The 2020 elections for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives was held on November 3, 2020, with all districts being decided. The term of office for those that were elected in 2020 began when the House of Representatives convened in January 2021. Pennsylvania State Representatives were elected for two-year terms, with all 203 seats up for election every two years.[2] The election was coincided with the 2020 United States presidential election, United States House of Representatives elections, and one-half of the State Senate.
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
All 203 seats in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives 102 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Results: Republican hold Republican gain Democratic hold Democratic gain | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Republicans have controlled the chamber since 2010. In October 2020, The Washington Post identified this state election as one of eight whose outcomes could affect partisan balance during post-census redistricting.[3]
Special elections
edit8th legislative district
editIn the 2019 elections, Republican state representative Tedd Nesbit was elected to be a judge on the Mercer County Court of Common Pleas. A special election for the 8th legislative district was held on March 17 to fill his seat.
Democrats selected business owner Phil Heasley as their nominee, while Republicans nominated attorney Timothy R. Bonner.[4][5] Bonner won the special election in the heavily Republican district.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Timothy R. Bonner | 4,000 | 75.08 | |
| Democratic | Phil Heasley | 1,328 | 24.92 | |
| Total votes | 5,328 | 100.00 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
18th legislative district
editIn the 2019 elections, Republican state representative Gene DiGirolamo was elected to be a Bucks County commissioner.[7] A special election for the 18th legislative district was held on March 17 to fill his seat.
Democrats selected union plumber Harold Hayes as their nominee.[8] Republicans nominated Kathleen "KC" Tomlinson, a funeral director and daughter of State Senator Tommy Tomlinson.[9] Both candidates also ran for their respective party's nomination for the general election.
After arguments by Democrats over holding this election during the COVID-19 pandemic, Tomlinson won the special election.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Kathleen C. Tomlinson | 4,516 | 55.23 | |
| Democratic | Harold Hayes | 3,661 | 44.77 | |
| Total votes | 8,177 | 100.00 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
58th legislative district
editIn the 2019 elections, Republican state representative Justin Walsh was elected to be a judge on the Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas.[11] A special election for the 58th legislative district was held on March 17 to fill his seat.
Democrats selected former Smithton mayor Robert Prah Jr. as their nominee, while Republicans nominated union carpenter Eric Davanzo.[12][13] Both candidates also ran for their respective party's nomination for the general election. Davanzo won the special election.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Eric Davanzo | 4,269 | 52.58 | |
| Democratic | Robert Prah Jr. | 3,294 | 40.57 | |
| Libertarian | Kenneth Bach | 556 | 6.85 | |
| Total votes | 8,119 | 100.00 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
190th legislative district
editDemocratic state representative Movita Johnson-Harrell, elected to the seat in a 2019 special election, resigned her seat less than a year after being charged with stealing from her own charity.[15] A special election for the 190th legislative district was held on February 25 to fill Johnson-Harrell's vacancy.
Democrats selected local SEIU business agent G. Roni Green as their nominee, and Republicans nominated businesswoman Wanda Logan. Green easily won this heavily Democratic district.[16]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | G. Roni Green | 2,651 | 86.27 | |
| Republican | Wanda Logan | 422 | 13.73 | |
| Total votes | 3,073 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[18] | Tossup | October 21, 2020 |
General election results overview
edit| Affiliation | Candidates | Votes | Vote % | Seats won | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | 168 | 3,416,942 | 52.73% | 113 ( 3)
| |
| Democratic | 164 | 3,017,689 | 46.57% | 90 ( 3)
| |
| Libertarian | 6 | 23,268 | 0.36% | 0 | |
| Independent | 2 | 9,799 | 0.15% | 0 | |
| Green | 5 | 12,575 | 0.19% | 0 | |
| Total | 345 | 6,480,273 | 100% | 203 | |
Close races
editDistricts where the margin of victory was under 10%:
- District 158, 1.34%
- District 160, 1.52%
- District 168, 1.98%
- District 33, 2.78% (gain)
- District 143, 3.06% (gain)
- District 165, 3.14%
- District 105, 3.66%
- District 55, 4.56% (gain)
- District 18, 4.64%
- District 119, 5.14%
- District 72, 5.42%
- District 50, 6.54%
- District 26, 7%
- District 118, 7.06%
- District 106, 7.14%
- District 28, 7.46%
- District 114, 7.74%
- District 131, 8.5%
- District 152, 8.84% (gain)
- District 150, 8.94%
- District 53, 9.4%
- District 162, 9.6%
- District 30, 9.66%
- District 44, 9.92%
Results by district
editThis article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2021) |
Source:[21]
Notes
editPartisan clients
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Lancaster County Rep. Bryan Cutler voted Speaker of Pennsylvania House of Representatives". fox43.com. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
- ^ s:Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 1874/Article 2
- ^ Phillips, Amber (October 2, 2020). "The state legislative battles to watch in 2020". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
- ^ Cole, John (January 29, 2020). "HD8: Phil Heasley Selected as Dem Candidate for Special Election". PoliticsPA. Archived from the original on January 29, 2020. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
- ^ Cole, John (January 30, 2020). "HD8: Tim Bonner Nominated as GOP Candidate for Special Election". PoliticsPA. Archived from the original on February 1, 2020. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
- ^ "Pennsylvania Elections - Office Results: 2020 Special Election 8th Legislative District". Pennsylvania Department of State. Archived from the original on January 10, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
- ^ Quann, Peg (January 3, 2020). "Rep. DiGirolamo 'bittersweet' about leaving state office for county seat". The Intelligencer. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
- ^ Cole, John (January 27, 2020). "HD18: Harold Hayes Selected as Dem Candidate for Special Election". PoliticsPA. Archived from the original on April 3, 2020. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
- ^ Cole, John (January 16, 2020). "HD18: KC Tomlinson Selected as GOP Nominee for Special Election". PoliticsPA. Archived from the original on April 10, 2020. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
- ^ "2020 Special Election 18th Legislative District Official Returns". Pennsylvania Department of State. Archived from the original on December 28, 2021. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ^ Cholodofsky, Rich (December 26, 2019). "Westmoreland County election winners sworn into office". triblive.com. Archived from the original on December 27, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
- ^ Cole, John (January 27, 2020). "HD58: Robert Prah Jr. Nominated as Dem Candidate for Special Election". PoliticsPA. Archived from the original on April 7, 2020. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
- ^ Cole, John (January 27, 2020). "HD58: Eric Davanzo Selected as GOP Candidate for Special Election". PoliticsPA. Archived from the original on April 5, 2020. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
- ^ "2020 Special Election 58th Legislative District Official Returns". Pennsylvania Department of State. Archived from the original on October 2, 2021. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ^ McDaniel, Justine; Couloumbis, Angela (December 4, 2019). "Pa. Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell, charged with stealing more than $500,000 from her own charity, will resign". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on December 5, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
- ^ Cole, John (February 26, 2020). "HD190: Roni Green Coasts to Special Election Victory". PoliticsPA. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
- ^ "2020 Special Election 190th Legislative District Official Returns". Pennsylvania Department of State. Archived from the original on January 4, 2022. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ^ "October Overview: Handicapping the 2020 State Legislature Races". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
- ^ a b Turner, Ford (February 20, 2020). "Eight candidates running for two open Pa. House seats in Lehigh Valley, with property taxes a big issue". The Morning Call. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Turner, Ford (January 6, 2020). "Who's running for Lehigh Valley state House seats?". The Morning Call. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
- ^ "Official Election Results". Pennsylvania Department of State. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
Further reading
edit- Amber Phillips (October 2, 2020). "The state legislative battles to watch in 2020". The Washington Post.
Pennsylvania state House
. (About redistricting).
External links
edit- "Electionreturns.pa.gov". Pennsylvania Department of State.
- Government Documents Round Table of the American Library Association. "Pennsylvania". Voting & Elections Toolkits.
- "Pennsylvania: Election Tools, Deadlines, Dates, Rules, and Links". Vote.org. Oakland, Calif.
- "League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania". (state affiliate of the U.S. League of Women Voters)
- National Institute on Money in Politics; Campaign Finance Institute. "Pennsylvania 2019 & 2020 Elections". OpenSecrets.