If Pennsylvania’s famous groundhog dabbled in politics, he might predict two years of gridlock in the state Legislature now that Democrats control the House and Republicans control the Senate under Democrat Gov. Josh Shapiro.
As expected, three Democrat state representatives were elected in special elections Tuesday, in solidly Democrat districts. This ends the tug-of-war over party control in the House that has been in play since the November election.
After the election, the House had 101 Republican and 102 Democrat seats, a thin Democrat majority that was met with enthusiasm from the party that had been stuck in the minority since 2011.
But one Democrat seat was empty because longtime Democrat Rep. Anthony M. “Tony” DeLuca died after the ballots were printed. Voters chose him posthumously. And two other seats were immediately vacated by candidates who ran for two offices and left their House seats for higher offices. Former state Rep. Austin Davis is now the lieutenant governor and former state Rep. Summer Lee is in Congress….