Pennsylvania | Republicans win both special elections for state House seats
THE DAMAGE. PBL CONTRACTORS NEED THE TREE REMOVED BEFORE THE POWER CAN BE RESTORED, BUT REMOVING THE TREE WITHOUT DAMAGING THE CARS IS DIFFICULT TO. RESIDENTS ARE FEELING FRUSTRATED AND COLD INSIDE THEIR OWN HOMES. WE HEARD A LOUD BOOM AND THEN WE THOUGHT IT WAS JUST THUNDER AND THEN THE LIGHTS FLICKERED ONCE AND THEN THEY WENT OUT. PERIOD. IT WAS A LONG, COLD NIGHT. YOU KNOW, WE WERE UP AND DOWN. IT’S JUST BEEN AN EXPERIENCE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE NIGHT. I GUESS I’LL COME BACK LATER ON AND CHECK OUT, YOU KNOW, THE POWER’S ON TONIGHT. HOPEFULLY. IF NOT, WE’LL GO TO A HOTEL OR SOMETHING. NOW, STEPHANIE GRABBED SOME OF THE GROCERIES FROM HER REFRIGERATOR AND FREEZER, AFRAID THEY WOULD SPOIL AS FRIENDS AND FAMILY SAID THAT SHE COULD USE SOME OF THEIR APPLIANCE SPACE TO KEEP HER FOOD COLD WHILE THE POWER REMAINS OUT. NOW, AS FOR AN ESTIMATE AS TO WHEN THE POWER RIGHT MIGHT RETURN, RESIDENTS TELL US THEY’RE HEARING THAT IT COULD RUN THE GAMUT. STEPHANIE RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM PPL TELLING HER THE TO EXPECT THE POWER BACK ON AT 3 P.M. TOMORROW. SHE’S THE ONE WHO SAID SHE WAS GOING TO GET THE HOTEL TONIGHT. ANOTHER MAN WHOSE CAR WAS STUCK UNDERNEATH SAID THAT HE HAD HEARD IT WOULD BE ON BY 11 P.M. TONIGHT, BUT IT’S HARD TO ESTIMATE. THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY MEET THAT GOAL PPL, BUT THEY’RE NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW DIFFICULT THE REST OF THIS JOB WILL BE. AND I MEAN JUST BY THE LOOKS OF IT, GETTING THAT TREE SORT OF UP AND OFF HAS BEEN THE REAL CHALLENGE SO FAR. MOVING THE CARS AND EVERYBODY OUT HERE IS JUST SORT OF WAITING WITH BATED BREATH TO GET THAT POWER BACK ON. THAT’S THE LATEST HERE IN LANCASTER. I’M MEREDITH JORGENSEN WGAL NEWS 8. A LOT OF WORK LEFT TO BE DONE THERE, RIGHT? MEREDITH, THANKS FOR THAT. ALSO IN LANCASTER COUNTY, THE STORMS LAST NIGHT CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO A FARMHOUSE HERE. FIRE CREWS SAY EVERYONE DID MAKE IT OUT SAFELY AS CREWS DEALT WITH STRUCTURAL DAMAGE THROUGHOUT THE PROPERTY. YEAH, YOU CAN SEE THE ROOF MISSING IN SOME DEBRIS ON THE PROPERTY. THE OWNERS SAY A YOUTH GROUP HAD GATHERED THERE LAST NIGHT, BUT THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS INSIDE WHEN THE STORM HIT. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE WAS A LOT GOING ON LAST NIGHT FROM DAMAGING WINDS AND RAIN. MUCH OF THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY WAKING UP TO SNOW AND ICE ON THEIR CAR. THIS IS VIDEO FROM THIS MORNING OF SNOW COVERED CARS IN MANNHEIM NOW. WE FELT IT AS WE LEFT LATE LAST NIGHT TOO. AND AS WE TAKE A LIVE LOOK TODAY OVER YORK. NO FLURRIES ON OUR CAMERA. YOU CAN SEE THERE. BUT THOSE CHILLIER TEMPERATURES YOU NEED TO GRAB THAT COAT TODAY. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. LET’S GET A CHECK ON THAT FORECAST WITH METEOROLOGIST MIKE. SO MIKE, WHAT IS THE WEATHER DOING TODAY? WELL, IT’S A LITTLE BIT MORE STABLE, I WOULD SAY, COMPARED TO WHAT WE HAD YESTERDAY GUYS. BECAUSE YOU’RE RIGHT, WE WENT FROM SEEING 60S AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO SNOW ALL WITHIN 12 HOURS. AND TODAY WE FINALLY DECIDE TO PICK A SEASON. IT WAS WINTER FEELING MORE LIKE FEBRUARY OUT THERE TODAY. AND WE WILL CONTINUE THAT AS WE GO INTO WEDNESDAY. HOWEVER, IF YOU’RE WONDERING WHEN THE SPRING LIKE WARMTH RETURNS, THAT WILL BE TOWARDS FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND, WE ARE WATCHING SOME SHOWER CHANCES THERE FOR THE WEEKEND, BUT RIGHT NOW NOTHING LOOKS LIKE IT’S GOING TO BE A WASHOUT. EPHRATA AND LANCASTER COUNTY STILL BREEZY OUT THERE AT TIMES, AND YOU CAN SEE THE CLOUDS THERE ACROSS OUR EPHRATA SKYCAM. CURRENT TEMPERATURES THEMSELVES ARE RIGHT AROUND OR JUST ABOVE FREEZING AT 34 IN HARRISBURG AND YORK, 36 IN LANCASTER. BUT WHEN YOU FACTOR IN THAT WIND, IT’S GOING TO FEEL A LOT COLDER. WE’RE STILL SEEING THOSE GUSTS AROUND 25 TO 35MPH ACROSS THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY AND STORMTEAM LIVE RADAR NETWORK STILL SHOWING A FEW SNOW SHOWERS HERE AND THERE UP IN MIFFLIN, JUNIATA AND PERRY COUNTY. SO BASICALLY NORTHWEST OF HARRISBURG THERE, AND ALSO I-81 IS WHERE YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THOSE SNOW SHOWERS ALL BEHIND THIS FRONT THAT IS NOW PUSHED OFF TO THE EAST. WE’LL KEEP THE BLUSTERY CONDITIONS AROUND AS WE GO THROUGH THE EVENING, AND THEN THE WINDS DIE DOWN OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. BUT YOU CAN SEE MICHAEL AND LORI. IT’S GOING TO BE ANOTHER COLD NIGHT. FEELING LIKE THE TEENS WHEN YOU WAKE UP TOMORROW MORNING. OH, BOY. NOT DONE WITH WINTER YET. ALL RIGHT, MIKE. THANK YOU. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME MORE DAMAGE A LITTLE FURTHER FROM US. IT’S A POWERFUL STORM JUST LEAVING A TRAIL OF DAMAGE ACROSS THE EASTERN PART OF OUR STATE. ALSO, NEW JERSEY, LARGE TREES. JUST CRUSHING THIS CAR ON THE STREET IN PHILADELPHIA. NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THIS. AND ACROSS THE BORDER IN NEW JERSEY, LARGE TREES WERE ON THE GROUND. DANGEROUS SITUATION THERE TOO. THE FIRE STARTED FROM THAT DOWNED POWER LINE THAT WAS STILL HOT. YES. DAMAGE FROM THE SEVERE WEATHER ALSO SEEN JUST SOUTH OF US IN MARYLAND AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY. TRAMPOLINE TOOK FLIGHT IN THE WIND, CRASHING INTO A PARKED CAR. YOU CAN SEE THAT RIGHT THERE. HIGH WINDS ALSO SNAPPED TREES AND KNOCKED DOWN POWER LINES. THE MORE UTILITY POLES THAT ARE DOWN, THE LONGER IT WILL TAKE TO GET POWER RESTORED. AND REMEMBER, DURING INSTANCES OF SEVERE WEATHER, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE WGAL NEWS APP. IT HAS UP TO THE MINUTE FORECAST, RADAR AND ALERTS RIGHT AT YOUR FINGERTIPS. AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE SEVERE WEATHER ALERTS TURNED ON SO YOU CAN BE WEATHER AWARE AS WELL. ANOTHER BIG STORY WE’RE FOLLOWING TODAY OUT OF WASHINGTON. THE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL COUNTERTERRORISM CENTER HAS RESIGNED OVER THE IRAQ WAR. JOE KENT, SAYS HE CANNOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE BACK AT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S EFFORTS. THIS IS MAKING BIG NEWS. AND OUR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, CHRISTOPHER SALAS, IS LIVE ON THE NORTH LAWN. AND, CHRISTOPHER, WHAT IS KENT SAYING AND HOW IS THE PRESIDENT RESPONDING TODAY? HEY, MICHAEL LOWRY, THE PRESIDENT IS DISMISSING THIS, BUT HE DOES FACE THIS VERY PUBLIC BREAK WITHIN HIS NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM DURING A CRITICAL TIME. OF COURSE, THE WAR ON IRAN IS GOING ON NOW. JOE KENT SAYS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION USED A WHAT HE CALLS LIE AS A PRETENSE TO GO INTO THIS WAR. IN A LETTER ON SOCIAL MEDIA. KENT SAID IRAN POSED NO IMMINENT THREAT TO OUR NATION, AND IT IS CLEAR THAT WE STARTED THIS WAR DUE TO PRESSURE FROM ISRAEL AND ITS POWERFUL AMERICAN LOBBY. PRESIDENT TRUMP BRUSHED OFF THE RESIGNATION AND BLASTED KENT’S CLAIM. WHEN SOMEBODY IS WORKING WITH US THAT SAYS THEY DIDN’T THINK IRAN WAS A THREAT. WE DON’T WANT THOSE PEOPLE BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE, I GUESS, THAT WOULD SAY THAT, BUT THEY’RE NOT SMART PEOPLE OR THEY’RE NOT SAVVY PEOPLE. KENT LED ONE OF THE GOVERNMENT’S CENTRAL COUNTERTERRORISM HUBS, THE NATIONAL COUNTERTERRORISM CENTER, HELPS COORDINATE TERRORISM INTELLIGENCE ACROSS THE CIA, FBI AND PENTAGON. HE WAS APPOINTED LAST YEAR BY DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE TULSI GABBARD, AND HIS MILITARY BACKGROUND MADE HIM A CREDIBLE NATIONAL SECURITY VOICE FOR MANY TRUMP SUPPORTERS. HIS EXIT ALSO COMES AT A MOMENT OF HEIGHTENED CONCERN ABOUT THREATS HERE AT HOME AFTER RECENT VIOLENT ATTACKS IN MICHIGAN, NEW YORK AND VIRGINIA. TOMORROW, THE HEADS OF THE FBI, CIA AND DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE ARE SCHEDULED TO TESTIFY ON CAPITOL HILL. THIS IS ONE OF MANY TOPICS THEY’RE EXPECTED TO DISCUSS AT THE WHITE HOUSE. AND CHRISTOPHER SALAS WGAL. NEWS 8. ALL RIGHT, CHRISTOPHER, THANK YOU. RIGHT NOW, ROAD CLOSURES ARE IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF CHESTER COUNTY AHEAD OF THE VIEWING TONIGHT AND THE FUNERAL TOMORROW FOR THE LATE STATE POLICE CORPORAL TIMOTHY O’CONNOR. HE DIED LAST SUNDAY, SHOT AND KILLED WHILE CONDUCTING A TRAFFIC STOP IN WEST CALN TOWNSHIP. THE GUNMAN TOOK HIS OWN LIFE. THAT VIEWING TONIGHT IS AT SAINT JOSEPH’S PARISH ON MANOR AVENUE IN DOWNINGTOWN. IT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. IT RUNS UNTIL 830 THIS EVENING. AND THEN TOMORROW’S FUNERAL. THAT WILL BEGIN AT 11 IN THE MORNING. THAT IS CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC. BUT NEWS EIGHT’S SARAH METZ WILL BE THERE, AND WE WILL ALSO BE LIVE STREAMING THE SERVICE ON OUR WEBSITE. AND WGAL APP. GOVERNOR JOSH SHAPIRO HAS ORDERED FLAGS TO BE
Pennsylvania | Republicans win both special elections for state House seats
Updated: 10:52 PM EDT Mar 17, 2026
The votes are in for special elections to fill two state House seats in Pennsylvania, including one in the Susquehanna Valley, with Republican candidates Catherine Wallen and Andrea Verobish leading the races.You can view News 8 highlights in the video player above. 193rd DistrictIn the 193rd District, which includes parts of Adams and Cumberland counties, Wallen received almost 60% of the vote, while Democrat Todd Crawley garnered about 40%.Wallen is expected to replace Republican Torren Ecker, who resigned to become an Adams County judge.79th DistrictThe other race was between Republican Andrea Verobish and Democrat Caleb McCoy in the 79th District, which includes Blair County. With all precincts reporting, Verobish has more than 57% of the vote, while McCoy has more than 42%.Verobish is expected to replace Republican Louis Schmitt Jr., who was elected to the Blair County Court of Common Pleas.With Wallen and Verobish’s victories, Democrats still hold control in the state House, 102-100.PA House Republican Leader Jesse Topper issues statement on winsPennsylvania House Republican Leader Jesse Topper, R-Bedford/Fulton, issued a statement Tuesday celebrating the party’s victories in two open seats during the special election.”Tonight, House Republicans claimed important victories in two open seats, demonstrating the success of our message and the strength of our candidates,” Topper said.He extended congratulations to Representative-elect Andrea Verobish in the 79th Legislative District and Representative-elect Catherine Wallen in the 193rd Legislative District for their successful campaigns.”I want to extend my sincere congratulations to Representative-elect Andrea Verobish in the 79th Legislative District and Representative-elect Catherine Wallen in the 193rd Legislative District for winning their races with a focused message, disciplined campaign and a united Republican Party behind them,” Topper said.Topper emphasized the party’s commitment to its core values and future strategy.”Mark my words: House Republicans will continue to carry our message of lowering taxes, fighting for families and unleashing the economic potential of every corner of this commonwealth,” he said. “We will execute a winning strategy marked by a vision of a hopeful future in this year’s elections that will lead to a new Republican majority in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.”196th DistrictAfter Tuesday, there will be just one vacancy in the House for the 196th District, which includes parts of York County. That race is between Republican George Margetas and Democrat Ron Ruman to replace Republican Seth Grove, who resigned. That special election will be held on the same day as the primary, which is May 19.
The votes are in for special elections to fill two state House seats in Pennsylvania, including one in the Susquehanna Valley, with Republican candidates Catherine Wallen and Andrea Verobish leading the races.
You can view News 8 highlights in the video player above.
193rd District
In the 193rd District, which includes parts of Adams and Cumberland counties, Wallen received almost 60% of the vote, while Democrat Todd Crawley garnered about 40%.
Wallen is expected to replace Republican Torren Ecker, who resigned to become an Adams County judge.
79th District
The other race was between Republican Andrea Verobish and Democrat Caleb McCoy in the 79th District, which includes Blair County. With all precincts reporting, Verobish has more than 57% of the vote, while McCoy has more than 42%.
Verobish is expected to replace Republican Louis Schmitt Jr., who was elected to the Blair County Court of Common Pleas.
With Wallen and Verobish’s victories, Democrats still hold control in the state House, 102-100.
PA House Republican Leader Jesse Topper issues statement on wins
Pennsylvania House Republican Leader Jesse Topper, R-Bedford/Fulton, issued a statement Tuesday celebrating the party’s victories in two open seats during the special election.
“Tonight, House Republicans claimed important victories in two open seats, demonstrating the success of our message and the strength of our candidates,” Topper said.
He extended congratulations to Representative-elect Andrea Verobish in the 79th Legislative District and Representative-elect Catherine Wallen in the 193rd Legislative District for their successful campaigns.
“I want to extend my sincere congratulations to Representative-elect Andrea Verobish in the 79th Legislative District and Representative-elect Catherine Wallen in the 193rd Legislative District for winning their races with a focused message, disciplined campaign and a united Republican Party behind them,” Topper said.
Topper emphasized the party’s commitment to its core values and future strategy.
“Mark my words: House Republicans will continue to carry our message of lowering taxes, fighting for families and unleashing the economic potential of every corner of this commonwealth,” he said. “We will execute a winning strategy marked by a vision of a hopeful future in this year’s elections that will lead to a new Republican majority in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.”
196th District
After Tuesday, there will be just one vacancy in the House for the 196th District, which includes parts of York County.
That race is between Republican George Margetas and Democrat Ron Ruman to replace Republican Seth Grove, who resigned.
That special election will be held on the same day as the primary, which is May 19.