In 2013, Schuylkill County will no longer have a Congressman from its own backyard.
Nevertheless, U.S. Rep Tim Holden, D-17, called upon his supporters Tuesday night to throw their backing to his successful challenger, Moosic personal injury lawyer Matt Cartwright.
"We have had a lot of victory parties here," Holden, standing with his wife, Gwen, told a somber crowd of about 200 at the Saint Clair Fish & Game Club, where he had celebrated his return to Congress like clockwork over two decades. "You have given me the honor and privilege of representing you in Congress for 20 years, and always in my heart I will be thankful for that.
"But this night is not about ourselves, Gwen and me, this is Matt Cartwright's night. He deserves our support. He deserves our commitment," Holden said and exhorted them to back the Democratic ticket in the fall.
Holden, 55, a Saint Clair native and former county sheriff, is the senior member of the Pennsylvania delegation. He lost to Cartwright by more than 8,000 votes. According to results available shortly before midnight, with 447 of 449 precincts in the district reporting, Cartwright had 33,102 votes, 57 percent, to Holden's 24,871, 43 percent. Cartwright, 50, will now face health nurse company owner Laureen Cummings, Old Forge, in the Nov. 6 General Election. She ran unopposed in the primary.
Cartwright delivered his victory speech at the Hilton Scranton Hotel and Conference Center, reiterating his campaign theme that big banks, insurance and energy companies, and corporate lobbyists write the nation's laws.
"My goal is to go down to Congress and not back down," Cartwright said. "It doesn't have to be that way."
The campaign was noteworthy for attack ads on television and nasty bulk mailings.
Holden's campaign played up contributions Cartwright's law firm made to two Luzerne County judges who were later convicted of their role in the kids-for-cash scandal.
In several interviews, including an April 5 meeting with The Republican-Herald editorial board, Cartwight expressed indignation over the smear. He vehemently denied any knowledge of the judges' crimes.
Cartwright struck out at Holden's voting record, accusing him of being more like a Republican than a Democrat. He especially criticized him for voting against The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. He said Holden's conservative leanings were no longer needed in the new, more Democratic 17th District.
Holden defended that vote because he believed the reforms would hurt Medicare. He also emphasized his constituent service and seats on the House Agriculture and Transportation committees on which his seniority has brought millions of dollars back to his district for various projects.
That record was not enough to win the new territory in the redrawn district.
Shortly after 10 p.m., Holden emerged from the room at the rear of club's main hall. The deafening silence that fell lasted a few moments as he made his way to the stage and then applause broke out.
"Thank you, everyone," Holden said. "I just called Matt Cartwright and congratulated him and promised and pledged my support for his candidacy in November."
In the short concession speech, he thanked first the people of Schuylkill County, then the leaders of the Democratic party in the counties of the district, and the AFL-CIO.
In losing to Cartwright, Holden failed to repeat his surprise victory performance a decade ago.
He was first elected to Congress in 1990 to represent a district evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, which then included Schuylkill and Berks counties. He won out over several candidates in the primary that year, including former Reading Mayor Warren Haggerty. In the General Election, Holden crushed Republican opponent John E. Jones III, now a U.S. district judge in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
Following the 1990 federal census, Schuylkill County was recombined with Dauphin, Lebanon and parts of Berks and Perry counties as the redrawn 17th District, a highly Republican constituency represented by Harrisburg Republican George Gekas. Contrary to expectations, Holden sought re-election in what analysts thought was an impossible campaign and sent Gekas into retirement.
After the 2010 census, the 17th district was redrawn to be more Democratic. It currently includes Schuylkill and parts of Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe and Northampton counties.
Holden had the support of the Democratic establishment throughout the district as well as the endorsement of U.S. Senator Bob Casey, D-Pa., of Scranton.