Earlier this week, Pennsylvania held two special elections—one for a House seat and one for a Senate seat.
The House seat was previously held by Representative Matt Gergely of Allegheny County, who passed away earlier this year.
A Democrat won the seat, restoring their party’s majority in the House.
PA Representative Chad Reichard commented, “That’ll put them back up to 102, meaning we’re officially back in the minority after being tied for the past three months.
So buckle up—we’ll see what new things our friends across the aisle have planned.”
The second special election was for a Senate seat vacated by Ryan Aument, who accepted a position with U.S. Senator Dave McCormick. The district is a strong Republican area, but the Democratic candidate, James Malone, won in an unexpected upset.
Michele Jansen of NewsTalk 103.7FM remarked, “Everyone had their eye off the ball—including me. Democrat James Malone, former mayor of East Petersburg, was up against Republican Commissioner Joshua Parsons.
I’m surprised the state GOP didn’t pay more attention, especially given how much money was poured into the Democratic campaign.”
Reichard added, “We saw this trend in many State House races last fall. Democrats seemed to have an endless supply of funds, responding to our single mailer with four of their own.
We need to stay vigilant and run every race as if we’re behind. This one should have been a safe Republican seat.”
A similar situation is unfolding in Florida, where a special election for the U.S. House is surprisingly competitive in a traditionally Republican stronghold.
Jansen noted, “Traditional media continues its fear-mongering, exaggerating actions by Trump and Musk.
That motivates Democrats to turn out in force. Many Republicans assumed this Pennsylvania Senate seat was safe, but their voters weren’t motivated to show up.”
Reichard emphasized, “We also have to remember how to win elections when President Trump isn’t at the top of the ticket. He draws voters, and down-ballot Republicans benefit. Without him, we need a stronger strategy.”
Anthony Panasiewicz of NewsTalk 103.7 FM added, “That’s probably why McCormick won—because of Trump’s influence.”
Reichard agreed, recalling past elections. “We saw it in 2016 with Pat Toomey and again in 2022 with Senator Mastriano’s gubernatorial race. Democrats effectively used mail-in voting in Lancaster.
We must learn from this and adjust our approach, as Trump won’t always be on the ballot.”
Regarding the PA Senate, Jansen explained, “Republicans still hold the majority, but it’s now 27-23 instead of 28-22.
My concern is that some GOP members might become hesitant, compromising more than they should.”
Reichard echoed that concern. “As House Republicans return to the minority by one seat, we rely on the Senate as a backstop.
Without their majority, progressive policies from the House could push us closer to California’s policies. We need strong leadership from Senate Republicans to hold the line.”
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