Lindsay Powell wins Pennsylvania district, keeping Democrats’ control in state House

Democrat Lindsay Powell is projected to win a special election for Pennsylvania’s 21st state House District, according to The Associated Press.

Powell, director of workforce strategies at nonprofit InnovatePGH, won the Allegheny County seat against Republican Erin Connolly Autenreith, a real estate agent and the chair of the Shaler Township Republican Committee.

Powell’s win delivered a boost for Democrats, as Tuesday’s state House special election determined which party would control the lower chamber. The state House was split 101-101 after former state Rep. Sara Innamorato (D) vacated the seat to run for Allegheny County executive.

Though the seat was expected to go for Democrats – the county went for President Biden by 20 points in 2020 and Innamorato won the district with roughly 64 percent of the vote last November – the win was critical for Democrats given that the party only controls the state House while Republicans control the state Senate.

Powell’s win brings Democratic control in the state House back to a 102-101 split.

Democrats celebrated Powell’s win on Tuesday.

“Freedom is on the line in statehouses across the country. Once again, voters rejected Pennsylvania Republicans’ radical policies, and for the fifth time this year, Democrats have won a crucial special election to hold the majority in the Pennsylvania House,” said Heather Williams, the interim president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), in a statement.