The House has not been in session since December 2023, when a departure created an even split with 101 Democrats and 101 Republicans.
It only takes one member of Pennsylvania’s state House to upset the delicate power balance. In a special election held on Feb. 13 for House District 140 in Bucks County, the Associated Press called the race for Democrat Jim Prokopiak, giving that party a slight majority in the chamber.
With 66 percent of the precincts reporting, Mr. Prokopiak had 5,285 votes, or 70 percent, compared to Republican Candace Cabanas, who had 2,293, or 30 percent, of the votes.
While Election Day began with a snowstorm, roads were cleared well before the polls closed. Still, voter turnout was low in Bucks County, which has 20,536 registered Democrats, 13,502 Republicans, and 7,147 “other” registered voters.
Republicans control the state Senate, while Democrats hold the governorship.
With this special election, the statehouse has 102 Democrats and 100 Republicans.
The House hasn’t been in session since December 2023, when state Rep. John Galloway, a Democrat, resigned to become a magisterial district judge, leaving the House with 101 Democrats and 101 Republicans. While members attended Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Feb. 6 budget address, the House didn’t convene to conduct business that day.
The House was called to session Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton, a Democrat, but with the chamber split at 101–101, Republicans could have called for a reorganization, and potentially ousted her as speaker.
There is another wrinkle. The tie was actually broken on Feb. 9, when state Rep. Joe Adams, a Republican, resigned effective immediately after receiving medical news in his family that required his attention. His departure gave Democrats the edge, 101–100.
Had Republicans won the Feb. 13 special election, the House would have returned to that 101–101 tie.
A special election to determine a successor to Mr. Adams in the 139th District will be held on April 23, along with the state’s primary election. The district covers Pike County, a rural, Republican-leaning area.
Majority Tug of War
Following the November 2022 election, Democrats held a majority in the House for the first time since 2011, with 102 members to 101 Republicans.
By Beth Brelje
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