Thursday, March 27, 2025
For immediate release
Contact: William Epstein, 610-505-6105
DJOP cites PA special election results
as ‘clear rejection of MAGA/Musk policies’
Wins by Democratic candidates in Tuesday’s Pennsylvania special elections, especially
an unexpected State Senate win in a Lancaster County district that Donald Trump won
overwhelmingly in 2024, point to a “clear rejection of the policies of MAGA and Musk,”
the board members of Democratic Jewish Outreach Pennsylvania (DJOP) said today.
“These results are a loud rebuke of the Doanld Trump/Elon Musk agenda,” said Jill
Zipin, Chair of the state-wide political action committee. “They demonstrate that voters
are deeply unhappy about the chaos and incompetence they see in Washington, DC.
They want their elected officials to stand up for our neighbors and work to create unity,
not divisiveness, in our communities.”
Tuesday’s Democratic wins show that voters “reject efforts by Trump and Musk to
destroy Social Security, Medicaid and other programs that working families depend on
in Pennsylvania,” Zipin said.
Tuesday’s special election saw Democrat James Malone defeat Lancaster County
Commissioner Josh Parsons in the state’s 36 th Senate District. Trump won the district
last November with 57 percent of the vote. The seat had been vacant since St. Sen.
Ryan Ayment (R) resigned last December to join the staff of U.S. Sen. Dave
McCormick.
The Republican Party holds a 23-point registration edge in the district. No Democrat
had won the senate seat in more than three decades. Malone’s win creates a 27
Republican, 23 Democratic margin in the State Senate.
Malone focused on public education and housing policies, including advocating for help
for first-time home buyers, and on lowering everyday costs for working families. His
losing opponent is a vocal conservative who has feuded with the Lancaster County
newspaper and local libraries, and who campaigned against voting by mail and COVID-
19 safety steps.
Elsewhere in Pennsylvania Democrat Dan Goughnour won a special election to fill a
State House seat from Allegheny County. His win keeps control of the House in
Democratic hands.
