Democrats managed to hold on to the highly contested seat in Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District after Rep. Conor Lamb, a moderate Democrat from Mount Lebanon, announced his resignation last year.
Democrat Chris Deluzio secured the victory over Republican candidate Jeremy Shaffer by garnering roughly 52% of the vote with 98% of the votes tallied by Wednesday morning, The Associated Press projects.
Shaffer conceded to Deluzio Tuesday around 11 p.m.
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The GOP candidate reportedly told his supporters he wanted “to congratulate Chris Deluzio on the win.”
“We honor the results that are there,” he said, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “We’re going to be continuing to work in our communities to try to make a difference. This country is too important to give up on.”
Deluzio championed his win in a statement and said he and his team won “because we offered something different.”
“The good people of western Pennsylvania believe, as I do, in fighting for our common good, for our shared prosperity, for a government that serves all of us and puts people first,” he reportedly added.
The loss comes as the GOP and Democrats invested heavily in campaigning in the swing state as Republicans look to achieve a majority in the House of Representatives.
The race was the third-most expensive House race in Pennsylvania, with the two candidates raising a combined $5.2 million, according to Open Secrets.
But Lamb’s vacant seat wasn’t the only open Pennsylvania slot Republicans lost in Tuesday’s midterm elections.
Democratic candidate John Fetterman also secured the Senate seat that Republicans had been vying for since GOP Sen. Pat Toomey announced his resignation in 2020.
Democrats secured at least six of the 10 Pennsylvania House seats, while Republicans have only secured three so far.
One seat has yet to be called. Democratic incumbent candidate Susan Wild maintains a narrow margin over Republican challenger Lisa Scheller by over 4,700 votes, which is less than a 1% margin of victory, with 98% of the votes tallied.