Pennsylvania primary night
Democratic voters headed to the polls Tuesday, May 18, to choose nominees for U.S. House seats, the governor’s office and the state legislature. Polls closed at 8 p.m. ET, and the Associated Press began posting results a minute later, with about 91 % of votes counted by 2 a.m. ET.
Four Republican incumbents—Brian Fitzpatrick in the 1st District, Ryan Mackenzie in the 7th, Rob Bresnahan in the 8th and Scott Perry in the 10th—face no challengers in their GOP primaries. That leaves the Democratic primary field as the decisive battleground for each seat.
Governor Josh Shapiro, seeking a second term, has thrown his weight behind the Democratic challengers. He endorsed Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie for the 1st District, retired firefighter Bob Brooks for the 7th, former TV news anchor Janelle Stelson for the 10th and Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti for the 8th.
Statewide voter registration figures show nearly nine million eligible voters, with Democrats holding a slight edge—3.8 million registered Democrats versus 3.6 million Republicans and about 1.2 million unaffiliated voters. Early‑vote totals already reflect strong participation: roughly 385,000 Democratic ballots and 129,000 Republican ballots have been cast, amounting to about 45 % of the Democratic primary vote and 17 % of the Republican primary vote.
The primary also decides the lieutenant‑governor ticket, all state Senate seats and every state House seat. As the primaries unfold, the race for control of the U.S. House hinges on whether Democrats can win the four contested districts, a outcome that could shift the balance of power in Congress.