Special election for Murtha's seat will be primary day May 18

[SoCalDem]

http://www.politicspa.com/special-election-for-murthas-seat-to-be-held-on-primary/6727/

http://www.swingstateproject.com/diary/6423/ssp-daily-digest-217

PA-12: As was almost universally expected, it was decided to hold the special election to replace Rep. John Murtha on May 18, the same day as the primaries. Ed Rendell's office justified this by saying it would cost an extra $600K to have it any other day, but this also bolsters Dem hopes here by having it on the same day as the hotly-contested Dem Senate and Governor primaries (and the barely-contested GOP primaries).

[Sebastian Doyle]

1. So then, the replacement would be elected in May, and then have to run for election in November?

Well that seems kinda dumb. But this is Rendell we're talking about.

[KingFlorez]

2. The replacement would take office after the special election to finish Murtha's term

And then run for re-election in November.

[blue neen]

3. From Article 1 of the United States Constitution:

"Section Two provides for the election of the House of Representatives every second year. Since Representatives are to be "chosen . . . by the People," State Governors are not allowed to appoint temporary replacements when vacancies occur in a state's delegation to the House of Representatives; instead, the Governor of the state is required by clause 4 to issue a writ of election calling a special election to fill the vacancy."

Those aren't exactly Rendell's rules! I'm not always pleased with him, but IMHO Rendell doesn't deserve any blame for this.