Whitney Downard | Pennsylvania Capital-Star
This story comes from Pennsylvania Capital-Star, independent reporting on state government that impacts communities statewide.
For the first time since 1993, Democrats may have control over the governor’s office and the General Assembly.
Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, easily won reelection against Republican state Treasurer Stacy Garrity, while House Democrats appear on track to grow their majority in the House.
But Republicans’ 32 years leading the Senate appeared to come to an end Tuesday, with Democratic candidates claiming victory in a handful of critical races.
As of 1:30 a.m., The Associated Press had not called the Senate or dozens of House races.
With a trifecta, Pennsylvania Democrats would pass energy reforms and rein in data centers
Having control of both chambers could shore up Shapiro’s credentials if he decides to run for president in 2028, allowing him to potentially pass his top priorities without having to negotiate with Republicans.
“For the first time in decades, Pennsylvanians used their power tonight to flip the state Senate so that we can deliver even more results for our communities,” Shapiro said in a statement just after midnight.
“Now, with a Democratic trifecta, we’ll be able to get even more stuff done — from raising the minimum wage and lowering costs, to giving survivors their day in court, to building more housing and codifying abortion rights,” he continued. “I look forward to having them as strong partners in getting stuff done in Harrisburg and making real progress for all Pennsylvanians.”
All 203 House seats were on the line as well as 25 senators, but only a handful in either chamber were considered competitive.
Going into the elections, Republicans held 27 seats in the Senate. Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-Indiana) told reporters in September that he believed his party would grow their majority by one member, likely referring to Lancaster County’s Senate District 36.
Sen. James Malone, a Democrat, flipped the seat in a 2025 special election by 529 votes, but Rep. Tom Jones brought the district back into GOP control Tuesday. The Associated Press called the race at 1:29 a.m.
A Democratic pickup in Berks and Montgomery counties canceled out the GOP gain, however, when Democrat Chris Thomas defeated incumbent Republican Sen. Tracy Pennycuick.
Democrats also prevailed in two other seats on the GOP radar: Senate District 14 (Lehigh and Northampton), held by Sen. Nick Miller; and Senate District 38 (Allegheny), held by Sen. Lindsey Williams. These were the only two competitive Senate races called by The AP as of publication.
Democrats claimed to pick up three more seats, but The Associated Press had not called them in the early hours of Wednesday morning. They are:
- Senate District 6 (Bucks), where Bucks County Clerk of Courts Eileen Hartnett Albillar challenged incumbent Republican Sen. Frank Farry.
- Senate District 16 (Bucks and Lehigh), where Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley challenged incumbent Republican Sen. Jarrett Coleman.
- Senate District 40 (Lackawanna, Monroe and Wayne), where Brian Wrightson challenged incumbent Republican Sen. Rosemary Brown.
House Democrats increase their majority
Democrats had a three-seat majority going into Tuesday following a special election in House District 12 earlier this year. But Rep. Brandon Dukes’ (D-Butler) time in the legislature appeared to be over, with Republican Scott Timko likely winning the rematch.
Despite the loss, Democrats seemed poised to grow their majority, with a handful of candidates declaring victory well ahead of Associated Press calls.
As of 1:30 a.m., AP had called four flips in favor of Democrats in House District 18 (Bucks), House District 44 (Allegheny), House District 160 (Chester and Delaware) and House District 137 (Northampton).
Democrats also claimed to flip House District 142 (Bucks), where Democrat Kristin Egan challenged incumbent Republican Rep. Joe Hogan.
The party also appeared to be in the lead in another five races over seats currently held by Republicans.
Another three lawmakers — two Democrats and one Republican — opted to retire before this year’s elections. The AP projected a Democratic sweep, with wins in House District 45 (Allegheny), House District 121 (Luzerne) and House District 88 (Cumberland).
