Is the tide slowly turning?

New Hampshire Democrat Hal Rafter scored a major pickup for his party on Tuesday.

[...]

Rafter beat Republican Jim Guzofski 56-44 to flip Rockingham County's 1st District, a constituency that favored Donald Trump by a tiny 49.1 to 48.7 margin in 2020. The seat became vacant in April when Republican Rep. Brian Bartlett resigned, citing health issues.

Rafter's win leaves Republicans with a bare 198-197 edge despite a map that they gerrymandered for their own benefit just last year. The enormous 400-member also includes a pair of independents and, importantly, three other vacant seats. Two of those vacancies occurred this very week: Democrat Bill Hatch announced his departure Monday, while Republican Troy Merner resigned the next day, just hours before Rafter's victory.

The final unoccupied seat was last held by Democrat David Cote, who stepped down in July. Only the race to replace Cote has been scheduled, so if Democrats defend his safely blue district in the Nashua area on Nov. 7, they'd force a tie in the chamber―assuming nothing else happens, that is.

The other two vacant seats are less likely to change hands, but in New Hampshire, nothing is impossible.

  Daily Kos

Democrat Lindsay Powell won her special election for the Pennsylvania State House in Allegheny County in a blowout performance. As of 8:15PM ET, Powell held a commanding lead with 82% of the vote.

While expected, here’s what makes Powell’s win so important: Powell’s win puts Democrats back in control of the Pennsylvania House with a narrow majority.

[...]

Republicans still retain a Senate majority in the commonwealth.

[...]

The string of victories display Democrats’ electoral strength heading into the 2024 elections. As pundits continue to talk endlessly about their shoddy polls and failed narratives, Democrats continue to outperform all expectations.

Voters continue to reject the extremism of the Republican Party election after election in what could — and should — be the biggest political story of our time.

  Meidas Touch