Electorate Will NOT Stand For Mistress-Choking

Let’s pour a 40 on the corner for U.S. Rep. Don Sherwood, who was comfortably ahead in the polls and looked to cruise to a fifth term until the family-values conservative’s ex-mistress accused him of choking her. He lost yesterday, as the tide of 200 different scandals — 190 of them or so centered on the Republican party — allowed opponent Chris Carney to pull the upset.

Of course, it didn’t hurt that Carney ran ads saying “This incident with Don Sherwood just cuts right at the core values of our district.” (Perhaps Sherwood can run for Congress in Vegas or something.) Sherwood responded by saying he was truly sorry for cheating on his wife with a woman 30 years his junior, but he didn’t smack a bitch.

The best part of this election? Look who’s gone: An alleged mistress choker, an alleged page diddler, a conspiracy theorist whose name rhymes with Bert Geldon, most of the Jack Abramoff-connected people, etc. It’s like we’re purging Congress of jerks! (And replacing them with more cunning jerks.)

Sex scandal costs GOP’s Sherwood [AP/Inquirer]

Leftovers: Actual Cheers For Jersey

• The New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled that gays and lesbians have equal partnership rights according to the New Jersey constitution, but doesn’t say the state has to call it marriage. As such, get ready for some hot hot civil unions in the Dirty Jerz within 180 days. Hooray! [Inquirer]

• Don Sherwood, a U.S. Rep. from our fine state who also happened to allegedly choke his mistress, is now down nine points in a recent poll. Looks like Pennsylvania voters have some limits for their incumbents after all. [Ferrick's Poliblog]

• $211K of another U.S. Rep. from our fine state, Mike Fitzpatrick, has been linked to convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Dun dun dun! [Bucks County Courier Times]