Bellevue Strategies 2026 Midterm Election Results: National and Pennsylvania Overview
National Election Overview
The midterm elections produced a significant Democratic wave, with Democrats making substantial gains in Congress, flipping several Republican-held governorships, and expanding their influence in state legislatures. The results represent a major political setback for President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans, with Democrats positioned to regain control of both chambers of Congress.
Congressional control: Democrats have won control of both the U.S. House and Senate. The Associated Press-based results reported Wednesday morning showed Democrats with 54 Senate seats, including two independents who caucus with them, and 228 House seats. However, numerous races remained uncalled, and the reported totals should be treated as preliminary.
Pennsylvania Election Results
Pennsylvania was one of the most consequential states in the midterm election, with competitive races for governor, control of the General Assembly, and several closely watched congressional seats. Democrats entered Election Day hoping to build on their narrow majority in the state House, flip the Republican-controlled state Senate, and help deliver control of Congress. The results delivered substantial Democratic gains, particularly in the congressional delegation.
Pennsylvania General Assembly
The midterm election produced a major shift in the balance of power in Harrisburg, with Democrats expanding their majority in the Pennsylvania House and taking control of the State Senate. Combined with Gov. Josh Shapiro's reelection, the results secured Democrats unified control of state government for the first time since 1993.
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Democrats successfully retained control of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and expanded their majority beyond the 103-100 margin they held heading into Election Day. According to preliminary Associated Press results; Democrats had secured at least 111 seats compared with 88 for Republicans, with four races still uncalled as of the latest available statewide results.
Democrats flipped at least five Republican-held seats, including several competitive districts in the Philadelphia suburbs and southeastern Pennsylvania. Notable victories included:
18th District (Bucks County): Democrat Bryan Allen defeated Republican incumbent Kathleen "K.C." Tomlinson, flipping the Bucks County-area seat.
44th District (Allegheny County): Democrat Hadley Haas defeated Republican incumbent Valerie Gaydos.
137th District (Northampton County): Democrat Jeff Warren defeated Republican Joe Emrick, flipping another Republican-held seat.
142nd District (Bucks County): Democrat Kristin Egan defeated Republican incumbent Joe Hogan.
160th District (Chester and Delaware Counties): Democrat Elizabeth Moro defeated Republican incumbent Craig Williams.
The expanded majority gives House Democrats additional leverage in budget negotiations and legislative priorities. It also strengthens the governor's position as he enters his second term, particularly on issues where the Democratic House and Republican Senate have previously been divided.
Pennsylvania Senate
The Pennsylvania State Senate is shaping up to be the most consequential legislative outcome of the election. Republicans entered Election Day with a 27-23 majority, but Democrats made significant gains, bringing the chamber to an apparent 26-24.
Democrats have secured four notable Republican-held seats:
6th District (Bucks County): Democrat Eileen Hartnett Albillar defeated Republican incumbent Frank Farry, flipping a seat Republicans had held for more than three decades.
16th District (Bucks and Lehigh counties): Democrat Mark Pinsley held a narrow lead over Republican incumbent Jarrett Coleman. The Pinsley win determined a Democrat majority.
24th District (Berks and Montgomery counties): Democrat Chris Thomas defeated Republican incumbent Tracy Pennycuick, delivering another important Democratic pickup.
36th District (Lancaster County): Republican Tom Jones defeated Democratic incumbent James Malone offsetting some of the Democrats' gains.
40th District (Lackawanna, Monroe and Wayne counties): Democrat Brian Wrightson defeated Republican incumbent Rosemary Brown in another closely watched contest.
Democratic leaders have declared victory and are claiming control of the chamber, this delivers a legislative trifecta alongside Shapiro's reelection and the expanded House majority.
Governor: Josh Shapiro Wins Reelection Decisively
Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro won reelection to a second term, defeating Republican challenger and State Treasurer Stacy Garrity by a substantial margin. Current results show Shapiro with approximately 60.3% of the vote to Garrity's 38.4%, with 98% of the expected vote reported.
Following his reelection, Governor Josh Shapiro outlined an ambitious agenda for the first 100 days of his second term, identifying several policy priorities for the administration and General Assembly. His agenda includes securing additional funding for mass transit, raising Pennsylvania’s minimum wage, expanding the state’s housing supply, protecting abortion rights, and establishing a lookback window allowing survivors of child sexual abuse to file civil lawsuits.
Gubernatorial races: five states flip blue
Democrats flipped five Republican-held governorships so far, marking a significant expansion of the party's influence at the state level. Some of the victories included:
Georgia: Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms defeated Rick Jackson, giving the state its first Democratic governor since 2000.
Iowa: Democrat candidate Rob Sand defeated Republican Zach Lahn, flipping the governor seat.
Ohio: Democrat Amy Acton defeated Vivek Ramaswamy, returning the governor's office to Democratic control for the first time since 2010.
Texas: Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated Greg Abbott, becoming the state's first Democratic governor in more than 30 years.
With these wins, Democrats moved ahead of Republicans in the overall number of governorships nationwide with 28 Democrats and 20 Governors. There are still a few races to be called.
U.S. House of Representatives: Major Democratic gains in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's congressional races were among the biggest Democratic successes of the night. Democrats flipped four Republican-held congressional districts, defeating several incumbent Republicans and strengthening the party's path to a majority in the U.S. House.
1st Congressional District (Bucks and Montgomery Counties): Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie defeated five-term Republican incumbent Brian Fitzpatrick. The race was particularly significant given Fitzpatrick's history of winning in a competitive suburban district and his reputation as a more moderate Republican. Harvie's victory represents a major Democratic pickup in the Philadelphia suburbs.
3rd Congressional District (Philadelphia County): Democrat Chris Rabb won the open 3rd Congressional District seat, succeeding retiring U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans. Rabb's victory is notable as he becomes the first Democratic Socialist to represent Philadelphia in Congress. This was a Democratic-held seat that remained in Democratic hands.
7th Congressional District (Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton Counties, and parts of Monroe County).: Democrat Bob Brooks defeated Republican incumbent Ryan Mackenzie in the Lehigh Valley. Mackenzie had won the seat in 2024 against incumbent Democrat Susan Wild, and Democrats successfully reclaimed the district in a closely watched contest.
8th Congressional District (Wayne, Pike, and Lackawanna Counties): Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti defeated Republican incumbent Rob Bresnahan in northeastern Pennsylvania. The result flipped another competitive district that Republicans had gained in the 2024 election when Bresnahan unseated Matt Cartwright. This represents an important Democratic victory in the Scranton and Wilkes-Barre region.
10th Congressional District (Dauphin County, parts of Cumberland County, and York County): Former television news anchor Janelle Stelson defeated Republican incumbent Scott Perry in central Pennsylvania. Stelson previously challenged Perry in 2024, narrowly losing that contest. Her victory marks a significant turnaround for Democrats in a district that has been a Republican stronghold.
U.S. Senate: Democrats regain control
Democrats secured control of the U.S. Senate after flipping several Republican-held seats. The most consequential victories included:
Iowa: Democrat Josh Turek had a victory in a Republican-held seat defeating Ashley Hinson.
Kansas: Democrat Adam Hamilton defeated incumbent Republican Senator Roger Marshall, delivering a particularly notable upset in a state that had not elected a Democratic senator in 94 years.
Maine: Democrat Troy Jackson defeated longtime Republican Senator Susan Collins.
Michigan: Democrat Abdul El-Sayed flipped a Republican-held Senate seat defeating Mike Rogers.
North Carolina: Democrat Roy Cooper flipped a Republican-held seat defeating Michael Whatley.
Ohio: Democrat Sherrod Brown flipped a Republican-held Senate seat held by Jon Husted.
South Carolina: Democrat Annie Andrews secured a Republican-held seat held by Darline Graham.
Texas: Democrat James Talarico flipped a Republican-held Senate seat defeating Ken Paxton.
These gains helped Democrats secure a Senate majority for the first time since January 2025. The results are especially notable given the number of traditionally Republican states where Democratic candidates prevailed.
A Note On New Jersey:
New Jersey House of Representatives: Democrats Flip Two House Seats:
Democrats flipped two New Jersey House seats, leaving Rep. Chris Smith as the state’s only Republican in Congress.
7th District (Hunterdon, Warren, parts of Union, Somerset, Morris, and Sussex Counties): Democrat Rebecca Bennett defeated Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr.
2nd District (Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, and Salem Counties): Democrat Cape May Mayor Zack Mullock defeated four-term Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew.
The delegation moves from a 9-3 Democratic to 11-1, matching the split Democrats reached after the 2018 election.