The Pennsylvania Capitol on Monday, March 6, 2023. (Capital-Star file photo)
Democratic incumbents prevailed in eight state House races where the conservative political action committee backed largely by billionaire Jeff Yass spent nearly $4.4 million to support Republican challengers, campaign finance records show.
The wins came at a cost of nearly $8 million in combined spending by the Democratic candidates and Democratic organizations, according to the records submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of State.
But they preserved the narrow Democratic majority in the House amid a wave of Republican victories elsewhere in Pennsylvania.
Commonwealth Leaders Fund, which receives most of its money from Yass by way of two other committees, targeted state House races in rural and suburban areas where the Democratic incumbents were potentially vulnerable.
The PAC spent nearly $19 million in Pennsylvania races this cycle, including $10 million in in-kind spending to support Republican Attorney General-elect Dave Sunday. Campaign finance records show the House candidates Commonwealth Leaders Fund backed spent as little as $2,670 that was raised directly by the candidates’ committee, but none spent more than about $140,000.