Republicans Pickup One More in PA House

Republicans now hold a ten-seat advantage in the state Senate, thanks to Representative David Argall's win in a special election last night. Argall cruised to an easy victory over Democrat Steven Lukach, taking 62.4% of the vote. Argall will fill the seat of longtime Republican Senator James Rhoades, who was killed in a car crash this fall before posthumously winning another term. Senate Republican spokesman Erik Arneson says the victory, which gives the GOP thirty seats in the chamber, is a sign the party can still compete in Pennsylvania. He says, “Certainly right now in most states, and particularly in the northeast-nearly every state in the northeast-Democrats are at a high-water mark. And here in Pennsylvania, in the Senate, we've been able to buck that trend by focusing on a legislative agenda that resonates with ordinary citizens.” Arneson says election results need to be certified before Argall is sworn in, so he likely won't officially represent the 29th District until late March or early April. The 29th covers all of Schuylkill County, as well as portions of Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe and Northampton.