Reflections on Republican sweep

Pennsylvania voters threw their support behind Republican candidates for Congress, U.S. Senate and governor in yesterday’s election.

The day after the sweep, Franklin and Marshall College political science professor Terry Madonna said the election was about money and President Obama.

“Independent voters were concerned about the debts and deficits – not arguably caused by the spending both in the later Bush years and through the first year and a half of the Obama administration,” said Madonna. “And some of it was definitely a reaction against the president and the Democrats who presided over this recession and the voters believe the recession is not over.”

They’re seeing that “the recession will go on and that their lives are not economically much better,” he said.

Money also took center stage in another form, said Robin Kolodny, an associate professor of political science Temple University.

“Pennsylvania, as one of the swing states in the U.S., had a lot of spending from outside groups,” said Kolodny. “And perhaps most Pennsylvanians aren’t aware of just how many people outside of Pennsylvania spent a lot of money to influence the results here.”

Outside groups poured $31 million into Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race as well as the 6th, 7th, and 8th Congressional District contests.