Midterm election wrap-up

Here’s a quick summary of the changes in Pennsylvania politics.

A pin-dotted map of Pennsylvania is seen in Harrisburg, Pa., Thursday, May 26, 2005, showing the breadth of school districts opposition to the Act 72 property-tax relief program. Red pins sweep the state, denoting districts whose boards refuse to participate in the program. Blue pins denote where boards have opted in. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

A pin-dotted map of Pennsylvania is seen in Harrisburg, Pa., Thursday, May 26, 2005, showing the breadth of school districts’ opposition to the Act 72 property-tax relief program. Red pins sweep the state, denoting districts whose boards refuse to participate in the program. Blue pins denote where boards have opted in. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

TOWAMENCIN – The 2018 midterm elections took place on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, ending a long battle that both parties have been fighting since the 2016 presidential election.

Although the Texas Senate race and Florida and Georgia gubernatorial races were some of the most talked about, there were plenty of local races that made headlines, and in some cases, history.  Let’s delve into the results.

Current Democratic Governor Tom Wolf easily triumphed over Republican challenger Scott Wagner. https://www.ydr.com/story/news/politics/elections/2018/11/06/2018-pennsylvania-governor-race-results-tom-wolf-democrat-scott-wagner-republican-york-county-winner/1852874002/

Incumbent Senator Bob Casey came out on top over Republican Lou Barletta; he’ll serve another six year term in the US Senate. https://www.mcall.com/news/elections/mc-nws-pa-election-senate-casey-barletta-20181106-story.html

First time candidate Maria Collett won against Republican Stewart Greenleaf Jr. to become the first Democratic state senator in Pennsylvania’s 12th District in 40 years. https://patch.com/pennsylvania/lansdale/real-time-results-collett-vs-greenleaf-pa-senate-12th-district

Republican Brian Fitzpatrick defeated Democrat Scott Wallace for the U.S. House of Representatives in Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District. https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/pennsylvania-house-district-1

Democrat Madeline Dean easily defeated Republican Dan David for the U.S. House of Representatives in Pennsylvania’s newly formed 4th Congressional District.  https://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/madeline-dean-dan-david-4th-congressional-district

Democrat Chrissy Houlahan easily won against her Republican opponent Greg McCauley to flip the formerly red 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. https://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/chrissy-houlahan-greg-mccauley-6th-congressional-district

Democrat Mary Gay Scanlon beat Republican Pearl Kim in Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional  District, becoming Delaware County’s first Congresswoman. She’ll represent the district in the U.S. House of Representatives. https://www.delcotimes.com/news/local/scanlon-makes-history-as-delco-s-first-congresswoman/article_c654205a-e211-11e8-84bb-6b17492a661a.html

Republican Marty Nothstein lost by 10 points to Democrat Susan Wild in Pennsylvania’s 7th District for the U.S. House of Representatives. https://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-nws-lehigh-valley-election-night-roundup-20181106-story.html

First time candidate Liz Hanbidge ousted Republican Kate Harper. She will represent Pennsylvania’s 61st District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.  http://www.montgomerynews.com/amblergazette/news/election-hanbidge-ousts-incumbent-harper-in-st-district/article_eab7ff38-e249-11e8-942c-537f37847241.html

Republican Todd Stephens narrowly held on to Pennsylvania’s 151st District, beating political newcomer Sara Johnson Rothman for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. http://www.montgomerynews.com/amblergazette/news/election-stephens-holds-onto-st-narrowly-gets-past-rothman/article_de4fdf34-e246-11e8-b459-af94db682251.html

Democrat Steve Malagari won Pennsylvania’s 53rd District for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, which had been controlled by the GOP since 1972. https://patch.com/pennsylvania/lansdale/real-time-results-malagari-szekely-waldenberger-pa-house-53

Dean, Scanlon, Wild, and Houlahan are the largest group of women Pennsylvania has ever sent to the US House of Representatives in Washington; they’ll provide some diversity to the current – and entirely male – PA congressional delegation.