For the first time since 1993, Democrats have wrested 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 grew their majority in the House.
Republicans’ 32 years leading the Senate appeared to come to an end Tuesday, with Democratic candidates claiming victory in a handful of critical races.
By around 10 a.m. Wednesday, The Associated Press called the Senate for the Democrats after declaring the party’s wins in the House and governor’s mansion earlier on election night.
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.
The closest races, in which state tallies showed Democrats up by a few percentage points, spanned all or parts of Bucks, Lehigh, Lackawanna, Monroe and Wayne counties.
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 still grew their majority, with a handful of candidates declaring victory well ahead of Associated Press calls.
Democrats flipped House District 142 (Bucks), where Democrat Kristin Egan challenged incumbent Republican Rep. Joe Hogan.
The party also led 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).
This story was first published by the Pennsylvania Capital-Star. Read more of their coverage here. It has been edited by Public Source to match new race calls after publication.
Whitney Downard, a native of upstate New York, is a reporter for the Pennsylvania Capital-Star.
