HARRISBURG, Pa. — On Friday, Democrats successfully maintained their majority in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives by securing a win in a Johnstown area district. This victory provided them with the necessary votes to uphold the speakership and control the legislative agenda of the chamber.

Incumbent Representative Frank Burns emerged victorious in the final House race of the election cycle, defeating Republican challenger Amy Bradley, who serves as the chief executive of the Cambria Regional Chamber of Commerce and has a background in television news. With this win, Democrats now hold a narrow 102-101 advantage, thwarting Republican aspirations of regaining control after two years in the minority.

Heather Williams, president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, emphasized that retaining the House majority was a significant military endeavor for the party this cycle and highlighted the importance of acting as a “critical check on Republican extremism.”

Frank Burns, a moderate Democrat, is known for his support of gun rights and opposition to abortion, which has led him to sometimes vote against his fellow party members. He has been a target for Republican campaigns for several years, especially as many neighboring districts in western Pennsylvania have shifted toward the GOP. The district he represents includes Johnstown and encompasses a large portion of Cambria County.

While Burns’ win brings some relief to Democrats amidst a largely successful election year for the Republican Party in Pennsylvania—where former President Donald Trump won, along with Dave McCormick defeating Democratic U.S. Senator Bob Casey, two Democratic congressional seats flipping, and Republican candidates winning all three state row offices—there remains a challenging political landscape for the party.

In the state Senate, where half of the 50 seats were contested, both parties managed to flip one seat each, leaving the chamber’s Republican majority intact at 28-22 for the 2023-24 session.