Like David, I don’t have a moose in this race, but hey, it’s an election–and if one of either Rep. Chaka Fattah or Rep. Bob Brady can pull off an upset win, we’d be dealing with yet another House vacancy and special election this year. However, the odds of such a scenario happening appear to be long. For more coverage, results, and analysis check out Young Philly Politics and the Philadelphia Inquirer.
UPDATE (David): It’s Nutter. I wonder if retaking the majority made the mayoralty less appealing to Fattah and Brady.
to Major City Mayor’s races. If you look at members of Congress who have attempted to move from the House to a Big City Mayorship they more often than not lose in primaries, and few move on to victory in the general election.
Tom Barrett in Milwaukee is one of the few exceptions I can think of and he only ran for Mayor of Milwaukee after being defeated by then Attorney General, and current Governor Jim Doyle, Wisconsin’s Democratic primary.
The types of issues that Members of Congress know and work on are not for the most part service issues.
Another House member who currently holds visions of becoming a big City Mayor is Democrat Anthony Weiner in New York who has launched a campaign to succeed Michael Bloomberg.