The top-ranking Democratic leader in the Pennsylvania state House has conceded his reelection race to the Republican candidate, Carrie DelRosso, in a suburban Pittsburgh district.
State Rep. Frank Dermody, of Allegheny County, announced he conceded through a statement issued late Tuesday about a race that The Associated Press has not called.
Dermody's concession is another blow for House Democrats, who had hoped a spending advantage would propel them back into the majority after a decade. Instead, Republicans are poised to likely gain a few seats and expand what is currently a 110 to 93 margin.
Democratic Rep. Wendy Ullman lost in the Philadelphia suburbs and her party failed to hold retiring Rep. Neal Goodman's Schuylkill County seat.
In a fourth Democratic-held district, incumbent Rep. Joe Petrarca, of Westmoreland County, trails significantly as results continue to be counted. That race has not been called by the AP.
Democrats picked up at least one district, a seat being vacated by the departure of Rep. Thomas Murt, of Montgomery County.
Dermody's loss opens up the caucus' top job, the floor leader who coordinates strategy and serves as their point person during legislative debates.
The second-ranking House Democrat is Whip Jordan Harris of Philadelphia. Harris declined comment Wednesday, saying: “I'm not talking about leadership elections to the press right now.”
Republicans have also kept their solid majority in the state Senate. They will have to decide in the coming days who will get that chamber's top position upon the pending retirement of President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati of Jefferson County.
