Democrats projected to take Congress in blue wave

Some call it a blue wave, some call it a blue tsunami, some are calling it a supernova on this post-election day. Democrats won full control of Congress as voters delivered a sharp rebuke of President Donald Trump and the Republican Party. Here's a look at the current balance of power. Democrats flipped seven Senate seats with two more still to be decided, and they're very close, including in Republican strongholds like Kansas, South Carolina, and Texas. Democrats are also projected to retake the House. For the first time since 2020, Pennsylvania once again played a critical role in the battle for control, including the closely watched race in Bucks County that was just called. Incumbent Republican Brian Fitzpatrick conceded his U.S. House District 1 seat to Democrat Bob Harvey just a few hours ago. Harvey, a Bucks County commissioner, earned 53 percent of the votes. And in District 7, representing the Lehigh Valley, Democrat and Labor leader Bob Brooks defeated incumbent Republican Ryan McKenzie. Action News reporter Sharifa Jackson is live in Ben Salem in Bucks County, which was purple. Maybe it's blue now, Sharifa. Yeah, good morning, Matt Aliani. Leading up to this election, political experts that we spoke to, they believe that these will be very close races. You can see all of these candidate signs that are still lining the street. You can find them up and down the road here in Ben Salem. It's something that you can also find all over the city. Now, the fight for District 1 was particularly tough. It is my pleasure to introduce Congressman-elect Bob Harvey! People are tired of having a government that doesn't work for working class Americans and everyday Americans. This is really a victory for them to give them their government back. Democrat Bob Harvey declared victory in the race for Pennsylvania's first congressional district late Tuesday night, officially flipping the House seat from red to blue. The former school teacher turned Bucks County commissioner says he is hoping to push for change in Washington and voters had chosen a path focused on unity. We are turning it away from the negative. From the ugly, from the heartless. It was a highly contested race between Harvey and Republican incumbent Brian Fitzpatrick. a seat Fitzpatrick, the former FBI agent, has held since 2019. His party was closed off to media, but overnight he released a statement reading in part, Tonight is not the ending we had hoped or envisioned. He goes on to say, I wish Bob Harvey success, as he assumes a responsibility that is both extraordinary and humbling. Democratic candidates have flipped all four of the Republican-held U.S. House seats they had been targeting in Pennsylvania, according to ABC News projections. And over in the Lehigh Valley... I think that's what people saw, and I think they've spoken loud and clear as to what they want. Democrat Bob Brooks elected to represent Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district, defeating Republican incumbent Ryan McKenzie. We did not go down without a fight. We did an incredible job. Brooks says the Lehigh Valley sent a firefighter to put out the dumpster fire in Washington, D.C. The business owner and president of State Firefighters Union plans to focus on affordability issues facing voters. And when asked what's next, both Brooks and Harvey say they are just ready to get to Washington, D.C. and get to work. We're live in Ben Salem this morning, Sharifa Jackson, Channel 6 Action News. Matt, Aliana. Thank you, Sharifa. Democrats flipped another House seat in New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District. Cape May Mayor Zach Mullock claimed victory over Republican Congressman Jeff Van Drew, who was seeking a fifth term. Van Drew conceded last night, saying he wishes Mullock the best. In Mullock's acceptance speech, he noted that this district often votes Republican. This is a district that we weren't supposed to win. You know, a lot of people felt like their voices were being unheard. And believe me, tonight, your voices are being heard. I have fought hard for South Jersey, for New Jersey, and for the United States of America. In the interim, I'm going to organize my thoughts and my ideas and decide what's next. Mullik attributed his win to public frustration with the Trump administration and says he will focus on affordability issues. Andrew, who was first elected to Congress as a Democrat, says he will remain politically active but does not have any future plans to run for office. Two Democratic incumbents in Delaware were favored for re-election. Representative Sarah McBride will serve a second term, defeating Republican Joseph Arminio. And Senator Chris Coons has won another term in the U.S. Senate. He was being challenged by Republican Michael Capus. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro cruised to a second term with a massive statewide victory. The Associated Press projected the Democrat as the winner just minutes after the polls closed last night in the state. The governor was highly favored to defeat Republican challenger Stacey Garrity, the state treasurer who lagged behind in fundraising and polling throughout the campaign. You declared that you could not be more ready for an end of this ruthless chaos and cruelty and this rampant corruption. Yeah, absolutely. It has a lot of name recognition, a lot of campaign cash, and, you know, it's a difficult climate right now and a lot of things out of my control. Democrats also believe they maintain their majority in the Pennsylvania State House and have flipped the state Senate for the first time in more than three decades. It hands Shapiro a trifecta of power for his second term. Aliana has more on those results. Yeah, Matt, here are the state Senate seats that flipped for Democrats in our area. We've got Eileen Hartnett-Albular defeated the 6th District's incumbent, Frank Ferry, in a close race out of Bucks County. Now, Mark Pinsley had an edge over incumbent Jared Coleman in District 16. That's covering the Lehigh Valley. And Democrat Chris Thomas. Claimed victory over incumbent Republican Tracy Pennycook in Berks and Montgomery counties. This is the first time that Democrats will control the state Senate since 1993, giving Governor Josh Shapiro an advantage in Harrisburg as he tries to implement his policies. Action News John Paul has more on his agenda from Harrisburg. Yeah, yesterday's vote decides the balance of power in Harrisburg. The Democrats trying to make that trifecta, the governor, the House and the Senate. And the reason they want to do that is to push through their agenda items. Some of the things on that list include raising the minimum wage. That is something the governor said that he would sign. Also. transit funding. We know that SEPTA has had to cut service this year because of a lack of funding. Eventually, they did find some emergency funds, but it wasn't a permanent fix. That is something the Democrats are hoping to push through. Of course, all of these issues are very Philadelphia centric. I've been talking to leaders in Philadelphia who have been pushing for some of these changes. They say a trifecta here in state legislature would help them move that that agenda forward. In Harrisburg, John Paul, Channel 6 Action News. Download the 6ABC app for continuing election coverage. You can find up-to-the-minute race results and analysis.