Yesterday, Democrats Dan Goughnour and James Malone won closely watched special elections in Pennsylvania. Goughnour’s win secured the Democratic majority in Pennsylvania’s state House, while Malone’s upset in an R+23 district offered a loud and clear rebuke of Trump’s unpopular attacks on the programs working families rely on.

In Senator-elect Malone’s Lancaster County Senate district, a Democratic state senator has not won since it was redistricted away from Philadelphia in 1979, and only three Democratic presidential candidates have ever won Lancaster County – Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, James Buchanon in 1856, and Andrew Jackson in 1828.

Last night’s Pennsylvania special election results were historic, but they’re not outliers. Since Donald Trump and Elon Musk entered the White House and began unleashing their dangerous agenda, Democrats have overperformed and beaten the odds in election after election, including in traditionally red communities like James Malone’s R+23 Senate district last night. In fact, in districts across the country, Democrats have overperformed the top of the 2024 ticket in all but one of the 14 special elections so far this year.

As 2025 special elections in states nationwide, including Virginia, Iowa, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota, make clear: Democrats are building back power at the grassroots as voters join us in fighting against the Trump-Musk agenda. And while Democrats overperform in elections, Republicans are spiraling as they sweat and lose elections they assumed would be cakewalks. 

Below is a full list of Democratic overperformances in special elections this year: 

Virginia

In Virginia’s 10th state Senate district, Democrat Jack Trammell lost by 17, an overperformance of the top of the November ticket by 6 points. 

In Virginia’s 32nd state Senate district, Democrat Kannan Srinivasan overperformed the top of the November ticket and won his election by a 62-38 margin.

In Virginia’s 26th state House district, Democrat JJ Singh overperformed the top of the November ticket and won his election by a 62-38 margin.

Minnesota

In Minnesota’s Senate District 60 special election, DFL candidate Doron Clark won the election by a margin of 91-9, overperforming the top of the November ticket by 14 points.

In Minnesota’s House District 40B, DFL Candidate David Gottfried overperformed the top of the November ticket by nearly 2 points.

Iowa

In Iowa’s Senate District 35 special election, Democrat Mike Zimmer flipped a district Trump won by 21 points, overperforming the top of the November ticket by 14 points. 

In Iowa’s House District 100 special election, Democrat Nannette Griffin overperformed the top of the November ticket by 24 points.

Connecticut

In Connecticut’s House District 50 special election, Democrat Dan Gaiewski overperformed the top of the November ticket by over 15 points.

Maine

In Maine’s House District 24 special election, Democrat Sean Faircloth overperformed the top of the November ticket by over 20 points.

Delaware

In Delaware’s Senate District 1 special election, Democrat Dan Cruce overperformed the top of the November ticket by over 15 points.

In Delaware’s Senate District 5 special election, Democrat Raymond Siegfried overperformed the top of the November ticket by nearly 4 points.

Pennsylvania

Dan Goughnour secured the Pennsylvania House majority for Democrats. Goughnour won by nearly 30 points, whereas the top of the ticket in 2024 won by 15. 

James Malone won in a district that Trump won by 15 points in 2024 and has a 23-point Republican voter registration advantage.