A special election was held on May 18, 2010 to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Democratic U.S. Representative John Murtha.
[1] On March 8, 2010, the Pennsylvania Democratic Party's Executive Committee nominated Mark Critz, Murtha's former district director.
[2] On March 11, a convention of Republicans from the 12th district nominated businessman Tim Burns.
[3] The Democrats held the seat in the special election, with Critz defeating Burns.
A new governor was elected(incumbent Governor Ed Rendell (D) is term limited), Tom Corbett, the Republican, won the general election with 55% of the vote against the Democrat, Dan Onorato, who carried 45% of the final vote.