Voting majority at stake in 2 special Pa. House elections
May 15—HARRISBURG — There are two special elections for Pennsylvania's House of Representatives in the spring primary, the outcomes of which could see Democrats maintain a tenuous voting majority or Republicans wrest control of the lower chamber.
One seat separates the parties in the House, first won by Democrats last November but because of three ensuing vacancies not functionally settled until a trio of special elections concluded in February.
As it stands, the 203-member legislative body has a 101-100 split with two vacancies. Democrats hold the slight advantage.
Republicans have the numbers for a presumed victory in the 108th Legislative District encompassing all of Montour County plus northern Northumberland County.
Where the outcome appears less certain is in the Philadelphia suburbs. Voters in the 163rd Legislative District in parts of Delaware County will most likely determine the balance of power in the House.
Democrats hold a clear advantage in registered voters, 22,850 to 14,754, according to the state's latest registration data. There are an additional 5,596 voters who are either third-party members or non-party affiliates.
However, Republicans held the seat for 40 years prior to Mike Zabel's victory in 2018. The Democrat began his third two-year term this year before allegations of sexual harassment led to his resignation in March.
State Democrats and organized labor ramped up fundraising for the campaign of nominee Heather Boyd in recent weeks. From May 2 through Saturday, Boyd's campaign reported receiving $204,237.53 in combined contributions.
President Joe Biden weighed in on Monday, giving his endorsement to Boyd, first reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Within that same time frame, Republican Katie Ford's campaign reported having received $81,681.04, mostly from the House Republican Campaign Committee.
Pennsylvania Republicans maintain a voting majority in the state Senate. Democrats have the governor's office with Josh Shapiro in place. In the House, Republicans held control for 12 years before Democrats emerged with a push, in no small part, for protecting abortion rights.
Should Republicans end the primary with 102 members in the House, they'd have the votes to advance a proposed constitutional amendment in both chambers seeking to declare there is no right to abortion or public funding for abortion in the state constitution. If successful, a ballot question could reach voters this fall.
Boyd pledges to protect abortion rights while her opponent Ford claims that while she personally is against abortion, she opposes any change in state law and would vote against the proposed amendment, according to The Associated Press.
Libertarian Alfe Goodwin is also on the ballot.
Republicans have a long history of control in the 108th, too. The district has been held by the GOP for the past 50 years. When districts realigned this year, the 108th picked up all of Montour County and lost parts of Snyder County and lower Northumberland County. It remains a Republican stronghold.
There are 23,108 registered Republicans, 11,666 Democrats and 6,048 independent voters.
Republican Mike Stender, a career firefighter and Shikellamy School District board member, has the endorsement of the district's predecessor, Culver. He's facing Democrat Trevor Finn, a five-term commissioner of Montour County. Also on the ballot is Libertarian Elijah Scretching, a Marine Corps veteran and political newcomer.
Looking at campaign fundraising totals leading up to the election, Stender collected $5,657 on three contributions while Finn received two contributions for a combined $2,301.
