Pennsylvania Primary results; Two races decide balance of power in Pa. House

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND CITY COUNCILS. GOOD EVENING. I’M JANELLE STILLSON AND I’M JERE GISH. AND WE’VE GOT SOME BREAKING NEWS. DEMOCRATS WILL MAINTAIN THEIR NARROW PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE MAJORITY AFTER HEATHER BOYD DEFEATED REPUBLICAN KATIE FORD IN A SPECIAL ELECTION IN DELAWARE COUNTY. SO SHE HAS NOW BEEN PROJECTED THE WINNER HERE WITH 63% OF THE VOTE. IT’S BARBARA BARR KICKS OFF OUR LIVE COMMITMENT 2023 TEAM COVERAGE FROM THE STATE CAPITOL AND JANELLE. HEATHER BOYD’S WIN TONIGHT MEANS THAT DEMOCRATS WILL INDEED CONTROL THE STATE HOUSE 102 TO 101. JUST THAT ONE SEAT EDGE. BUT THAT WILL ENABLE THEM TO CONTROL HOW ISSUES ARE HANDLED HERE AT THE STATE CAPITOL, ISSUES RANGING FROM ABORTION TO GUN RIGHTS TO ELECTION CODE AND ALSO TRY TO PUSH THROUGH. GOVERNOR SHAPIRO AGENDA. THE CANDIDATES VOTED IN DELAWARE COUNTY IN THE MORNING. REPUBLICAN KATIE FORD IS AN ARMY VETERAN. DEMOCRAT HEATHER BOYD SERVED AS A CONGRESSIONAL STAFF MEMBER, AND ALFIE GOODWIN IS THE LIBERTARIAN CANDIDATE. I DO IT BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY. I’VE BEEN AT A LOT OF POLLS GREETING VOTERS. THE 163RD SEAT WAS HELD BY DEMOCRAT MIKE ZABEL, WHO RESIGNED AMID SEXUAL HARASSMENT ALLEGATIONS IN MARCH. DEMOCRATS HAVE ABOUT AN 8000 VOTER REGISTRATION EDGE. THE HIGH STAKES RACE DREW THE ATTENTION OF GOVERNOR JOSH SHAPIRO AND PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN, WHO ENDORSED BOYD, SAYING SHE WILL PROTECT A WOMAN’S RIGHT TO MAKE HER OWN HEALTH CARE DECISIONS. STAND UP FOR GUN SAFETY LAWS, AND EXPAND ACCESS TO VOTING RIGHTS. DEMOCRATS HAVE MADE ABORTION RIGHTS A CENTRAL ISSUE, CLAIMING FORD WOULD JOIN REPUBLICANS IN TRYING TO BAN IT. SHE HAS REPEATEDLY STATED SHE SUPPORTS A WOMAN’S RIGHT TO CHOOSE. THE STAKES COULD NOT BE HIGHER, NOT JUST BECAUSE IT’S IN A COUNTY THAT HAS GONE FROM REPUBLICAN TO DEMOCRAT, BUT BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE CONTROL OF THE PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. AND DEMOCRATS SHOWED HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS POURING ABOUT $1 MILLION INTO THIS ELECTION, FAR MORE THAN REPUBLICAN. AND SO THEY AGAIN, WILL BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE AGENDA HERE AT THE STATE CAPITOL. THE OTHER SPECIAL ELECTION UP IN MONTOUR COUNTY. REPUBLICANS

Democrats maintained their narrow Pennsylvania House majority Tuesday by winning a special election and along with it continued control over how the chamber will handle abortion, gun rights and election law legislation.Heather Boyd won a seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives representing the Philadelphia suburbs, beating Republican Katie Ford for a vacancy created by the resignation of Democratic Rep. Mike Zabel. Zabel quit the Legislature in March, shortly after a lobbyist accused him of sexually harassing her.Boyd’s win gives Democrats 102 seats, the minimum needed to control the agenda in the 203-member House. The state Senate has a Republican majority.The Democrats’ victory in the Delaware County district means first-term Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro will have at least one chamber to aid his agenda going into the final month of budget negotiations. The result could also affect a proposed constitutional amendment limiting abortion rights that legislative Republicans are one House floor vote away from putting before voters as a referendum.Boyd is a former congressional and state legislative aide. Her district was once Republican but has given solid margins to Democratic candidates in recent elections.Republicans entered the 2022 election with a 113-90 advantage in the state House, but Democrats flipped a net of 12 seats, barely enough to claim majority status after 12 years and elect one of their own as speaker.There was also a special election in the 108th, where longtime Republican Rep. Lynda Schlegel Culver left after being elected to the State Senate after another special election.Republican Michael Stender won that race.If you are on our app and do not see the results below, go to this page.Return to main results page.

Heather Boyd won a seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives representing the Philadelphia suburbs, beating Republican Katie Ford for a vacancy created by the resignation of Democratic Rep. Mike Zabel. Zabel quit the Legislature in March, shortly after a lobbyist accused him of sexually harassing her.

Boyd’s win gives Democrats 102 seats, the minimum needed to control the agenda in the 203-member House. The state Senate has a Republican majority.

The Democrats’ victory in the Delaware County district means first-term Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro will have at least one chamber to aid his agenda going into the final month of budget negotiations. The result could also affect a proposed constitutional amendment limiting abortion rights that legislative Republicans are one House floor vote away from putting before voters as a referendum.

Boyd is a former congressional and state legislative aide. Her district was once Republican but has given solid margins to Democratic candidates in recent elections.

Republicans entered the 2022 election with a 113-90 advantage in the state House, but Democrats flipped a net of 12 seats, barely enough to claim majority status after 12 years and elect one of their own as speaker.

There was also a special election in the 108th, where longtime Republican Rep. Lynda Schlegel Culver left after being elected to the State Senate after another special election.

Republican Michael Stender won that race.

If you are on our app and do not see the results below, go to this page.

Return to main results page.

Pennsylvania Primary results; Two races decide balance of power in Pa. House

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