HARRISBURG – Some local candidates may have gotten some ‘coattail’ help from Barack Obama’s big win, Tuesday, notably, Democrat Congressman Paul Kanjorski, who narrowly defeated Republican challenger Lou Barletta.

At the state level, however, Republicans actually gained a seat in the State Senate, strengthening an already solid majority.

Republicans will hold 30 of the 50 seats in the upper house. 

That will include the seat of late Senator John Rhoades, who won election day. A special election will be held, sometime early next year, to fill that seat.

Democrats did increase their narrow majority in the House. They will have 104 of the 203 seats, after a net gain of one seat election day.