Democrats now hold a one-seat majority in the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives.
In January of this year, Democratic Representative Matt Gergely passed away due to medical circumstances, leaving the state House of Representatives with a 101 to 101 party ratio.
Democrat Dan Goughnour has been elected to fill the vacant House seat, restoring the Democrats’ 102 to 101 majority in the chamber.
Goughnour won with more than 63% of the votes cast at the time it was called. He reacted to the race being called, saying, “It’s overwhelming, but I feel good.”
“We knocked on thousands and thousands of doors. We worked hard and we didn’t take anything for granted,” he said.
He defeated Republican Chuck Davis in House District 35, which leans left. Goughnour is a member of the McKeesport school board and a police officer.
He will be resigning as a detective supervisor to take up his seat in the state House. He is a Teamster and is serving in his first term on the school board.
The Democratic National Committee showed a strong interest in this race, with Chair Ken Martin campaigning with Goughnour in McKeesport in February.
Martin said, “Building the Democratic Party back begins in the states and down-ballot wins like Rep.-elect Goughnour’s offer a powerful rebuke of Trump and Elon Musk’s MAGA agenda.”
Democrats have held the majority in the Pennsylvania House since 2023, when they flipped 12 seats and reclaimed the majority after more than a decade. They have maintained the majority since by winning special elections. The House race is the fifth straight special election win for Democrats in 2025.
