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PA election 2026: Democrats win state Senate majority
WHYY • • nation
Key Points:
- Democrats flipped the Pennsylvania state Senate for the first time in 48 years, giving them control of the executive branch and both legislative chambers, achieving a "trifecta."
- Governor Josh Shapiro, who had previously worked with a Republican-controlled Senate, faced challenges passing key priorities like a $15 minimum wage, increased public transportation funding, recreational marijuana legalization, and reproductive health protections.
- The Senate majority hinged on four key races in the 2026 midterms, with Democrats winning three seats in Philadelphia suburban districts and one in Monroe County, while Republicans gained one seat in Lancaster County.
- Republicans had held the state Senate majority since 1978, with only a brief tie in 1993 resulting from a party switch by Sen. Frank Pecora, making this recent shift a historic change in Pennsylvania politics.
