can be conducted. Cutler said they issued a writ for a special election for Feb. 7, but that Democrats say they are issuing their own writ which will ultimately wind up in court. Cutler said it’s not good for voters and it’s inappropriate for the Democrats to assert they have power when they do not.
REP. BRYAN CUTLER