Tomlinson Wins Bensalem State House Race

BENSALEM, PA — Republican Kathleen "K.C." Tomlinson won a special election for a Bensalem state House of Representatives seat in a vote that was marred by concerns about the new coronavirus outbreak.

In unofficial returns with all precincts reporting, Tomlinson led Democrat Harold Hayes, 4,399 to 3,587.

"I'm so looking forward to representing you all in Harrisburg and thank you all so much for your support," Tomlinson said in a video posted late Tuesday on her Facebook page.

The election went on despite coronavirus concerns and a last-minute attempt by Bucks County to postpone the race.

Late Monday, Bucks County Common Pleas Court Judge Jeffrey G. Trauger denied an emergency petition filed by the county board of elections asking for an injunction to postpone the election.

The county, joined by a Bensalem poll worker with health issues, had asked to put off the election until at least the April 28 presidential primary over concerns about the new coronavirus.

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But Trauger ruled that he could find no legal authority empowering him to postpone the election.

Tomlinson, the daughter of state Sen. Tommy Tomlinson, will fill the state House of Representatives seat vacated when former representative Gene DiGirolamo, a Republican, was elected to the Bucks County Board of Commissioners.

State and local officials, including Gov. Tom Wolf, had called for the vote to be postponed. But Pennsylvania Speaker of the House Mike Turzai, who has the power to reschedule the election, declined to do so.

Bucks County's board of elections took extra precautions for Tuesday's vote, sanitizing voting spaces and working to protect voters as much as possible. Voters were encouraged to bring their own blue or black ballpoint pens to the polls to mark their ballots.

Poll workers provided hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes and nitrile gloves at polling places.

Still, turnout in the race was way down from the last time voters filled the seat. In DiGirolamo's last election, he defeated Democrat James "Jimmy" Lamb 12,870-9,897. That's more than 14,000 more votes than were cast in Tuesday's special election.