WASHINGTON—The Democratic Party will retain control of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives after their nominee, Dan Goughnour, was elected for District 35 in a special election on March 25.
The Pennsylvania State House is currently deadlocked between Democrats and Republicans, who have 101 seats each, following the death of state Rep. Matthew Robert Gergely, a Democrat.
The special election in the district—located in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area of Allegheny County, covering the towns of Munhall, McKeesport, and Lincoln—is the 102nd and decisive vote in the body.
Pennsylvania is a key battleground state in presidential elections.
His Republican opponent, former firefighter Charles “Chuck” Davis, received 34.97 percent.
The voter turnout for the district was approximately 25 percent.
District 35 has always elected a Democrat to office since its creation in 1969, although the margin of victory has fluctuated.
“The top issues in this district, and my priorities, are the cost of living, supporting our public schools, and strengthening public safety by increasing funding for first responders ... that’s what my work in Harrisburg will focus on as well,” Goughnour told The Epoch Times in a statement.
The PAHDCC appeared to take a leading role in Goughnour’s campaign, with staff from the organization being deployed to hold key positions and the organization running Goughnour’s social media presence.
His election means that Democrats will retain their majority in the House, thereby denying Republicans bicameral control of the Legislature.
The GOP currently has a two-seat majority in the Pennsylvania Senate.
On the same day that Goughnour was elected, a special election was held in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, for state Senate District 36.
In that race, Democrat nominee James Malone was elected in an upset victory, flipping the seat previously held by a Republican in an area that voted heavily for President Donald Trump in the 2024 general election.
The outcome is a boon to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a rising star in the national Democratic Party who was considered for its vice presidential nomination in 2024 and is running for reelection in 2026.
Disputes over the state budget have been highly controversial in Pennsylvania, with Democrats and Republicans disagreeing over policies on education and energy.
Republicans, in particular, are seeking to withdraw Pennsylvania from the Shapiro-backed Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which they claim will harm the state’s lucrative energy industry.
Goughnour’s victory means that such a withdrawal from the program is highly unlikely.
Given the low turnout and localized nature of the election, personal relationships were important to voters.
“Dan [Goughnour] knows what the people need because he’s been around this area for so long,” Lauren Leone, an election volunteer, told The Epoch Times on election day.
“I know many, many Republicans that are voting for Dan today ... it’s more personal here.”
“We vote the person, not the party,” Mary Tomasic, a registered Republican in McKeesport, told The Epoch Times.
Shapiro’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
