Democratic Sen. Marty Flynn of Dunmore won re-election in Pennsylvania’s 22nd Senatorial District, which includes parts of Lackawanna and Luzerne counties, by handily defeating Republican challenger Sharon Soltis Sparano of La Plume Twp. in Tuesday’s election.
Flynn led with 58,015 votes while Soltis Sparano received 30,465 votes, according to unofficial results. Flynn won both counties, scoring a larger margin in his home county..
In Lackawanna County, Flynn received 39,372 votes and Soltis Sparano garnered 19,513 votes.
In Luzerne County, Flynn tallied 18,643 votes, while Soltis Sparano trailed with 10,952 votes.
At a post-election victory party at Benny’s of Downtown Scranton, a jubilant Flynn danced his way to the front of a large crowd and exclaimed, “Giddyup, is all I’m going to say. Giddyup.”
“Big night for Democrats nationwide. The hate, the divisiveness, the viciousness is starting to end right now,” Flynn said. “We’re the party that delivers for the middle class, year-in and year-out. The temperature’s getting broken. We’re going to step up and deliver for working class people, in not only Northeastern Pennsylvania, in the entire state of Pennsylvania.”
Flynn batted cleanup in delivering brief remarks, following three local state representatives who also won re-election in Tuesday’s election — Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, D-114, Waverly Twp., Rep. Kyle Donahue, D-113, Scranton and Rep. Kyle Mullins, D-112, Blakely.
Standing with the representatives, Flynn ticked off a list of legislative priorities for Democrats in the state Legislature that included raising the minimum wage, securing voting rights, keep funding public education, legalizing marijuana, closing the Delaware tax loophole and keeping hospitals open.
Flynn also noted Democrats would aim to secure Medicaid and took at jab at Republican U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan of Dallas Township, who appears to have lost his re-election bid to Scranton Mayor Paige G. Cognetti in Tuesday’s election. Cognetti was at her post-election party across the street at the Radisson at Lackawanna Station hotel.
“We’re going to fix these Medicaid that are going to cost Lackawanna County about $20 billion in Medicaid cuts that our former congressman voted for,” Flynn said of Bresnahan.
Flynn also expressed hope that Democrats would gain a majority in the state Senate, and would work together with Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, who also won re-election Tuesday, and work with the state House of Representatives “to actually help working-class Pennsylvanians.”
“We’re excited to work together and deliver for you,” Flynn told the crowd.
The 22nd Senatorial District includes the Luzerne County municipalities of Avoca, Dupont, Duryea, Hughestown, Jenkins Twp., Laflin, Laurel Run, Pittston, Pittston Twp., West Pittston, Plains Twp., Wilkes-Barre, Wilkes-Barre Twp., Wyoming and Yatesville; and in Lackawanna County: Benton Twp., Clarks Green, Clarks Summit, Dalton, Dickson City, Dunmore, Glenburn Twp., Greenfield Twp., La Plume Twp., Moosic, Newton Twp., North Abington Twp., Old Forge, Ransom Twp., Scott Twp., Scranton, South Abington Twp., Taylor, Throop, Waverly Twp. and West Abington Twp.
Flynn, a former state representative for the 113th House District, has represented the 22nd Senate District since winning a special election for the seat in 2021.
He did not face a primary challenger in 2022 and won a full four-year term that November by defeating Republican Tom Bassett of Pittston with more than 60% of the vote.
In the 2026 Democratic primary, Flynn handily defeated challenger Jeffrey Lake.
Soltis Sparano, a retired pharmacist, has said she got into the Senate race mainly to oppose the proliferation of data centers in the region, and because she viewed Flynn as not doing enough to stop them.
State senators earn an annual salary of $113,000 annually for a four-year term.
At a debate hosted by the League of Women Voters of the Wilkes-Barre Area at Wilkes University earlier this month, Flynn noted he had co-sponsored a bill supporting data center development but removed his support once he learned the bill would take away local control. He opposes any sort of tax rebates for data centers and says they should pay for their own power generation. At the same debate, Soltis Sparano, a retired pharmacist, described data centers as invading “monstrosities” and said they are the reason she’s running to unseat Flynn. She believes he’s doing a “stand-down” on data centers and not doing enough to stop them.
The candidates generally agreed on issues of marijuana and skill games, in terms of allowing and legalizing them but taxing them; on limiting cellphone use by children in schools; requiring the Legislature to stay in session until an annual state budget is adopted; and allowing voters registered as independents to vote in primary elections. Flynn and Soltis Sparano also agreed that charter schools have a role in education but need more accountability.
The outcome of the Flynn vs. Soltis Sparano Senate race and two other Senate seats in NEPA that are held by Republicans could help determine the balance of power in Harrisburg. Those other two Senate races are: state Sen. Rosemary Brown, R-40, Middle Smithfield Twp., challenged by Democrat Brian Wrightson of Archbald; and Sen. Lisa Baker, R-20, Lehman Twp., against Democrat Jackie Baker of Liberty Twp.
Republicans hold a four-seat majority in the state Senate and have controlled the upper chamber for decades. Democrats hope to flip the Senate in this cycle that has even-numbered districts on the ballot.
In the 22nd District encompassing parts of Lackawanna and Luzerne counties, registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by 31,399.
Unaffiliated voters comprise almost 15% of voters in the 22nd District.
Meanwhile, all state House races were also on the ballot in Tuesday’s election.
Democrats seized majority control of the state House of Representatives in 2022 after more than a decade in the minority, and held their narrow majority in the lower chamber in 2024. It currently stands at three seats, with all 203 seats statewide up for election today.
State Sen. Marty Flynn, D-22, Dunmore, addresses supporters at Benny’s of Downtown in Scranton on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO)
State Rep. Kyle Donahue, D-113, Scranton celebrates at Benny’s of Downtown in Scranton on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO)
State Reps. Kyle Donahue, D-113, Scranton, and Bridget Kosierowski, D-114, Waverly Twp., celebrate at Benny’s of Downtown in Scranton on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO)
State Sen. Marty Flynn, D-22, Dunmore, addresses supporters at Benny’s of Downtown in Scranton on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO)
State Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, D-114, Waverly Twp., celebrates with supporters at Benny’s of Downtown in Scranton on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO)
State Rep. Kyle Mullins, D-12, Blakely, addresses supporters at Benny’s of Downtown in Scranton on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO)
State Rep. Kyle Mullins, D-12, Blakely, hugs Lackawanna County Democratic Party Chairwoman Larissa Cleary Valonis at Benny’s of Downtown in Scranton on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO)
State Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, D-114, Waverly Twp., speaks at a post-election victory party Tuesday night at Benny’s of Downtown Scranton. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
At a post-election victory party at Benny’s of Downtown Scranton, local Democratic legislators who won re-election Tuesday include state Rep. Bridget Kosierowski of Waverly Twp., at left, and state Rep. Kyle Donahue of Scranton. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
State Rep. Kyle Mullins, D-112, Blakely, in center with microphone, speaks at a post-election victory party Tuesday night at Benny’s of Downtown Scranton. Other legislators who also won re-election Tuesday included state Rep. Kyle Donahue, D-113, Scranton, at left, state Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, D-114, Waverly Twp., in between Donahue and Mullins, and state Sen. Marty Flynn, D-22, Dunmore, at right in background wearing white pants and blue shirt. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
At a post-election victory party at Benny’s of Downtown Scranton, local Democratic legislators who all won re-election Tuesday include, from left, state Rep. Kyle Donahue of Scranton, state Rep. Bridget Kosierowski of Waverly Twp., state Rep. Kyle Mullins of Blakely and state Sen. Marty Flynn of Dunmore. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
At a post-election victory party at Benny’s of Downtown Scranton, local Democratic legislators who all won re-election Tuesday include, from left, state Rep. Kyle Donahue of Scranton, state Rep. Bridget Kosierowski of Waverly Twp., state Rep. Kyle Mullins of Blakely and state Sen. Marty Flynn of Dunmore. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
At a post-election victory party at Benny’s of Downtown Scranton, local Democratic legislators who all won re-election Tuesday include, from left, state Rep. Kyle Donahue of Scranton, state Rep. Bridget Kosierowski of Waverly Twp., state Rep. Kyle Mullins of Blakely and state Sen. Marty Flynn of Dunmore. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
State Sen. Marty Flynn, D-22, Dunmore, at left, and Republican challenger in the Nov. 3 election Sharon Soltis Sparano of La Plume Twp., before their debate hosted by the League of Women Voters of the Wilkes-Barre area on Wednesday night at Wilkes University’s Stark Learning Center. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
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State Sen. Marty Flynn, D-22, Dunmore, addresses supporters at Benny’s of Downtown in Scranton on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO)