Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., has passed away at the age of 77 from complications from gall bladder surgery in late January. Renowned even on Capitol Hill for his ability to bring pork back to his district, Murtha faced numerous brushes with ethical issues over the decades.
Murtha’s district now is a possible pickup for the House GOP. Murtha won re-election with 58% of the vote in 2008. But John McCain narrowly carried the district over Barack Obama in a Democratic year.
Getting health care through Congress is even more of a hurdle. The House passed its health bill 220-215 in November. But Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Fla., resigned at the end of 2009. The lone GOP member to vote yes, Joseph Cao of Louisiana, has said he won’t do so again. Now with Murtha’s passing, that would leave Speaker Nancy Pelosi with just 217 votes for the original bill.
SOURCE: Investor's Business Daily
