Although President Donald Trump turned the state red during the last election cycle, Democrats secured razor-thin control of the Pennsylvania House after a special election victory.
Despite winning one seat, liberals now wield power with just a single vote majority, putting Republican priorities at risk.
Democrat Dan Goughnour defeated Republican Chuck Davis in a special election for Pennsylvania’s state House.
His victory maintains his party’s one-vote majority control and deals a blow to conservative efforts in the battleground state.
The win in the Mon Valley region southeast of Pittsburgh keeps Democrats in power by a slim 102-101 margin in the lower chamber.
The seat became vacant after Democrat State Rep. Matthew Gergely died in January.
His passing triggered a high-stakes contest in the economically depressed former steelmaking region.
Goughnour is a Teasmter, a school board member and a police officer in McKeesport. He will now resign his law enforcement position to serve in Harrisburg.
This win maintains Democrats’ control of the speakership under Joanna McClinton, who can continue blocking any conservative legislation.
The Democrat National Committee showed strong interest in the race, dispatching DNC Chair Ken Martin to campaign in the district.
Martin’s comments after the victory revealed the partisan nature of the national Democrats’ interest in the local race.
“Building the Democratic Party back begins in the states and down-ballot wins like Rep.-elect Goughnour’s offer a powerful rebuke of Trump and Elon Musk’s MAGA agenda,” he said.
Martin further revealed Democrats’ true intentions for the seat when he claimed:
“Goughnour will fight for families, and his win allows Pennsylvania Democrats to better stand up to President Trump and defends Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) from Republican legislators pushing constitutional amendments to bypass his power.”
This confirms what conservatives have long suspected – Democrats are obsessed with obstructing President Trump and protecting their liberal governor.
In another race, Democrats are also celebrating their projected victory in a state Senate special election.
Specifically, James Malone appears to have defeated Republican Josh Parsons by fewer than 500 votes.
The seat is in a district that President Trump won by 15 points, making this a concerning development for conservatives in Pennsylvania.
Although Goughnour’s win maintains Democrats’ House majority and Malone’s apparent victory in the Senate race, Republicans still control the Pennsylvania Senate with a 27-23 majority.
However, that majority has been shrinking, threatening conservative priorities in the keystone state.
The Democrats’ narrow control of the Pennsylvania House began in 2022 after they flipped 12 seats in what conservatives describe as a concerning trend for this crucial swing state.
Since then, Democrats have managed to maintain control through a series of special elections.
With Pennsylvania’s importance as a battleground state, these results signal trouble for Republicans, who will need to redouble efforts to attract voters in future elections.
