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HARRISBURG — Democrats will retain their majority in the Pennsylvania state House after winning two Philadelphia special elections Tuesday, according to unofficial returns.
The results were never in question. Both candidates were unopposed, and both districts have historically backed Democrats by wide margins.
Andre Carroll, a 33-year-old former political staffer, won in North Philadelphia’s 201st District, which is primarily made up of Germantown; Keith Harris, a 63-year-old Democratic ward leader and anti-graffiti activist, won in the 195th, which stretches from Fairmount to Strawberry Mansion.
Despite the lack of competition, the wins are significant: For the fifth time this session, Democrats have held on to their one-vote majority in the state House. This gives them control of the lower chamber’s agenda for the final weeks of session.