Fitzpatrick triumphs in 8th
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Bucks County Courier Times
Riding a wave that carried Republicans to control of the U.S. House, Mike Fitzpatrick avenged his most bitter political defeat Tuesday by booting Congressman Patrick Murphy from office.
According to the unofficial voting machine results, Fitzpatrick took 54 percent of the vote to Murphy's 46 percent.
As hundreds of supporters at GOP headquarters in Doylestown chanted his name, Fitzpatrick said, "I'm incredibly humbled by this decision made by the people. I won't let you down."
Murphy, a two-term Democrat, spoke to emotional supporters at the Italian Mutual Aid Fifth Ward Association in Bristol.
"Tonight, we may have lost a battle, but the fight for our country must go on," he said. "I will never back down from my pledge to you to fight for the greatness I believe our country can achieve. I hope no matter what happens, I will continue to make you proud. I'm honored to continue the fight in this community. And my faith in America, and all of you, will never fade."
About 8,500 absentee ballots need to be counted - beginning today - after allegations of fraud tarnished the final weeks of the campaign. That won't impact the 8th District race, as Fitzpatrick led by more than 17,000 votes.
The Bucks County Board of Elections agreed last week to impound the ballots and count them at the courthouse to preserve any evidence of alleged ballot fraud.
During his concession speech, Murphy said he spoke with Fitzpatrick's camp. When the crowd booed, Murphy said, "They won fair and square + well, not fair and square, but you know +"
Four years ago, facing a voter backlash as the country soured on President George Bush and the war in Iraq, Fitzpatrick lost to Murphy by just more than 1,500 votes in an election where nearly 250,000 were cast. Democrats gained control of the House that year and increased their margin in 2008.
Republicans returned the favor Tuesday night, as Americans had their first chance to react to the policies of President Barack Obama and a Democratic House and Senate with large majorities.
"I've been through a lot the last four years and had the opportunity to reflect on what went wrong in Washington, and why the people fired my party," Fitzpatrick said. "That experience and that reflection have not been lost on me. This election was a referendum on President Obama's handling of the economy and it was also a referendum on Pat Murphy because Murphy is Obama."
Murphy, one of the first national figures to endorse Obama over Hillary Clinton, has been a solid vote for the Democratic agenda that included massive spending with the stimulus, bank, auto and state bailouts and health care reform.
Fitzpatrick, 47, made that the primary focus of his campaign, hammering away at Murphy with statistics that show unemployment has more than doubled during the Democrat's four years in office while the nation's debt has increased by $5 trillion.
He also echoed GOP talking points about shrinking government and with it, its taxes and regulations on small businesses.
And just as Fitzpatrick tried to tie Murphy to Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Murphy, 37, used the "Bush-Fitzpatrick" phrase early and often during several debates and news conferences.
Murphy jumped on Fitzpatrick from the day the Republican won the primary. He criticized him for his decade as a Bucks County commissioner and derided him as a "Fitz-flopper" for position changes during his one term in Congress.
But Fitzpatrick, who survived a battle with colon cancer, pulled off a political triumph that was seemingly unthinkable a year ago.
At the Moose Lodge in Doylestown, about 150 members of the Kitchen Table Patriots, a Bucks County Tea Party group, celebrated Tuesday night and reflected upon what their young movement has achieved.
"No matter what happens, this isn't the end, this is the end of the beginning for us," said Furlong's Paul Crovo, who said he wasn't politically active until joining the group last summer.
Members knocked on thousands of doors leading up to the election.
Marianne Davies, co-founder of the Kitchen Table Patriots, said the group invested "a long time and a lot of work. But we are going to hold Mike's feet to the fire."
Pat Poprik, vice chairwoman of the Bucks County Republican Committee, said, "We've won and we've lost and winning is a lot better."
Staff writers Rachel Canelli and John Mullane contributed to this story.
Gary Weckselblatt can be reached at 215-345-3169 or gweckselblatt@phillyBurbs.com
U.S. Representative 8th District
1 seat
2 years
The 8th District includes all of Bucks County, some districts of Abington, Upper Dublin and Upper Moreland in Montgomery County and two wards in Philadelphia.
Republican Mike Fitzpatrick 126,404
Democrat Patrick Murphy (I) 109,157
Vote totals don't include absentee ballots, which haven't been counted yet.
November 03, 2010 02:10 AM
