HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A Democrat in Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives has died, the House Democratic caucus said Sunday night, leaving the chamber deadlocked at a 101-101 partisan divide.
Rep. Matt Gergely, D-Allegheny, died Sunday. He was 45, House Democrats said.
Neither House Democrats or Gergely’s family disclosed a cause, although they said two weeks ago that he had suffered a “medical emergency over the holidays requiring hospitalization” in the days before the chamber convened its two-year session earlier this month.
House Democrats won a one-seat margin in November’s election, the same one-seat margin that Democrats had maintained in the last legislative session. Gergely’s death means the chamber will be tied at 101-101 until a special election is held to fill the seat in the heavily Democratic Pittsburgh-area district.
In the last two-year session, House Democratic majority managed through various vacancies in their ranks, at times bogging down the pace of lawmaking during the two-year legislative session.
In their statement Sunday night, House Democrats said a special election to fill Gergely’s seat will be called by Speaker Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia, at a later date.
“Matt will be desperately missed in Harrisburg and we know his passing is a tremendous loss to his communities in Western Pennsylvania. Please join us in keeping his wife and his family in your thoughts and prayers during this tragic time,” House Democrats said.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
The recent death of a Democratic lawmaker in Pennsylvania has left the state House deadlocked at 101-101, sparking political turmoil and uncertainty in the state. The sudden loss of this key figure has thrown the balance of power in the House into chaos, with both parties vying for control and struggling to reach consensus on important legislative issues.
This deadlock has raised concerns about the ability of the House to effectively govern and make decisions on behalf of the people of Pennsylvania. With the chamber evenly split, there is a real possibility of gridlock and legislative paralysis, which could have serious consequences for the state and its residents.
As lawmakers grapple with the implications of this unprecedented situation, all eyes are on Pennsylvania as it navigates this political crisis. The fate of key legislation, budget decisions, and the overall functioning of the state government hang in the balance as both parties seek to assert their influence and secure control of the House.
It remains to be seen how this deadlock will be resolved and what impact it will have on the future of Pennsylvania politics. In the meantime, the state is left in a state of uncertainty and instability as lawmakers work to find a way forward in the wake of this tragic loss.
Tags:
- Pennsylvania House deadlock
- Democratic lawmaker death
- Washington politics
- State legislature deadlock
- Pennsylvania House of Representatives
- Political stalemate in Pennsylvania
- Bipartisan gridlock in state government
- Pennsylvania House split vote
- Political turmoil in Washington
- Impact of lawmaker death on state politics
#Death #Democratic #lawmaker #leaves #Pennsylvania #House #deadlocked #Washington
