WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee on Wendesday named Ana Tiburcio and Jen Mazzocco as Spotlight candidates ahead of February 24 special elections that could decide control of the Pennsylvania House, where Democrats currently hold a razor-thin, one-seat majority.
The DLCC said the Pennsylvania contests are among the most consequential state legislative races on its 2026 target map, as national parties intensify efforts to defend or flip closely divided chambers well before the November elections. The committee played a central role in protecting the Pennsylvania House last cycle through eight special elections that proved decisive.
The upcoming specials come amid a growing slate of high-stakes races nationwide, with additional majority-defining contests expected this spring in Texas, New York, Georgia, and Maine.
“The calendar of special elections is heating up in state legislatures — including a set of specials in Pennsylvania that will make or break the House majority,” said DLCC President Heather Williams. She said Democrats cannot afford to wait until the fall to mobilize, arguing that the party must seize every opportunity between now and November to shape the political landscape ahead of the midterms.
Tiburcio is running in House District 22, centered in Allentown, in a special election to hold a critical Democratic seat. A small business owner and community advocate, Tiburcio has centered her campaign on expanding economic opportunity for working families, along with increasing access to health care and strengthening public education.
Mazzocco is competing in House District 42, a Pittsburgh-area seat viewed as essential to preserving Democrats’ single-seat majority in the chamber. A public school teacher, Mazzocco has focused on issues including food insecurity, support for workers and students, and efforts to reduce the cost of living.
The DLCC said both races are emblematic of a broader national strategy to protect Democratic power in state legislatures, which the committee describes as the front lines of policy battles affecting everyday life, from voting rights to economic opportunity.
The Pennsylvania special elections on February 24 are expected to draw heightened national attention, with party leaders warning that the outcome could reverberate far beyond Harrisburg as both sides position themselves for the 2026 midterm cycle.
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