Harvie and Fitzpatrick

If this were 1950 or even 2000 I would think it was too bad that Congressman Fitzpatrick from Southeast Pennsylvania lost his seat.  He was a decent man, a good vote on the environment, and a frequent critic of Trump.  But it is 2026, with a polarized country and a Republican Party firmly in control of President Trump.  If Trump dies and Vance dies, House Speaker Mike Johnson becomes President.  Republicans control all Committees in the House.  The 2024 Republican platform was written by the Heritage Foundation, a far right group of fanatics.  

If Fitzpatrick really wanted to stop Trump and to reflect his constituents, all he had to do was change parties.  He wouldn’t have been the first congressman to switch.  He could have resigned in protest.  He could have switched to Independent.

Or he could lose the race last Tuesday to Democrat Bob Harvie.  I don’t feel the same satisfaction I did with the races in Ohio or Texas or Kansas or Michigan, but I am still happy with that outcome.