GOP expected to keep control of Pa. Senate, House

HARRISBURG - Although 228 legislative seats were up for grabs in Pennsylvania in Tuesday's election, Republicans were expected to maintain control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Most of the races for the 203 seats in the House, as well as 25 in the 50-member Senate, featured contests this year - some fevered - as Democrats tried to chip away at the comfortable majorities the GOP holds in both chambers.

As of late Tuesday, it appeared that most Philadelphia-area incumbents were headed toward reelection.

One thing was certain: The House will get its first openly gay legislator in Philadelphia lawyer Brian Sims, who in the spring primary beat longtime incumbent Babette Josephs (D., Phila.) and was running unopposed.

In the Philadelphia suburbs, this year's election featured battles for House seats that Republicans snatched from Democrats in 2010.

House Democrats hope they will have a net gain of two or three seats, said Rep. Brendan Boyle, who heads up the House Democratic Campaign Committee.

In Chester County, Republican Rep. Warren Kampf was still locked in what appeared to be a neck-and-neck race with Democratic challenger Paul Drucker, with 62 percent of precincts reporting as of 11 p.m. Drucker was one of the Democrats ushered out in 2010 and was trying to reclaim his old seat from Kampf.

Also in Chester County, Republican State Rep. Dan Truitt appeared to be warding off Democrat Bret Binder, as was freshman GOP Rep. John A. Lawrence, who was being challenged by Democrat Eric Schott.

In Montgomery County, another Republican freshman, Rep. Todd Stephens, was facing off against Democrat Will Sylianteng, but appeared to be comfortably in the lead, with 60 percent of the precincts there reporting.

But in what could be an unexpected upset there, Republican Rep. Tom Quigley was locked in a tight race with Democratic challenger Mark Painter.

In Delaware County, Republican Rep. Joe Hackett appeared to be handily fending off a challenge by Democrat Larry DeMarco, while longtime Republican Rep. Nick Micozzie was still in a heated battle with Democrat Sheamus Bonner.

Rep. Thaddeus Kirkland (D., Delaware), in a tough race with his Republican challenger, Marcus Hook Mayor Jay Schiliro, was well in the lead.

Meanwhile, in Bucks County, Republicans had placed a bull's-eye on Democratic State Rep. Steve Santarsiero of Bucks County, who was being challenged by Republican Anne Chapman. Santarsiero appeared to be handily beating back the challenge.

On the Senate side, Democrats picked up three seats, narrowing the GOP's majority to 27-23. The competitive contests were largely in the central and western parts of the state, with incumbents in the southeast - such as Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R., Delaware) - appearing to be easily beating back challenges, according to unofficial results. Challenging Pileggi was Democrat Patricia Worrell, the small-business owner who heads the city of Chester's zoning board.

Republicans have controlled the state Senate for almost three decades and held a 29-20 edge in seats.