Democrat Jim Prokopiak won handily over Republican Candace Cabanas in the special election for the 140th District in Lower Bucks County.
The election was called to replace former state Rep. John Galloway. Voters elected Galloway, a Democrat, to be a magistrate judge in November.
The weather may have played a role in voter turnout. Voters awoke to a winter snowstorm that dropped three inches during the morning. The snow stopped around 11 a.m. and the plows cleared the streets quickly but turnout was light at 23 percent. The 140th District includes Morrisville Borough, Tullytown Borough, Falls Township, and part of Middletown Township.
Unofficial results with 100 percent of precincts reporting showed Prokopiak at 67 percent and Cabanas at 23 percent. The district leans Democrat.
Prokopiak, a Pennsbury School Board member and former Falls Township supervisor, is a lawyer. Cabanas has worked in the hospitality industry and in healthcare.
Galloway’s resignation tied the House at 101-101. But with the resignation of Republican Rep. Joe Adams, who represented Adams and Pike Counties, on Friday, Democrats have a 101 to 100 majority. House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D-Delaware/Philadelphia) scheduled a special election for that seat on April 23, the same day as the primary.
Prokopiak was a Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee Spotlight Candidate, a designation that came with a $50,000 donation to the state House Democratic Caucus. He also received endorsements from abortion rights and environmental groups. Also, Eric Holder, who served as former President Obama’s Attorney General and is now involved in an organization that pushes for redistricting, endorsed Prokopiak.
Cabanas thanked the voters “for coming out in snowy conditions and biting cold winds to vote. My deepest thanks to those who entrusted me with your votes.” She also congratulated Prokopiak and wished him well.
Two candidates are vying on Tuesday to represent the 140th District in Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives. Democrat Jim Prokopiak and Republican Candace Cabanas are squaring off in a special election triggered by the resignation of John Galloway, a longtime Democratic representative who voters elected as a magistrate judge last November.
Galloway’s resignation tied the House at 101-101. But with the resignation of Republican Rep. Joe Adams, who represented Adams and Pike Counties, on Friday, Democrats have a 101 to 100 majority. House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D-Delaware/Philadelphia) scheduled a special election for that seat on April 23, the same day as the primary.
The Republican and Democratic Bucks County committees then met and voted on their endorsed candidates. Whoever is selected must run again in the April 23 primary and in November to hold on to the seat.
Prokopiak is currently serving on the Pennsbury School Board. A former Falls Township supervisor, he is a lawyer.
Jim Prokopiak
“I’m running because for too many people that live in Lower Bucks County, the American Dream seems to get farther and farther away,” said Prokopiak. “You know, the cost of putting a roof over their head, paying their bills, taking care of their children’s education while trying to save for retirement and have health care. It’s a heavy burden and I think we need to do better, and I think we need to start in Harrisburg with that.”
Prokopiak is married with three children.
Cabanas, who has worked in health care and the hospitality industry, said, “I’m running because I understand firsthand the challenges faced by working families,” said Cabanas. “I know how difficult it is to raise a family and make ends meet in this economy, and I know how important it is to fight for the working-class citizens of Lower Bucks County. That’s exactly what I’ll do as your next state representative.
“In Harrisburg, I will be a vocal supporter of our police, firefighters, and first responders. Their daily sacrifices to keep our families safe are invaluable, and they deserve unwavering support and recognition for their heroic efforts.
“Drawing from my experience in home healthcare, I understand the burdens of rising healthcare costs on families. My goal is to fight for policies that make quality healthcare accessible and affordable for every Pennsylvanian,” she said.
Cabanas is also married with three children.
The race has drawn the interest of national and statewide groups. Prokopiak has garnered endorsements from abortion rights and environmental groups and Eric Holder, the former attorney general under President Barack Obama, who is now involved in nationwide redistricting efforts. Prokopiak is a Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee Spotlight Candidate, a designation that came with a $50,000 donation to the state House Democratic Caucus.
While the Democrats hold a registration edge in the district, both parties hope to get their voters out in the face of a predicted winter storm. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. The 140th District includes Morrisville Borough, Tullytown Borough, Falls Township, and part of Middletown Township.
The trade association represents more than a half million employees on “our shop floors and millions of additional jobs throughout our supply chain and distribution networks,” said Executive Director Carl Marrara. Statewide, it represents the $101.95 billion manufacturing sector in public policy.
At a Wednesday press conference, Marrara said his organization favors pro-growth economic policies that “reduce the baseline costs of creating and keeping jobs in our commonwealth.”
“Job creators in the 140th District need reliable and affordable access to energy, sensible and predictable taxation, and a prepared and available workforce to be competitive, to drive down inflationary forces, and to attract new business investment to our commonwealth.”
The Democrat-controlled House “has failed to govern on these important issues,” said Marrara.
The state’s growth is stagnant, and many studies and reports rank Pennsylvania near the bottom when it comes to taxation and regulation. But its location is desirable, the workforce has a “can-do attitude,” there are many educational institutions, and “an abundance of natural resources.”
Cabanas will focus on pro-growth policies, he said.
“She’ll be the friend job creators in this district need,” he said.
Cabanas said she would also be the listening ear in Harrisburg that residents need. She pointed to all the problems facing the U.S. under President Joe Biden, including inflation, the border crisis, and homelessness.
“Even Gov. (Josh) Shapiro has recognized businesses are struggling to stay in Pennsylvania under a tax program that’s not competitive with neighboring states,” Cabanas said. “This, in turn, creates an out-migration of businesses and working-age residents that is impacting our struggling communities.”
“To add to that struggle, Pennsbury School Board directors decided we need a new school,” said Cabanas, a mother who has worked in health care and the restaurant industry. “And they’re passing that burden off to the taxpayers here. We now have a 4.1 percent tax increase.
“I want our education assets being used to the greatest advantage of our students,” she added. She wants to see better coordination between the school district, workforce training, and technical schools. She also favors school choice.
“We have to get creative,” she said. “We have to have a better budget. No one bails the average citizen out. And I want to speak up for that citizen who is struggling to keep their gas tank full and to keep meals on the table for their family.”
PMA donated $2,500 to Cabanas’ campaign, said Marrara, who noted the Lower Bucks County area was founded on manufacturing. A Google search showed at least 35 manufacturers in Falls Township alone.
PMA endorses around a dozen candidates in each election cycle, he said.
Jim Thompson, a retired union carpenter who has lived in Falls Township for 70 years, was at Puss N Boots in Fairless Hills to support Cabanas.
“I hate politics,” said Thompson. “But I’m not happy with what’s going on. I blame Doylestown (county government). Maybe the corruption has always been there, but to me, it’s stinking.”
State Reps. Kristin Marcell (R-Richboro) and Joe Hogan (R-Feasterville) came out to support Cabanas as well.
The race for the 140th, which includes Falls Township and part of Middletown Township, is being widely watched because the House is now tied 101-101. A vacancy arose when former Rep. John Galloway (D-Levittown) was elected as a district justice in November.
Democrat Jim Prokopiak, a lawyer, Pennsbury school board member, and former Falls Township supervisor, is Cabanas’ opponent in the Feb. 13 special election. The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee named Prokopiak its first “spotlight candidate of 2024” and donated $50,000 to the House Democratic Caucus. A chunk of that money will likely bolster Prokopiak’s campaign.
Although the district leans Democrat, Cabanas said she’s been working hard to convince voters to vote for her and knocking on doors to meet people. She said many Democrats and independents she has talked to are fed up with Biden’s policies and are ready to vote Republican.
Cabanas said, “I ask that you trust me to speak up for those residents’ concerns down here and work hard to find the right solution. I pledge to do everything in my power to represent our working-class values and make middle-class priorities front and center as I represent the community in Harrisburg.”
The Bucks County Election Board, chaired by Commissioner Bob Harvie (D), voted on Jan. 25 to change six polling places for the Feb. 13 special election for the 140th state House seat.
“The county commissioners changed several Middletown poll locations on Jan. 25, 2024. We are having to scramble to contact Middletown residents. I only found out about it (Sunday) through a volunteer who was contacted by a resident,” Cabanas told DVJournal.
Civil rights advocates sometimes view last-second changes to polling locations or election policies as a form of voter suppression.
“Anything that disrupts voter habits will diminish turnout,” Donald P. Green, a professor of political science at Columbia University, told The New York Times. “Changes about location and day and format all have a disruptive effect.”
During the election board meeting, Harvie said some polling sites were moved back to their original locations in Neshaminy School District schools after the county promised the district additional security. Harvie did not specify the reasons for the other changes. And county spokesman James O’Malley did not respond when asked why the campaigns were not notified about the changes.
The special election will tip the balance of the state House, which is now tied at 101 Democrats to 101 Republicans. It was called because John Galloway, the former longtime state representative, was elected to a district justice seat and stepped down.
Prokopiak, a lawyer, is a Pennsbury School Board member and former Falls Township supervisor.
“I’m running because for too many people who live in Lower Bucks County, the American Dream seems to get farther and farther away,” he said. “You know, the cost of putting a roof over their head, paying their bills, taking care of their children’s education while trying to save for retirement and have health care. It’s a heavy burden and I think we need to do better, and I think we need to start in Harrisburg with that.”
Cabanas, a first-time candidate, is a Falls Township native who has worked in health care and the restaurant industry.
“I’m running because I understand firsthand the challenges faced by working families,” said Cabanas. “I know how difficult it is to raise a family and make ends meet in this economy, and I know how important it is to fight for the working-class citizens of Lower Bucks County. That’s exactly what I’ll do as your next state representative.
“In Harrisburg, I will be a vocal supporter of our police, firefighters, and first responders,” she said. “Their daily sacrifices to keep our families safe are invaluable, and they deserve unwavering support and recognition for their heroic efforts.”
She told DVJournal in a podcast that she is a working-class person. Prokopiak has also been invited to be a DVJ podcast guest.
Although the district leans Democratic, the key to winning will be turnout.
Just weeks before the special election, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee sent $50,000 to the House Democratic Caucus. The DLCC also named Prokopiak its first “spotlight candidate” for 2024.
I have often referred to the North Penn School District Board of Directors as a political monopoly because its reckless decisions go unchecked. Case in point, six years of absolute control has manifested into four dissenting votes.
On January 16, this monopoly will continue to play “D.C. Style Politics” by providing the community with what it calls OPTION 1 or OPTION 2. Ask yourself this question: How can elected officials claim to provide their community members with options when they have consistently provided the taxpayer with their opinions on how the taxpayer should vote?
This unchecked political monopoly, which has lost my trust due to its actions, is now responsible for a sorely needed “Once-in-a-lifetime high school renovation” that will impact our community and its most precious resource – our children for decades.
Here are some examples … and some conflicts of interest that are undeniable.
The NPSD BODs has accepted thousands of dollars of political donations from the same architect – The Schrader Group, which provided the only bid for what is soon to be a high school renovation project that, regardless of option, will cost the community a minimum of hundreds of millions, of your tax dollars.
The NPSD BODs hired D’Huy Engineering as the construction manager for the High School renovation project. The BODs hired a “referendum consultant/specialist” employed by the same D’Huy Engineering. Ask yourself this question … why not hire a consultant with no vested interest in providing a recommendation? My answer is simple: hiring anyone outside their “circle of trust” is not how monopolies remain intact.
Now, allow me to get to the real point as to why political monopolies are so ineffective and dangerous.
The NPSD BODs has told the public board meeting after meeting that high school renovations are needed only to spend millions of dollars on Crawford Stadium and a health care clinic before addressing this “once in a lifetime project.” This political monopoly then sells this concept to the community by showing pictures of deteriorating electrical units (keep in mind that they allowed this to happen), cramped spaces, and testimonials from students who want a brand new school while also providing its opinion why the 9th graders must be moved to the high school.
Then, using the one architectural bid provided, it “sells” the community that an “open-air design” is necessary to foster “better academics.” Are they serious? A few months ago, taxpayers were told by a BOD that the undeniable decline in academics at North Penn was due to “algorithms with the data!” I believe the root cause of the undeniable decline in academics is failed policies and the simple fact that educators need more people to support them instead of more politically driven administrators who report on them.
But truth be told, the BODs never needed to convince the community that renovations were needed. While I share the same opinion that the 9th graders should be included in the high school … the community should be outraged that this ignominious BODs has put the interests of our students, athletes, and educators out to vote on January 16 because they want “open spaces.”
While this BODs, its superintendent, and its CFO have repeatedly stated that “You (the taxpayer) have the choice” in voting Option 1 or Option 2 and that they want the community to be “involved,” – it is my opinion that how this BODs took to get to this “once in a lifetime” renovation is filled with either unethical motives or terrible leadership.
Candidly, it doesn’t matter how I vote on January 16 because Option 1 will pass for the same reason why I was defeated on November 7 when I attempted to break up this monopoly. The NPSD political monopoly is funded by its contractors and the mighty teachers’ union that endorses candidates regardless of what results or decisions they make for our students and the community.
Lastly, it is also my opinion that this “special election” is a waste of taxpayer money, but if you follow the money, you will eventually get to the truth.
The Bucks County Republican Executive Committee kast Thursday nominated Falls Township resident Candace Cabanas as the Republican candidate in the special election in the 140th Legislative District.
That seat is open because former Rep. John Galloway (D-Levittown) was elected as a district justice and resigned last week. His departure leaves the House evenly split between the parties until a special election can be held on February 13, 2024.
“We are proud to nominate Candace as the Republican candidate in this critical election,” said Bucks County GOP Chair Pat Poprik. “Candace shares the values of the working families in this community, understands their needs, and is ready on day one to be a fighter for their priorities.”
“I’m running because I understand firsthand the challenges faced by working families,” said Cabanas. “I know how difficult it is to raise a family and make ends meet in this economy, and I know how important it is to fight for the working-class citizens of Lower Bucks County. That’s exactly what I’ll do as your next state representative.
“In Harrisburg, I will be a vocal supporter of our police, firefighters, and first responders. Their daily sacrifices to keep our families safe are invaluable, and they deserve unwavering support and recognition for their heroic efforts.
“Drawing from my experience in home healthcare, I understand the burdens of rising healthcare costs on families. My goal is to fight for policies that make quality healthcare accessible and affordable for every Pennsylvanian.
“Finally, I believe that every student is entitled to a high-quality education that equips them for a rapidly changing economy. I am dedicated to securing our community’s rightful share of education funding, giving our students the tools they need for future success,” Cabanas concluded.
Under the Bucks County Republican Committee’s bylaws, the more than 100 Executive Committee members vote to nominate a candidate for a special election. They represent the Republican committeemen and committeewomen from across Bucks County.
Although former Falls Township Supervisor Joan Graves had announced she was running, she did not obtain the party’s nomination and will, therefore, not be on the ballot, Poprik explained.
“It’s not like a primary,” she said. “The party selects the candidate.”
Several Democrats have also announced they are vying for the position. They include Galloway’s former chief-of-staff Melanie Bidlingmaier, former Eagles cheerleader Donna Petrecco, and Pennsbury School Board Member Jim Pokopiak.
The Bucks County Democratic Party will select its candidate.
With the help of $1 million in campaign cash, Democrat Heather Boyd won Tuesday’s special election in House District 163 defeating Republican Katie Ford.
This leaves Democrats in control of the House after the resignation of Democratic Rep. Mike Zabel — forced from his seat by allegations of sexual assault — left the party’s majority in the chamber in doubt.
Unofficial election numbers as of Wednesday morning showed Boyd with 60 percent of the vote compared to Ford’s 38 percent. Libertarian Alfe Goodwin pulled down about 1.2 percent.
“This election has been about all of you in this room and countless others who aren’t here today who cared enough and believed enough and worked hard enough to make the difference,” Boyd told supporters at a post-election party.
In a statement Ford said, “At the end of the day, I ran a campaign with honesty and integrity and that is more important than winning.” On Facebook Ford wrote that she “knew [the race] would be an uphill battle.”
“I wanted to represent the incredible community we have here,” she said. “Unfortunately, we fell short and my opponent has won.”
The race became a major front for state Democrats over the past several months, with the party pouring around $1 million into the district to help shore up Boyd’s chances. Republicans, in contrast, spent around $150,000 backing Ford.
On the eve of the election, President Joe Biden swooped in to offer Boyd a boost. “With control of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on the line, this race will determine the future of so many fundamental freedoms that Pennsylvanians hold dear,” Biden told the Philadelphia Inquirer.
“Heather is an experienced public servant who will protect a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions, stand up for common sense gun safety laws and expand access to voting rights,” he said.
Berwood Yost, the director of the Center for Opinion Research and the Floyd Institute for Public Policy at Franklin and Marshall College, told DVJournal that these kinds of endorsements of state candidates have become “more common” in recent years.
“Barack Obama has endorsed many state legislative candidates the past few years,” he said. “Since a loss in this race would flip control of the state house, I’m not at all surprised that Biden provided his endorsement.”
Ford had touted her status as a political outsider.
“I’m not a politician and never have been,” she said this month. “What I am is a regular citizen tired of the politicians failing us and ready to step up and make a difference on crime, on inflation, on schools and education, and on helping real people.”
Boyd, on the other hand, has a well-established career in Democratic politics. The Upper Darby Democratic Committee chair, Boyd formerly worked for Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon and was chief of staff for Delaware County state Rep. Leanne Krueger. She also served on the Upper Darby School Board from 2015-2018.
The race was kicked off earlier this year after Zabel resigned the seat in March amid multiple allegations of sexual harassment from female colleagues. At times, his alleged behavior was used as a line of attack from the Ford campaign.
Democrats “[chose] as my opponent the political boss who enabled Mr. Zabel’s re-election, even though news reports show she knew what was happening,” Ford claimed in March. Earlier this month she took a thinly veiled swipe at Boyd when she argued: “If someone comes to you and says they’re being sexually harassed, you do something about it. You don’t just let it go. And you don’t continue to endorse someone. You don’t continue to champion for them.”
Boyd, on the other hand, contended that she had worked to “change the rules to protect all women” in the state government.
“As a woman who has worked in Harrisburg, I’ve witnessed sexual harassment. I’ve experienced sexual harassment,” she said.
The significance of the race, and the control of the state House, was not lost on Democrats from Biden on downward.
“The control of the House is at stake, so we are not taking anything for granted,” Democratic Rep. Leanne Krueger told the Inquirer this month. Gov. Josh Shapiro filmed a TV ad for Boyd, focusing on abortion rights. That ad, along with another abortion rights spot and one that hit Ford on her family’s finances, ran continuously in the leadup to the election.
And Delaware County Democratic Chair Colleen Guiney told media earlier this year: “The House majority runs through Delaware County in May.”
By the time the special election determining which party controls the state House is held on May 16, Democrats will have spent upwards of $1 million to support Heather Boyd.
The Republicans will have spent a fraction of that, around $150,000, to try to elect Katie Ford. The two women, and Libertarian Alfe Goodwin, are vying to replace former state Rep. Mike Zabel, who resigned after three women came forward with sexual harassment allegations.
“I’ve been in politics since I was 13,” said former Upper Darby Mayor Tom Micozzie, whose father had held that seat for 38 years. “People don’t usually spend money if they think they’re winning.”
Disgraced former state Rep. Margot Davidson was spotted knocking on doors for Boyd, two sources told DVJournal.
The Democrats control the House 101 to 100, so a lot is on the line. And even with a 22,000 to 14,000 voter advantage they are pulling out all the stops. (Another 8,000 are unaffiliated.)
“The Democrats’ investment in this race isn’t that surprising given its crucial role and some concern about the less predictable nature of special elections,” said Christopher Borick, a political science professor and director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion. “It would be a monumental blow to the party to lose this race and their majority in the House.”
Ford, a former Army medic who is now a special education instructor, and Boyd, a party insider who is chair of the Upper Dublin Democratic Committee and worked for Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon before launching her run in March, debated once. The debate did not garner much news coverage, although the DVJournal reported on it, so it is unclear how many voters watched.
Although Ford insisted during the debate that she is pro-choice and will not vote to change Pennsylvania’s law or for a constitutional amendment regarding abortion, she is being hit with commercials that say that she will do just that, including one from Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat.
Asked about this, his spokesman said that Shapiro answered this question at an event Monday, saying he believes Ford changed her position recently and will always protect a woman’s right to choose.
Borick said, “We see continued evidence that the issue of reproductive rights is a significant boost for Democratic candidates, and they certainly think highlighting the topic in a southeast Pennsylvania race can drive turnout.”
State Republican Party Chairman Lawrence Tabas defended Ford.
“Democrat politician Heather Boyd and Harrisburg Democrats are trying to trick voters into believing 163rd Special Election is about women’s rights, but it’s a smokescreen,” said Tabas.
“Heather Boyd declined to defend women’s rights when she helped cover up sexual harassment and voted to defund the police. Katie Ford will protect women’s rights by keeping our streets safe and rejecting ‘good old boy’ politics.”
Jake Zane, executive director of the Delaware County Republicans, said, “Outside dark money has been pouring in on their side. Katie has done a very good job, an outstanding job, raising money from grassroots individuals. And I really hope the voters of the 163rd District will see past all the special interest groups that have spent $1 million lying about Katie, misrepresenting her, who she is as a person and her record. Katie is a working mom, a family woman, and the wife of a police officer. She’s focused on going to Harrisburg and working on the issues that actually matter to people: safe streets, crime, mental health, making sure our schools are funded in a fair and equitable way while, at the same time, senior citizens aren’t taxed out of their homes by exorbitant property taxes.”
Colleen Guiney, chair of the Delaware County Democrats, said, “Anyone making accusations of ‘dark money’ use don’t understand what ‘dark money’ is — money raised by organizations such as the Commonwealth Foundation, where their donors are hidden. The money raised by Heather is all 100 percent in the light, being totally reported.”
She accused the Ford campaign of mistreating the first victim to come forward and accuse Zabel, who told Boyd in 2021 what had occurred. That victim is now supporting Boyd, Guiney noted.
Micozzie said people in Upper Darby are very unhappy with Mayor Barbarann Keffer, who succeeded him in the office and is not running again after a DUI arrest. And that unhappiness must be tarnishing Boyd, who, as the chair of the local Democratic party, has responsibility for those she helped elect, he said.
Micozzie is the former leader of the Upper Darby Republicans, so if poor management of the township had happened under his watch, he would have been held accountable, he said.
“Now you want to be a state rep,” Micozzie said of Boyd. “I mean, you have to take ownership over something in life, right? I think the Democrats are underestimating the impact people are feeling in the greatest part of the (167th) district.”
Roughly two weeks before Pennsylvanians will go to the polls in the 2023 primary, Governor Josh Shapiro has inserted himself in the special election for House District 163 in Upper Darby, claiming in a television ad that if voters fail to elect the Democrat candidate, Republicans will make abortion illegal across the commonwealth.
“Delaware County, I need your help in the special election for state representative. The winner will determine which party controls the legislature. If Republican extremists win, they’ll take away my veto power by putting a constitutional amendment on the ballot to outlaw abortion, even in cases of rape and incest.”
Shapiro then concludes by asking Delaware County voters in the district to vote for the Democratic nominee, Heather Boyd. The Republican nominee is Katie Ford.
A top Republican campaign strategist said the ad was dishonest.
“Josh Shapiro jumped on the bandwagon for politician Heather Boyd and revealed political power is more important than honesty,” said Bob Bozzuto, executive director of the Pennsylvania House Republican Campaign Committee. “By doubling down on the lies about Katie Ford, Gov. Shapiro adds his name as a co-conspirator in the sexual harassment cover up that led to this Special Election,” he said, referring to the recent resignation of Mike Zabel, a Democrat.
Broad + Liberty asked the governor’s office to defend the statement that Republicans will “take away” his “veto power.” That request for comment was not returned.
It is true the Pennsylvania Constitution does not give the governor any power to veto legislation that would create proposed constitutional amendments, which are voted on by the people. Whether this equates to Republicans “taking away” that power is a matter of semantics. Nevertheless, the constitution does make the process more difficult, given that amendments to the constitution are more legally powerful than simple changes to state statute. For example, the legislation would have to pass both the Pennsylvania Senate and House in consecutive years, would have to survive legal challenges, and then win a majority of votes from the full commonwealth.
Additionally, for Shaprio’s claim to be true, he assumes that all 101 House Republicans would vote for the measure, and that there would be no breakaway votes from the party line — and that they could pull off that feat in consecutive years. Given that House Republicans had a difficult time electing a speaker at the beginning of the 2023 session when they still possessed a majority because of a technicality, maintaining pure party discipline across all 101 members would seem difficult.
The ad further illustrates that Democrats, in the commonwealth and nationwide, have come to see abortion as a winning wedge issue in the wake of the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling of Dobbs v. Jackson, which overturned nearly 50 years under the ruling Roe v. Wade.
It also highlights the stakes of the special election, given that House Democrats took the majority for the first time in years after the 2022 elections, but did so with a slim one-seat margin that later would become up for grabs when Zabel was forced to resign under a cloud of sexual assault allegations.
Spotlight PA reporter Stephen Caruso earlier this week tweeted that Democrats are trying to rally the troops.
“According to two Democratic sources, House Democrats had a caucus-wide call this weekend asking members to put money into the election, citing concerns about the race,” he tweeted.
“It’s hard to tell what’s justified concern and what’s just irrational panic from Democrats [right now], or as some have described it, a fear of never having nice things,” he added.
Shapiro’s claim in the ad about abortion, however, is heavily disputed.
In the summer of 2022, the Republican-controlled senate did pass a bill that would create a ballot question asking voters to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution, but partisans are passionately divided over how far it would go.
The key paragraph of that legislation proposing the ballot question says, “The policy of Pennsylvania is to protect the life of every unborn child from conception to birth, to the extent permitted by the Federal Constitution. Nothing in this Constitution grants or secures any right relating to abortion or the public funding thereof. Nothing in this Constitution requires taxpayer funding of abortion.”
Republican lawmakers have said not conferring a right is vastly different from outlawing the procedure altogether.
“[Abortion is] legal, but it’s not a right,” Ward said. “The amendment just puts (into the state constitution) that it isn’t a right and that taxpayers aren’t mandated to foot the bill for an abortion.”
Democrats, however, have held to a message similar to Shaprio’s that abortion access would be “outlawed.”
Zabel’s resignation from the seat created its own political whirlwind, especially around the partisan control of the lower chamber, as well as the special election in the Delco.
When the House was deadlocked in January and then-Speaker Mike Rozzi went on a statewide “listening tour,” a lobbyist for the SEIU, Andi Perez, gave public testimony that she had been sexually assaulted in 2019 by a still-sitting member of the House.
In mid-February, Broad + Libertyreported that the identity of the person alleged to have inappropriately touched Perez was widely known in Harrisburg, but the report did not name the individual at that time. The report included a quote from a former Republican member of the House who alleged Democrats were not pursuing disciplining that member because it might flip the balance of power.
The report that named Zabel was possible because of new allegations made by an anonymous member of the House. Rep. Abby Major (R-Armstrong) later revealed herself as that accuser. Zabel resigned soon after Major publicly put her name behind the allegations.
Further reporting by other outlets showed Democrats knew about allegations against Zabel at least as far back as 2019.
Major can be seen in a television ad about the special election in which she claims Heather Boyd knew there were accusations of improper conduct swirling around Zabel in previous years, but that she was complicit as part of the county’s Democratic party machinery in sending Zabel back to the House regardless of that knowledge.
“Year after year, Heather Boyd sent the man who harassed me to Harrisburg by covering up his deplorable actions,” Major says in the ad.
Although the makeup of the district has voted Democratic in most top-of-the-ticket races like governor and president in recent years, there have also been notable Republican wins at the municipal level, making the race all the more interesting.
In the 2022 elections, House Republicans won the statewide vote by more than 300,000 votes but lost control of the chamber because of the way district lines were drawn. The 163rd district last elected a Republican in 2016.
The ad featuring Shapiro was paid for by the Pennsylvania House Democratic Campaign Committee, and was approved by Heather Boyd. The ad featuring Rep. Major was paid for by Friends of Katie Ford.
Democratic state Rep. Mike Zabel was forced to resign his Drexel Hill seat three weeks ago following multiple allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate touching of women. With a special election set for May 16, two women are now vying to fill that vacancy.
And while both candidates are female, they have very different backgrounds.
Democrats have nominated a political veteran, Upper Darby Democratic Committee Chair Heather Boyd. She formerly worked for Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon and was chief of staff for Delaware County state Rep. Leanne Krueger. Boyd also served on the Upper Darby School Board from 2015-2018.
Republicans are countering with Katie Ford, an Army veteran and special education therapist who has never held elected office or worked in politics.
Boyd had the backing of the Democratic committee, which gave her 91 percent of the vote over two others who applied.
Heather Boyd
“As a former teacher and local mom, I am running to make sure that every person and family in our district gets the resources and representation they deserve,” said Boyd. “I will work tirelessly to make sure residents of the 153rd District have a seat at the table in Harrisburg.”
The state House is closely divided, with Democrats in control at the moment by one vote, so the contest for the 163rd will be a closely watched race.
“The House majority runs through Delaware County in May, and Heather Boyd is the clear and resounding choice of local Democrats,” said Delaware County Democratic Chair Colleen Guiney.
Ford said she has never been involved in politics but decided to run to “make a difference for real people like you by serving communities every day. Service is part of who I am, be it as a trained combat medic in the U.S. Army, a local volunteer, an education advocate, or a special education therapist. Now is the time for regular citizens like myself to once again step forward and put the interests of people before the interests of politicians.”
While the 2023 special elections have been lopsided affairs thus far, Republican strategist Christopher Nicholas said voters should expect a competitive race. “Both House Democrats and Republicans realize this race will decide control of the chamber.”
Not surprisingly, Rep. Scanlon is endorsing her former staffer.
“I have known Heather Boyd for over a decade as a dedicated public servant and effective community organizer. She has been a valuable leader on my congressional team, sharing her passion for issues involving children and families, and helping develop a robust and responsive constituent services program that has assisted tens of thousands of people in our community.”
Rep. Russ Diamond (R-Lebanon) said, “I’ve spoken with Katie, and she is a fantastic candidate for the State House! Her work and dedication to her community speaks for itself. Volunteer. Mom. Veteran. Please tell all your friends, family, and coworkers about Katie Ford.”
Ford brought up the sexual harassment scandal that caused Zabel’s resignation, saying that Boyd, as Upper Darby party chair, knew that he’d harassed his campaign manager.
“They have chosen as my opponent the political boss who enabled Mr. Zabel’s re-election, even though news reports show she knew what was happening. And even as she claims to fight for women. To this day, she still has not denounced what occurred. This is hypocritical and politics at its worst.”
“My opponent is the political boss who put into office local officials whose leadership, if we can call it that, has resulted in issues with (American Rescue Plan) funds, alleged fraud… It’s more of the same. Is that what we want?”
