Melvin Wins Seat on Pennsylvania’s (Pa) High Court

Melvin Wins Seat on Pennsylvania’s (Pa) High Court! Republican Joan Orie Melvin won an open seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Tuesday , reclaiming a GOP majority there and leading her party to victory in most of the other appellate court contests on the statewide ballot.

Pennsylvania (Pa) Election Results 2009

With returns from 99 percent of the state’s 9,310 precincts, Melvin had 938,272 votes or 53 percent to Democrat Jack Panella’s 822,335 votes or 47 percent.

Republicans also won at least two of the four open seats on the Superior Court and both open seats on the Commonwealth Court.

Melvin did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment, but a Panella campaign spokesman blamed a low turnout in the Democratic hub of Philadelphia as a major factor in his defeat.

“Certainly, the local population is focused more on the Phillies than the Supreme Court” contest, said the spokesman, Dan Fee.

Both candidates are sitting judges on the Superior Court , Panella in Bethlehem and Melvin in Pittsburgh.

Melvin’s victory will restore the 4-3 Republican majority on the state’s highest court that the GOP lost in 2007.

More: Philadelphia Inquirer

Melvin Wins Seat on Pennsylvania’s (Pa) High Court

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