Democrats swept into control of both chambers of Congress in yesterday’s midterm elections, flipping Senate seats in seven states and winning more than two dozen House districts. The gains reached deep into Republican territory and reshaped the political landscape for the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term.
Locally, Democrat Janelle Stelson defeated seven-term Republican incumbent Scott Perry in Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District, flipping the Harrisburg-area seat by winning 55 percent of the votes. Stelson, a former television news anchor, had challenged Perry in 2024 and lost by just over one percentage point. apnews.com
The rematch focused on affordability, the cost of living and foreign policy. Perry, a close ally of President Donald Trump, drew scrutiny for his role in efforts to challenge the 2020 election results. Pennsylvania voters also unseated three other Republican incumbents: Brian Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mackenzie, and Rob Bresnahan.
In the Senate, Democrat Adam Hamilton defeated Republican incumbent Roger Marshall in Kansas, where a Democrat had not won a Senate race since 1932. Josh Turek unseated Republican Ashley Hinson in Iowa, a state Trump carried by 13 points in 2024. In Ohio, former Sen. Sherrod Brown defeated Republican incumbent Jon Husted. Democrats also flipped seats in Texas, Maine, North Carolina and South Carolina.
The House victories included upsets in districts Trump had won by double digits. In Indiana’s 5th District, Democrat J.D. Ford defeated Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz in a district Trump carried by nearly 17 percentage points.
Democrats also flipped Republican-held governor’s offices. Keisha Lance Bottoms won in Georgia, Amy Acton in Ohio, Rob Sand in Iowa and Gina Hinojosa in Texas. Hinojosa’s victory made her the first Latina elected governor of Texas; Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor in the country, Reuters reported. AP News
Other notable victories included Democrat Chris Pappas’ win over Republican John Sununu in New Hampshire, keeping the Senate seat in Democratic hands, and Abdul El-Sayed’s defeat of Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan. El-Sayed will become the first Muslim American to serve in the Senate. In governor’s races, Deb Haaland defeated Republican Greggory Hull in New Mexico, becoming the nation’s first Native American governor, while Georgia’s Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor in the United States. New Hampshire Public Radio
The incoming congressional majorities will be able to block legislation and presidential nominees and investigate the administration. The AP reported that voters’ concerns included high prices, the war with Iran and government corruption. Trump congratulated Democrats but said he did not consider the results a judgment on him.
Gettysburg Connection’s Adams County election results show the local results.
Featured image caption: Janelle Stelson speaks at a campaign open house in Adams.