“I’m very excited and really, really happy that all the work we put in has paid off,” Malone told WGAL-TV.
“Everyday voters are not liking what they’re seeing at the federal level, they don’t like the chaos. We want to be sure that we, as Pennsylvania, are standing up for our neighbours and are standing up for our state.”“And, brotherly love is Pennsylvania, and that just proved out. Kindness over criticism, right? So that’s what we’re trying to do, and I think that that really is what we’re looking at moving forward,” Malone added.
The win comes at a critical moment for Democrats in Pennsylvania, a key swing state that backed Joe Biden in 2020 before narrowly flipping to Trump in 2024. While the state has a Democratic governor, Josh Shapiro, its political landscape remains unpredictable and essential to the party’s hopes of reclaiming the White House in 2028.
Malone’s victory was one of two major Democratic wins in Pennsylvania on Tuesday (March 25), with Dan Goughnour also securing a House seat — allowing Democrats to maintain their fragile control of the state House.
“It’s only March, and Democrats have defied the odds again with another upset victory in Republican territory,” said Heather Williams, President of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.“Democrats are on a roll in state legislative races in 2025, from flipping red seats to defending one-seat majorities, which should put Republicans on edge. Both wins affirm Democratic leadership in a moment when GOP power is synonymous with chaos.”
The win comes against the backdrop of deepening tensions within the Democratic Party. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has faced backlash over his decision to support a Republican-backed funding Bill to prevent a government shutdown. His move angered progressive Democrats, with some lawmakers, including Glenn Ivey and Delia Ramirez, calling for his resignation.
Schumer, however, remains defiant. “I’m not stepping down,” he told NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who recently launched a “fighting oligarchy” tour with Senator Bernie Sanders, has also criticised Schumer’s approach, accusing him of capitulating to Republican interests.
“There are members of Congress who have won Trump-held districts in some of the most difficult territory in the United States who walked the plank and took innumerable risks in order to defend the American people,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
“Just to see Senate Democrats even consider acquiescing to Elon Musk, I think, is a huge slap in the face.”
With Pennsylvania once again proving to be a battleground, Democrats are hoping Malone’s unexpected win signals a larger trend heading into future elections.
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