For First Time in 136 Years, a Democrat Will Represent Them

This year hasn't exactly been packed with Democratic victories, but party leaders say an upset win in Pennsylvania "should put Republicans on edge." Democratic candidate James Malone narrowly won a special election for a state Senate seat on Tuesday, flipping a seat in a district that picked President Trump over Kamala Harris in November by a margin of more than 15 points, the Guardian reports. The AP describes the 36th District, which covers part of Lancaster County, as "a stretch of Republican-leaning suburbs and farming communities" that hasn't been represented by a Democrat in the state Senate for 136 years.

With 100% of precincts reporting, Malone was ahead of Republican Josh Parsons by 482 votes, LancasterOnline reports. The AP called the race for Malone Wednesday. Malone tells WGAL that the party was able to flip the seat because "everyday voters are not liking what they're seeing in the federal level. They don't like the chaos." Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro congratulated Malone in a post on X, saying, "In a district carried comfortably by Donald Trump just a few months ago, they chose a better way forward—an embrace of competence, commonsense, and a desire to bring people together."

The special election was triggered when state Sen. Ryan Aument, a Republican who ran unopposed in 2022, quit to take a job with US Sen. Dave McCormick. Malone's victory won't change the balance of power in the GOP-controlled state Senate, but Democrats will keep control of the House thanks to another special election Tuesday. Democratic candidate Dan Goughnour beat Republican Chuck Davis in a district just south of Pittsburgh, meaning Democrats will hold a 1-seat majority in the chamber, the AP reports. It was split 101-101 after Democratic Rep. Matt Gergely died in January. (More Pennsylvania stories.)