Bucks County Senate race draws more than $7 million in spending

Pennsylvania Democrats could gain control of a legislature divided for now

More than $7 million has been spent in the contested Bucks County state Senate district, WHYY’s Carmen Russell-Sluchansky reported. A lot of the money has gone to advertising that criticizes the candidates’ positions on data centers, which she described as a hot-button topic. She described the district as one of perhaps only four toss-up districts, with three in the Philly suburbs.

The district was not attracting much voter attention. At a farmers market in Wrightstown, Russell-Sluchansky met Jerry Scupp, an independent voter in the very contested state Senate district. Russell-Sluchansky said Scupp did not know the candidates, as did a lot of other people. Scupp said, “I have to say that I’m not as tuned in as that.” Several other people told Russell-Sluchansky they planned to vote along party lines. She said the state legislative contests were not on as many people’s radars as congressional races or the governor’s race.

Congressional votes were just over a week away, while more than 6,100 seats in state legislatures were up for election this fall. NPR host Ayesha Rascoe framed the stakes as statehouse elections that could swing the balance of power in state capitals. States make most of the laws on education, taxes, reproductive rights, crime and social media access, among other things.

Pennsylvania’s legislature is divided, and Democrats could take control of it for the first time in more than 30 years, Russell-Sluchansky said. She called the possible shift “a massive difference here.” Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, laid out what he said Democrats would do if they won legislative control and he was reelected: “We’re going to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour in the commonwealth. I’ll tell you what else we’re going to do. We’re going to build more affordable housing and take on those utility companies that keep jacking up our rates here in Pennsylvania.”

Shapiro’s challenger, Republican state treasurer Stacy Garrity, said Shapiro should not blame Republicans for not getting things done already. She said the governor had used the divided legislature as an excuse for inaction. “The governor has consistently said - used the excuse that he can’t do anything because he has a divided legislature. Well, that’s not what real leadership is. Real leadership - they call the leaders to the table, and you negotiate,” Garrity said. Some Republicans Russell-Sluchansky interviewed said they hoped Garrity would be strong enough to protect the down-ballot races even if she did not win the governor’s race.

Across 50 states, Republicans control both chambers in 28, Democrats control 18 legislatures, and a few, including Pennsylvania’s, are divided, Russell-Sluchansky said. Political science professor John Kennedy at Westchester University said the down-ballot races were equally important, if not more so, despite the attention given to Congress and governor. Kennedy said: “The fact of the matter in the day-in, day-out basis is state governments, state lawmakers, state governors have a greater impact on our everyday lives than what takes place in Washington, D.C.”

Russell-Sluchansky traced the shift toward Republican control to the 2010 midterm cycle, when Republicans largely swept state legislatures. She said the results gave them the power to solidify their holds through redistricting.

Democrats are pouring millions and millions of dollars into efforts to flip chambers around the country, especially in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Arizona, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, Russell-Sluchansky said. The strategy is not limited to flipping districts. In North Carolina and Kansas, Democrats are also trying to reduce Republican power or break supermajorities that prevent Democratic governors from vetoing bills, she said.

A national Republican group that works on these races did not respond to a request for comment. Russell-Sluchansky said the group has tried to highlight democratic socialists running in some states and has acknowledged that it is largely playing defense this year.

Across the country, the statehouse contests could decide which party controls each chamber, whether divided legislatures change hands and whether existing supermajorities survive. In Pennsylvania, a Democratic victory could give the party control of a legislature it has not held for more than 30 years.