Republican Kevin Brobson edged out Democrat Maria McLaughlin to win a spot on Pennsylvania’s highest court, ending a contentious race marked by negative ads and big campaign spending.
Unofficial election results early Wednesday showed Brobson, currently a Commonwealth Court judge, with 53% of the vote. The Associated Press called the race at 1:30 a.m. in his favor.
With Brobson’s projected victory, Republicans will keep one of their two seats on the seven-member court with another election looming. Chief Justice Max Baer, a Democrat, will turn 75 at the end of 2022 and face mandatory retirement.