Amanda Cappelletti Wins Huge In 17th, Replaces Daylin Leach

NORRISTOWN, PA — Democrat Amanda Cappelletti has defeated Republican challenger Ellen Fisher to win election to Daylin Leach's former seat in the 17th senatorial district.

With a small number of mail-in ballots still to be counted and all in-person precincts reporting in Montgomery and Delaware counties, Cappelletti held a huge lead over Fisher Wednesday morning, 91,261 to 49,284.

The solidly blue 17th senatorial district, covering Norristown, Haverford, Ardmore, Plymouth Meeting, and the surrounding area, was favored to go to the rising Democrat Cappelletti, who soundly defeated a scandal-embroiled Leach in the June primary.

"Here’s my first thank you of many to come," Cappelletti shared late Tuesday. "Thank you to those who braved the cold to vote, protect the vote, poll watch and everything else everyone did today."

The 33-year-old former ACLU fellow and policy director for Planned Parenthood gained support from both state and national level Democrats in her primary bid to unseat the long-tenured Leach. Along with support from Gov. Wolf and local Democrats, progressive figures like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren also boosted her campaign.

Her Republican opponent, businesswoman and Haverford Township School District Education Foundation board member Ellen Fisher, cast herself as a moderate looking to heal the divide.

"Running for office is exhilarating (everyone wants to know what you think about so many things), educational (lots of very smart people want to share their knowledge about things that change our lives), fun for the most part and exhausting," Fisher shared on social media after polls closed Tuesday night. "Proud to be an American and share in the great experiment. Vote for people not parties."

Cappelletti's current margin of victory, though subject to some small change, is even larger than Leach's four years ago, when he defeated Republican Brian Gondek, 88,827 to 50,010.

Retaining this strongly blue seat was key to Democratic efforts to even the balance of power in the state senate, which Republicans held by a 28-21 majority heading into Election Day.