Democrats are working to leverage Gov. Josh Shapiro’s name at the top of the 2026 ticket to expand their narrow majority in the state House and even flip the 30-year Republican control of the Pennsylvania Senate.
Shapiro, a proven fundraiser with a rising national profile, has embraced that call to arms.
“You have the ability right here in your hands in Pennsylvania to decide the balance of power in the U. S. House of Representatives,” Shapiro told a crowd of supporters at his official campaign launch event in Pittsburgh on Thursday. “And you’ve got the power to help me win a trifecta in Harrisburg, where the Legislature is divided by a mere three seats.”
Democrats hold a one-seat majority in the state House, while the GOP holds a 27-23 majority in the Senate. Federally speaking, Pennsylvania is home to four Republican-held congressional districts that Democrats are working to flip.
In 2024, when Shapiro was not facing reelection, he sent approximately $1.7 million in direct campaign donations to Democratic candidates across Pennsylvania. The cash contributed to his party’s defense of its one-seat House majority in a year when Republicans capitalized on President Donald Trump’s second White House bid.
And that Democratic House majority — the first in more than a decade — was won in 2022, when Shapiro’s name was at the top of the party’s ticket in Pennsylvania for the first time.
“ You’re gonna see that same type of electoral tide coming in key congressional races, the state House and the state Senate,” said Eugene DePasquale, who became chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party last year with Shapiro’s endorsement.
Another factor likely giving Democrats an advantage in 2026 is that, historically, the party that controls the White House has underperformed in midterm elections. In 2022, Republicans regained control of the U.S. House during Biden’s term. Four years prior, Democrats claimed the House during Trump’s first term.
Long campaign ahead
Shapiro announced this week that he began 2026 with about $30 million in his campaign war chest — an amount his campaign touted as a state record for an incumbent governor beginning a reelection year.
But much of Shapiro’s cash may be wrapped up in defending his job against GOP-endorsed Stacy Garrity, who serves as Pennsylvania’s treasurer.
Republicans say Garrity is a much stronger candidate than state Sen. Doug Mastriano was in 2022. Following Shapiro’s announcement, state Republican Party Chair Greg Rothman issued a statement criticizing the governor’s “lack of leadership and broken promises.”
“Stacy Garrity is a proven warrior who served her country with honor, earned the trust of voters statewide, and received more votes than any candidate in the history of our Commonwealth,” Rothman said. “She actually gets stuff done, she doesn’t just talk about it on the campaign trail.”
Barring any announcement from her campaign, the size of Garrity’s campaign account won’t be available until the end of the month.
Part of Garrity’s case against Shapiro has been that he’s too focused on raising his national profile to keep Pennsylvanians the focus of his office.
Garrity’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
Vincent Hughes, chairman of the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee, said Shapiro’s prominence won’t be a detriment to his reelection.
“ (Shapiro) believes that the best politics is good policy,” Hughes said. “And he’s delivered good policy for the people of Pennsylvania.”
Hughes touted Shapiro’s work to increase public education funding and his fight for public transit funding in last year’s state budget negotiations as a few examples of policies that voters may positively associate with the governor.
Michael Straw, communications director for the state Senate Republican Campaign Committee, said his party is preparing to expand its majority in the chamber.
“We are recruiting a strong slate of candidates that are ready to run effective campaigns,” Straw said in a statement. “Our incumbent Senators have delivered for Pennsylvanians by voting to reduce taxes, lower energy costs, and strengthen laws to protect our communities.”