Rep. Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster, was sworn in as House Republican leader on Monday in the latest act of maneuvering on the brink of control of the General Assembly’s lower chamber.
Cutler previously took the oath of office following Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton’s oath of office last Wednesday, after which she declared herself House Majority Leader. She cited the election of Democrats to 102 of 203 seats in the House of Representatives in November as the basis for her leadership bid.
Republicans dispute her claim, noting that one of the 102 elected Democrats is dead and two have resigned to take senior positions to which they were also elected on November 8. Cutler accused House Democrats of a “paperwork insurrection,” gaining just 99 votes for the Republican 101 Club.
“I took the oath of office as leader of the Republican Party. It’s the math that makes me majority leader (101 to 99),” Cutler told a crowd of reporters after a brief swearing-in ceremony in the House.
At issue in the fight for control of the House is the date for three special elections that will decide which party will have the majority. The election will fill seats left vacant by Rep. Anthony DeLuca, D-Allegheny, the death in October and the resignations of Republicans Austin Davis and Summer Lee, who are also Allegheny County Democrats.
Davis was elected lieutenant governor and Lee will be sworn in as U.S. representative for the 12th Congressional District, which includes parts of Allegheny and Westmoreland counties.
Before Cutler’s term as speaker ended on Nov. 30, he scheduled a special election for DeLuca’s seat on Feb. 7. After she was sworn in last week, McClinton called a special election on Feb. 7 for all three open seats. Cutler then filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction to stop the election against acting Secretary of State Leigh Chapman.
Extraordinary elections must be held at least within 60 days from the date of their announcement.
House Democratic Caucus spokeswoman Nicole Reigelman said in a statement Monday that Cutler’s actions constitute an attempt to deny nearly 200,000 Allegheny County residents representation in the House, and noted that Cutler himself has emphasized the importance of timely elections by choosing Feb. 7 as the election date.
“Attempting to delay this special election beyond the agreed-upon date means extending the period in which Pennsylvanians are without representation so that Republican leaders can support extremist policies, which is a blatant defiance of the message delivered by Pennsylvanians on Election Day,” Reigelman said.
On Monday, the Senate Republican Campaign Committee announced that Rep. Lynda Schlegel Culver, R-Northumberland, has been nominated to run for the vacant Senate seat held by Sen. John Gordner, D-Columbia, who resigned as an adviser to up-to-date Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, R-Westmoreland.
This means that after the elections scheduled for January 31, the House may have a fourth vacant seat.
