Pa. House leaders meet to try to resolve which party's in charge
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- Democratic House Leader Joanne McClinton (D-West Philadelphia) and Republican House Leader Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster County) met Monday to resolve a question that's usually a matter of simple math: Which party is in the majority?
A spokeswoman for McClinton confirmed that the meeting took place, as previously planned, but couldn't immediately say what transpired during the meeting.
Both parties agree that simply counting up seats won in November by each party for the 203-seat chamber, Democrats come out ahead, 102-101.
But that total includes the seat of the late Rep. Tony DeLuca (D-Allegheny County), who died in October after it was too late for the party to replace him on the ballot. It also includes two other Allegheny County Democrats who will soon resign their seats because they're going onto bigger and better things: Austin Davis, who will become lieutenant governor, and Summer Lee, who will be a U.S. congresswoman in Washington.
Those three districts lean heavily Democratic and will almost certainly be won, in special elections, by Democrats. But not counting DeLuca, the House would currently be a 101-101 tie. And once Davis and Lee leave in January, Republicans would lead 101-99.
Democrats believe the election results are clear: The will of voters in a majority of House districts is for Democrats to represent them. They say Republican attempts to take control amount to voter disenfranchisement.
But Republicans say the reality is equally clear.
"Even my kids last night, when I asked them -- I said, 'If both sides have 101, who has a majority?' The answer is nobody. They're equal," Cutler said last week. "So if my kids can understand that, I believe the voters understand that."