Republicans win all 3 special elections for Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives
Despite COVID-19 concerns surrounding the polls, three vacated seats were filled Tuesday.
Republicans garnered three seats in Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives through special elections on March 17, certifying the G.O.P. stronghold in the Keystone State’s House.
The state’s eighth, 18th and 58th districts were contested and will be filled for the remainder of the calendar year. For the upcoming 2021–2022 term, candidates will have to secure their party nomination on April 28, 2020, and win the general election on November 3, 2020. All of the candidates who ran in the special election are also running for the upcoming term.
Republicans would have maintained solid control of the state’s House of Representatives no matter the races’ outcomes. But now, the legislature is split 110–93. The previously vacated seats were all let go by Republicans before being filled by G.O.P. lawmakers again.
Several Democratic lawmakers were worried about the impact of the novel coronavirus on voter turnout; many are angry with Pennsylvania Speaker of the House Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) for allowing the special elections to proceed in districts which are virus restricted. Some are also worried about the impact the virus may have on Pennsylvania’s statewide primary on April 28, for which all voters are able to request a mail-in ballot.
8th district
Republican Tim Bonner, who previously served as a Mercer County Assistant District Attorney, earned the top spot in the state’s eighth district. He aims to lower taxes and protect Second Amendment rights.
Democrat Phil Heasley fell to Bonner; Heasley was a proponent of “education for all,” increased access to health care and economic development through infrastructural fixes, tourism and job expansion.
The seat became vacant when Republican Tedd Nesbit resigned on January 2, 2020, after he was elected to the Mercer County Court of Common Pleas in Ohio.
18th district
Although the results haven’t been certified yet, Republicans claimed victory in this narrow race. Republican K.C. Tomlinson — who is seeking to combat the state’s opioid crisis, hold the line on taxes and strengthen public school funding — was the winner here. Although she hasn’t served in public office before, her father is a state senator.
The Democratic candidate, Harold Hayes, also had not held office before. He was a strong advocate for unions, education stimulus funding and environmental protections.
The spot opened up when Republican Gene DiGirolamo resigned to become the Bucks County Commissioner on January 6, 2020.
58th district
In Pennsylvania’s 58th House district, Republican Eric Davanzo — a pro-gun, pro-life candidate focused on bringing in jobs and improving education — earned the seat vacated by Republican Justin Walsh on December 26, 2019, when Walsh left to become a Westmoreland County judge. The seat had been held by the Democratic party for decades before Walsh was elected.
Also running for the seat were Democrat Robert Prah Jr. — a former mayor and veteran who homed in on bolstering labor laws, increasing access to education and aiding veterans — and 12-year veteran of the Yough School Board Ken Bach who, after losing the Democratic nomination to Prah, decided to run as a Libertarian candidate. Bach said he wanted to focus on workers’ rights and eliminating property taxes.
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