In the wake of the sudden passing of Representative John Murtha, D-Penn., a new Cook Political Report released Monday moved the Pennsylvania district he represented from a "likely Democratic" win to a "tossup."
"As Massachusetts showed last month, Republicans are sure to turn out in droves if they sense any opportunity to pull off a coup," said Cook Political Report House race analyst David Wasserman, referring to Sen. Scott Brown's, R-Mass., win in Massachusetts' special election last month.
With Murtha's passing, a special election will be held during the Spring to fill the remainder of his term. Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell will have 10 days to call the special election date after Murtha's seat is declared vacant. The election must be held within 60 days of the declaration.
Pennsylvania will not hold primary elections to nominate candidates to fill Murtha's seat. Instead, county party leaders from Murtha's district will select the nominees during a convention. The nominees selected will then run against each other in the special election.
Murtha passed away in an Arlington, Virginia, hospital Monday afternoon with his family at his bedside.
He had been admitted to the hospital last week, suffering a severe infection after gallbladder surgery. The lawmaker had been suffering from gallbladder pain in December and underwent surgery to have it removed in January.
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