Democrat flips long-held Republican district in Pennsylvania

Democrat Brandon Dukes has apparently flipped Pennsylvania’s House District 12 in Butler County, a Republican stronghold for nearly 30 years, according to early Wednesday results. He leads Republican Scott Timko by 88 votes with over 95 percent counted, a victory Democrats call historic. The district, which Republicans have held since 1998, favored former President Donald Trump by 18 points in the last election. Dukes will serve the remainder of former state Rep. Stephenie Scialabba’s term, who resigned in March. The race remains uncalled as provisional and overseas ballots are pending. Republicans outnumber Democrats in the district by nearly two to one, making the apparent flip notable. Dukes warned of a broader shift, while Democrats attribute the result to voter fatigue with Republican policies. Both candidates will face off again in November for a full term.