Pennsylvania Democratic leadership held a press conference Tuesday to celebrate the victory of keeping their very slim 102-101 majority in the state house and announce their plans for the next term.
“Here in Harrisburg, in the ‘People’s House’, we held onto the people’s majority, because we’ve been delivering for the work of the people,” said House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia). “In 2021, when my colleagues, many are surrounding me, gave me the opportunity to be the first woman and person of color to sit on the legislative redistricting commission, it was my job to make sure that Pennsylvania’s House looked like Pennsylvania.”
There have been two general elections and nine special elections since redistricting, aiding the Democrats majority. In 2023, after three special elections, the party was able to take control of the House for the first time since 2010. In this cycle, several Democrats won in counties that leaned more Republican, including Rep. Brian Monroe, who won his election by little more than 1,000 votes, and Rep. Nikki Rivera of the 96th district, who was the only Democrat facing an opponent to win an election in Lancaster County.
READ: Democrats Are Trying to Make Democracy Work in Harrisburg
“As some of our friends in other races may have had challenges, and as some people doubted this majority, we are here,” said outgoing Majority Whip Rep. Dan Miller (D-Allegheny). He’ll be replaced this term by Rep. Mike Schlossberg (D-Lehigh). “We aren’t going back. We are going forward and we’re going to continue to deliver. Now, no matter what the issue has been for the working people in Pennsylvania, this caucus has provided solutions. We’re going to keep doing that. We’re not backing down.”
The challenge for PA Democrats will be passing legislation through the State Senate, which currently has a 28-22 Republican majority. The fact that Democrats are represented in the governorship thanks to Josh Shapiro will certainly help pass some bills, but bipartisanship will be key to pass legislation in the upcoming term.
“We’re not just going to retread the last session and run into the same walls,” said House Majority Leader Matt Bradford (D-Montgomery). “We’re going to keep turning the Rubik’s Cube with our Senate Republican colleagues.”
In the short term, however, the Democrats in the House are celebrating their victory. “Congratulations to all 102 House Democrats, who each individually ran races in their community and spoke to their neighbors of the issues that matter to their community,” added Bradford. “Democrats that are pragmatic enough to lead, but smart enough politically to go back home and make the case in every county in this Commonwealth.”
PA House Democratic Campaign Committee Chair Tina Davis (D-Bucks) and Majority Appropriations Committee Chairman Jordan Harris (D-Philadelphia) also both made appearances at the press conference to thank several people for the successful election and give hope to voters in the state.
“I do have to give a lot of credit. First of all, the voters in Pennsylvania who realized that all these wonderful people here (PA House members) did the due diligence, the hard work. We didn’t always agree on issues or policies, but we came together because we knew the greater vision,” said Bucks County’s Davis.
Harris said that the PA State House along with Governor Josh Shapiro will hold the line against the Trump Administration’s efforts to roll back Pennsylvanians rights and freedoms over the next two years.
“Understand that while we are here to celebrate our victory, it’s not about us. We are here because we give a damn about what happens to the people back home,” Harris said. “So, for all of those people who woke up in fear (on Wednesday), fear not. Fret not. Because if there is going to be a finger in the dam, it will be the House Democratic Caucus of Pennsylvania. It’s going to be Governor Josh Shapiro, and we are going to be standing up together to fight like hell for the next two years, four years, or however long we need to fight for the people of Pennsylvania.”
