Dems Gain 13 State House Seats, But GOP Maintains Solid Majority

HARRISBURG – As a result of Tuesday’s election returns, Republicans retained a solid majority in the House of Representatives, House Republican leaders said today. Several seats are still too close to call.

Speaker of the House Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny), Majority Leader Dave Reed (R-Indiana), Republican Whip Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) and House Republican Campaign Committee Chair Mark Mustio (R-Allegheny) declared victory after determining that the House Republican Caucus will be at least 108 members for the 2019-20 legislative session that begins Jan. 1. It will be the fifth consecutive session with Republicans in control of the House.

The House Republican leaders said the election results were a reflection of the Republican Caucus’ work of standing up for taxpayers as the governor and Democrats worked to raise taxes on all Pennsylvania families and employers.

Important victories in the election included the pick-up of the seat being vacated by Rep. Mike Hanna (D-Clinton) by Stephanie Borowicz, and the defeat of Democratic incumbents Rep. Helen Tai (D-Bucks) by Wendi Thomas and Rep. Bryan Barbin (D-Cambria) by Jim Rigby.

The leaders issued the following statement:

“Despite the millions of dollars of national dark money spreading lies about our members, Pennsylvania’s voters saw through it and once again elected a majority of Republicans to the state House. Pennsylvanians made clear that our focus on providing fiscal responsibility, an enhanced environment for private sector job creation and integrity in government is the right direction.”

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