PA Democrats win special election, keep slim majority in State House.

Democrat Heather Boyd Wins Special Election for Pennsylvania House Seat

Exciting news for Democrats as Heather Boyd secures a victory over Republican Katie Ford in the special election for a seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on May 16. Boyd’s win means that Democrats will retain their narrow one-seat majority in the state House.

Boyd’s Background and Campaign

Boyd, a former congressional and state legislative aide, quit her job as a senior adviser to Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Del.) in March to run for the seat. She campaigned heavily on bolstering public education funding and supporting abortion rights, including opposing a referendum on a constitutional amendment that would limit abortion rights in the state.

• Boyd chairs the Upper Darby Democratic Committee
• She supports a woman’s right to make her own healthcare decisions
• She stands up for common sense gun safety laws
• She expands access to voting rights

Biden Endorses Boyd

One day prior to the special election, President Joe Biden made the unusual move of endorsing Boyd, noting that the outcome will determine issues such as abortion rights, gun safety laws, and election legislation across the state—subjects that have consistently divided lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

In a statement, Biden said the outcome of the special election would “determine the future of so many fundamental freedoms that Pennsylvanians hold dear” and called Boyd “an experienced public servant who will protect a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions, stand up for common sense gun safety laws, and expand access to voting rights.”

Ford’s Campaign

Ford, a military veteran, school volunteer, and behavioral therapist, highlighted Zabel’s misconduct and took aim at Boyd for not doing more after learning about the sexual harassment allegations. Boyd had said she respected the lobbyist’s request for confidentiality about her claim. Although she herself is pro-life, Ford had also vowed not to change state law on women’s reproductive rights and said she would vote against advancing the referendum.

Despite Ford’s efforts, Boyd secured a victory with a count of 4,944 to 2,825, according to Politics PA. The Associated Press called the race at about 10:40 p.m.

Boyd’s win gives Democrats 102 seats, the minimum number they need to control the agenda on state policies for issues such as elections, abortion access, and education funding in the 203-member House. The state Senate has a Republican majority.

Proposed constitutional amendments cannot be vetoed by a governor.