Democratic challenger Melissa Cerrato has taken the lead over six-time Republican incumbent Todd Stephens in the race for the 151st Legislative District.
Heading into Wednesday, Stephens held a 12-vote lead over Cerrato in the recently re-drawn district, however when the county updated their election results Wednesday afternoon, Cerrato had taken a 16,761 to 16,724 lead over Stephens.
The vote swing came as Montgomery County continues to finish their provisional and military ballot counts for the 2022 election. As of Thursday morning, there remain 2,161 ballots remaining to be counted, though its unclear how many of those existing ballots are from the 151st District.
Stephens is a former prosecutor turned six-term legislator, whereas Cerrato recently worked as a constituent service advisor for state Rep. Liz Hanbidge, who recently won reelection over Republican challenger Jessica Bradica. Stephens and Cerrato are seeking to represent the more than 60,000 residents comprising the 151st District, which includes portions of Montgomery, Upper Dublin, Horsham, and Lower Gwynedd townships, as well as part of Ambler Borough.
Neither Stephens nor Cerrato responded to North Penn Now’s request for comment. While Stephens campaign has been silent on social media, the Cerrato campaign page on Facebook claimed victory just after the updated vote totals. The post reads, in full:
“I have spent months reminding voters of the importance of their votes and assuring them that every vote matters. Now that every eligible vote has been counted, it is my great honor to accept the results of this election and step forward as the next State Representative of Pennsylvania’s 151st House District.
I want to thank my family for their endless support, my team for their tireless efforts, our dedicated volunteers and generous donors who none of this would be possible without. To the election officials and all those who worked the polls and beyond to ensure the accuracy and legitimacy of the count, and to every single voter who cast their ballot during this election, thank you for joining in the democratic process. To everyone who cast their ballot for me, thank you from the bottom of my heart for trusting me, supporting me, and giving me the opportunity to represent our incredible community in Harrisburg
I would also like to thank Todd Stephens for his past service to our community.
We knew that there was no pathway to flipping the Pennsylvania House without the 151st and now that we have secured this seat, we have also secured a majority in the House. I am humbled and excited to be joining an incredible cohort of new lawmakers ushering in a new era of progress in PA.
I look forward to working alongside my fellow legislators to enshrine reproductive rights into state law, finally pass equal protections for all Pennsylvanians, ensure all our schools are fairly funded, better protect our children and our communities from the plague of gun violence, and provide living wages for every single working family across our Commonwealth.
I am so proud to have earned the trust of my community and I am excited to take your voices with me to Harrisburg. Thank you!”
As reported earlier this week, the Stephens and Cerrato race is one of two tightly contested races in southeastern Pennsylvania that will ultimately determine which party will have the majority at the state house. For a Republican majority, both Stephens and Joe Hogan, in Bucks County, will have to win their races.
Currently, Hogan holds a 54-vote lead over Democratic challenger Mark Moffa for the 142nd Legislative District. Several days ago, Hogan only held a two-vote lead, however — like Montgomery County — Bucks County officials are continuing to work through their existing ballots to finalize their unofficial counts.
Should Cerrato continue to hold her lead, Democrats will hold the majority in the house for the first time since 2010.
See also:
Have Democrats Flipped the Pa. House? Here’s the Latest on the Deciding Races
Local Election Updates: Malagari Defeats Sodha, Collett Defeats Davies
Towamencin Residents Vote for Government Study Commission to Explore Home Rule Charter
Democrat Josh Shapiro Elected Governor of Pennsylvania, Defeating Republican Doug Mastriano
Montgomery County Announces Campaign Yard Sign Recycling Sites
