Pennsylvania Democrats Maintain House Majority and Abortion Rights

Democrats maintain their narrow Pennsylvania House majority by winning a special election, giving them control over how the chamber will handle abortion, gun rights, and election law legislation. Heather Boyd won the seat in the Philadelphia suburbs, beating Republican Katie Ford for a vacancy created by the resignation of Democratic Rep. Mike Zabel. Boyd's win gives Democrats 102 seats, the minimum needed to control the agenda in the 203-member House. The result could also affect a proposed constitutional amendment limiting abortion rights that legislative Republicans are one House floor vote away from putting before voters as a referendum.