Dems Hoping to Hold Onto State House Majority

In an election that favored Republican incumbents and candidates, Pennsylvania state Democrats are holding out hope that its majority in the Keystone State’s lower chamber is maintained.

Democrats went into November 5 with a 102-101 majority in the House and was hopeful to increase its governing margin.

Well, it did not work out that way, as Republicans swept to victory in the presidential race behind Donald Trump and parlayed that triumph into a clean sweep of the state’s row offices – Attorney General, Auditor General and State Treasurer.

Even with these headwinds, Democrats have not lost a single race in which it had an incumbent in the field. To that end, neither have Republicans. And the open seats appear to be remaining under incumbent party control.

What does that mean?

It means control of the chamber rests with just a trio of contests.

PA-72. Frank Burns (D) leads Amy Bradley (R), 53-47, in this Cambria County contest that has only registered votes from just 45% of its precincts due to machine malfunctions. Burns has won reelection each cycle since 2008 in this R+9 county.

PA-144. Brian Munroe (D), who won the seat by just 515 votes in 2022, is trying to fend off Dan McPhillips (R) in Bucks County. He currently has a 1,001-vote lead (51-49%) with all 34 precincts reporting.

PA-172. Sean Dougherty (D), who defeated incumbent Kevin Boyle in the primary, is attempting to hold off Aizaz Gill (R). He currently holds a 454-vote advantage with all 62 divisions reporting.

Should Burns, Munroe and Dougherty hang on for victory, Democrats will retain their majority in the state House.

 

Other races with open seats appear to be remaining in the hands of the same party.

PA-05. Eric Weaknecht (R) defeated Heather Hanna, 67-33, in a Berks County contest to replace Barry Jozwiak (R).

PA-28. Jeremy Shaffer (R) downed Bill Petulla, 57-43, in Allegheny County race to replace Rob Mercuri (R), who lost his campaign for Congress to Chris Deluzio.

PA-38. John Inglis III (D) defeated Stone Sobieralski, 55-45, to keep the Allegheny seat blue after the departure of Nick Pisciottano.

PA-56. Brian Rasul (R) won unopposed to keep the Westmoreland district in red hands.

PA-63. Josh Bashline (R) trounced Pat Ritchie, 80-20, to replace the retiring Donna Oberlander (R) in Armstrong and Clarion counties.

PA-80. Scott Barger (R) won unopposed after taking out Jim Gregory in the Blair/Huntingdon GOP primary.

PA-90. Chad Reichard (R) kept the Franklin County seat in red hands, winning unopposed to replace Paul Schemel.

PA-92. Marc Anderson (R) downed Dan Almoney, 71-29, to replace Dawn Keefer in this York County district.

PA-96. Nikki Rivera (D) defeated Eric Beezer, 60-40, to keep Mike Sturla’s Lancaster County seat in Democratic hands.

PA-103. Nate Davidson (D) outpointed polled Cynthia Ward, 60-40, to replace Patty Kim in Dauphin County.

PA-117. After months of waiting for the courts to decide his GOP primary against incumbent Mike Cabell, Jamie Walsh (R) won his general election race unopposed.

PA-187. Gary Day (R) returns to Harrisburg after defeating Stefanie Rafes, 55-45, in Lehigh County. He replaces Ryan Mackenzie who won the 7th Congressional District seat in Washington.

PA-195. Keith Harris (D) won his Philadelphia contest unopposed.

PA-201. Andre Carroll (D) won his Philadelphia contest unopposed.

 

 

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