Amid many quiet sighs of relief from Republicans in suburban Philadelphia, Rep. Jim Gerlach let out a big fat wahoo after Tuesday’s elections, where the GOP maintained majorities in the collar counties and picked up control of Berks.

Mark Campbell, Gerlach’s campaign consultant, sent out a release yesterday titled, “Philly suburban Dems dealth major setback.”

Despite speculation among political observers that Democrats could gain control of some of the suburban Philadelphia courthouses — which hasn’t happened in some of the counties in decades — the GOP maintained its majorities, if only narrowly. And while Democrats said the Democratic tide in Montgomery, Chester, Bucks and Delaware counties continues to build, Gerlach’s folks let out a jubilant victory call.

“Last night’s election was a major setback for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), which had been banking on new county majorities in the suburban counties that would continue to build momentum into 2008,” Campbell wrote. “That strategy hit a major roadblock yesterday as the Democrats again failed to take the courthouses.”