Malagari Leading Arnott In 53rd As Final Election Results Come In

Update, Thursday, 11 a.m.

Malagari has won re-election. Full update here: Democrat Malagari Holds Off Challenger Miles Arnott To Win 53rd

Thursday, 10:50 a.m.

• Malagari: 19,649
• Arnott: 16,282

11:23 p.m.

The final ballots are being counted in Montgomery County, and it's good news for Malagari. With just over 23,000 votes left to count late Wednesday night, the incumbent Democrat continues to hold a 3,000-vote lead, which is more than doubl

• Malagari: 19,338
• Arnott: 16,121

10:03 p.m.

• Malagari: 18,766
• Arnott: 15,864

2:48 p.m.

Malagari issued a statement urging patience as the final ballots are counted.

"With the high volume of mail-in ballots and a November 6th deadline for ballots postmarked by November 3rd, it will take time to process and count all the votes," Malagari said. "However, every voice matters and every vote matters. We need to be patient and willing to wait for the results of the election to ensure that every voice is heard."

12:48 p.m.

Arnott has not conceded, but he did issue a statement to supporters Wednesday afternoon.

"On the morning after the election I want to say thank you to all of my friends in the 53rd legislative district who were so supportive of me and my campaign," he said. "No matter what the result, my life is richer for the experience of getting to know so many of you over the last 9 months."

12:38 p.m.

Malagari has taken back the lead, but his margin remains narrow and results are not yet final. Though Malagari leads by just over 1,400 votes, the remaining ballots to be counted are mail-ins, the vast majority of which are Democratic.

Malagari: 16,174

Arnott: 14,750

LANSDALE, PA — Republican challenger Miles Arnott has a lead over Rep. Malagari, but there are thousands of votes still to be counted in the battle for the 61st legislative district.

12:49 a.m.

Arnott's lead has grown significantly as votes from in-person precincts continue to be counted in Montgomery County. He now leads the incumbent Malagari by a total of 7,360 to 4,972.

However, there are still thousands of mail-in ballots to process. Nearly 30,000 votes were cast in this district in the 2018 midterms, and 2020 saw a record turnout in Montgomery County that is likely to surpass that number.

11:03 p.m.

Arnott has taken the lead over the incumbent, one of the few Republicans to edge ahead in a race in Montgomery County Tuesday evening:

• Arnott: 3,305
• Malagari: 2,406

There are now 80 precincts reporting in Montgomery County, with 431 still not reporting. On the mail-in side, 103,118 of 239,336 ballots have been counted.

9:00 p.m.

Malagari has gotten out to an early lead as the very first mail-ins are counted:

• Malagari: 54
• Arnott: 15

8:38 p.m.: Poll results are expected to come in after 8:30 p.m., Montgomery County officials said. Record-high turnout has been reported.

Both candidates spent the day campaigning throughout the 53rd District. Arnott was at Souderton Area High School and "both sides of Forty Foot Road" as polls closed."

"So many great folks out voting today!!" Arnott shared on social media early Tuesday. "I love the giant smiles and the shouts 'YOU GOT MY VOTE!!' What a great community!!"

Original story:

As polls close in Pennsylvania, election results will soon begin to trickle in for the 53rd legislative district race in Montgomery County between sitting State Rep. Steve Malagari and challenger Miles Arnott.

The incumbent Democrat Malagari, a former Lansdale borough councilman, turned the seat blue for the first time in more than 40 years during the 2018 midterms. It was one of a number of such historic victories for Democrats in the state legislature around southeastern Pennsylvania, as numerous candidates rode anti-Trump sentiment and the "blue wave" to victory.

What remains to be seen is if that momentum will carry into the future. Malagari is opposed by Arnott, a longtime local resident and horticulturist who is the former director of Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve in New Hope.

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The seat was GOP-controlled from 1973 through 2018, with longtime Rep. Robert Godshall holding the seat for the bulk of that time. Godshall, who served the Commonwealth for decades, died in Nov. 2019.

Malagari points to his work lowering health insurance premiums, advocating for workers' rights, and bringing in $8 million in funding for local infrastructure and schools as among his key achievements in his two years in office. He's also been a supporter of Gov. Wolf's coronavirus response, and touts his endorsements from numerous unions for protections he's helped fight for.

"Our hard-working citizens are the backbone of our district and our economy," Malagari said. "I will continue standing up for our workers, and I will continue fighting for you."

Specifically, Malagari introduced the Food Safety Worker Act, as well as a grant program to help Pennsylvania wineries, distilleries, and breweries get back on their feet.

Arnott, meanwhile, looks to property tax reform for the middle class, lowering taxes, and limiting "job crushing regulations" as a few of his most important issues.

A focus of Arnott's campaign has been a rejection of the Democratic economic COVID-19 restrictions, and, specifically, Malagari's support of those measures. Arnott said that he met with restaurant and bar owners a week before the election "to discuss the utter dissatisfaction with our current representation." Specifically, Arnott wants restrictions eased at bars and restaurants.

"So many have reached out to our campaign in need of help, answers and support," Arnott said. "Mean what you say, say what you mean. And above all represent your constituents, the Constitution and not your party lines."

Malagari has outraised and outspent Arnott by a landslide. The Democrat has gained $155,227 in contributions and spent $62,786, according to public records published by Transparency USA. Arnott, meanwhile, has raised $8,823 and spent $2,553.

The 2018 victory for Malagari was a close one. He edged out Republican George Szekely by a final tally of 13,632 to 12,775. As 2020 is a presidential election year, vote tallies will likely be significantly higher.

A third party candidate who also ran in 2018, Libertarian John Waldenberger, was previously on the ballot but withdrew ahead of Election Day.

The municipalities in the 53rd include Lansdale, Hatfield Borough, Hatfield Township, Franconia, the portion of Telford in Montgomery County, Souderton, and Salford.

Republicans control both branches of the legislature in Pennsylvania, with a 109-93 majority in the state house heading into the general election. The 53rd is one of many "swing" districts which will determine the balance of power in the state for the next two years.

For full coverage of the election in Pennsylvania, go here.