The Democratic Party has maintained a narrow majority in the Pennsylvania House with a special election win for Heather Boyd, giving them control over issues such as abortion, gun rights, and election law legislation. Boyd’s victory means Democrats now have 102 seats in the 203-member house, the minimum required to control its agenda.
The win has come as a relief for first-term Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro, who will have at least one chamber to back his policies during budget negotiations. The victory could have significant consequences for Republicans, who are one floor vote away from putting a proposed constitutional amendment to limit abortion rights before voters as a referendum. However, the Republican-controlled Senate means that the Democrats also maintain a split government.
Boyd, a former congressional and state legislative aide who raised over $1.3 million, was endorsed by US President Joe Biden on Monday. She made the protection of abortion rights a core part of her platform, drawing a contrast with her Republican opponent, Katie Ford. Republicans had hoped to regain the majority in part to advance the proposed constitutional amendment, which denies Pennsylvania Constitution guarantees of abortion rights or public funding of abortions.
This is the first time that the Democratic Party has gained a majority in Pennsylvania’s state House. The party flipped a net of 12 seats during the 2022 election, which could have severe consequences for Republican legislative proposals. However, Democrats fell short in their attempt to win back the 60-member state Senate, despite a massive fundraising effort.
In a separate special election, Republican Michael Stender won a vacant central Pennsylvania seat, beating his Democratic opponent, Trevor Finn. The outcome means that Democrats remain in the minority among Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation, so they will have to work harder to advance their priorities at the federal level.
In conclusion, Democrats have narrowly maintained their majority in the Pennsylvania House, which is a significant relief for Governor Josh Shapiro. The victory also has potential consequences for certain Republican legislative proposals, such as the proposed constitutional amendment to limit abortion rights. However, the split government means that the Democrats will have to work harder to advance their policies in the Republican-controlled Senate.
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