[10] Cappabianca decided against mounting a formal write-in campaign, citing time constraints, but encouraged voters to write her in as an independent candidate.

[13] Brooks finished the remainder of Williams' term before losing a re-match to Daylin Leach in the 2002 general election.

[20] In the 97th legislative district, Republican Jere Strittmatter lost a surprising upset to Manheim Township Supervisor Roy Baldwin.

[20][22][23] In the 98th legislative district, Republican Thomas E. Armstrong lost to Lancaster County Clerk of Courts David Hickernell.

[24] Three Western Pennsylvania incumbent Democrats retired after their districts were moved to the eastern portion of the state during the decennial redistricting process.

[citation needed] In the 62nd legislative district, incumbent Democrat Sara Steelman was upset by Dave L. Reed, a 24-year-old Republican.

[28] As a challenger, Reed followed the campaign blueprint established in 2000 by when young Jeff Coleman defeated Tim Pesci in nearby Armstrong County.

The Brooks campaign sent dozens of direct mail advertisements, including one accusing Leach of defending child molesters as an attorney.

[32] On the Saturday before the election, one was sent to voters accusing Leach, a practicing Orthodox Jew who lost family in the Holocaust, of being anti-Semitic.

'"[32] The incendiary charges stemmed from Leach's 1999 defense of an in absentia client from Texas who was sued in Allentown, Pennsylvania for comments allegedly made in an Internet chat room.

[32][33] Following the dismissal, the plaintiff took to the internet and posted diatribes denouncing Leach and the Texas man as anti-Semites that were unearthed by a Brooks researcher and used in the mailer.

In the 150th legislative district, Republican-turned Democrat John A. Lawless was defeated by Republican Jacqueline Crahalla by 62 votes.

[15] In September, Lawless caused a controversy when he was pulled over for a minor traffic violation by a Lower Providence Township, Pennsylvania police officer.