Representative John Murtha (D-PA) from southwestern Pennsylvania, died today from complications of gall bladder surgery.

Murtha's power in the House was so extensive, that its likely that Johnstown, PA in his home district, will experience a significant long-term decline simply because Murtha won't be bringing back billions in military and research contracts to the area.

Murtha was also significantly responsible for the ascension of Nancy Pelosi to the Speakership and was considered her right-hand man.

He was a man of contradictions, having been initially elected as a supporter of the Vietnam war, but opposed to the Iraq war, even as he worked military appropriates for the benefit if his constitutents. He was a former Marine who took umbrage at being obliquely accused of cowardice for not supporting the Iraq war, but publicly condemned the Haditha marines as murderers before an investigation had even taken place (all but one of the marines had the changes dropped.Sergeant Frank Wuterich still faces charges of involuntary manslaughter...).

Murtha was socially conservative, consistently opposing abortion. He was never personally charged with corruption, but had several near misses, including the ABSCAM sting where he was named an unindicted co-conspirator, and more recently after when the Justice Department looked into several military contractors with close ties to the Congressman.

Aside from the obvious personal loss to his family, the Democrats lost a very effective legislator with Murtha.

Life moves on though, and the governor must call a special election within 10 days. Murtha's district was the only one in the country that voted Kerry in 2004, and McCain in 2008. Considering the current political climate, the Democrats are in serious danger of losing a seat they never contemplated being anything but safe and secure. Republicans will be actively contesting 6 Congressional districts in Pennsylvania this fall (including Murtha's).

Dave's Poscript: Congressman Murtha sucumbs to the ultimate term limit. He was the earmark king who had a symbiotic relation with his district; neither knew any shame. I can think of no better epitath then this wrap-up of one of his earmarks:

PENSACOLA, Fla. — A federal judge sentenced two former Air Force colonels to prison on Tuesday for destroying documents, lying to a grand jury and other crimes related to a wider fraud scheme by contractors and defense lobbyists with ties to a powerful Rep. John Murtha, D-Johnstown.

The men, both engineers and graduates of the U.S. Air Force Academy, are among those accused by federal prosecutors who are looking into alleged wrongdoing by contractors with ties to Murtha, chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.

Murtha has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing.