Democrats win control of Pa. house

HARRISBURG, Pa., Dec. 21 (UPI) -- A Democrat was declared the winner of a suburban Philadelphia legislative district Thursday, giving the party a one-vote majority in the Pennsylvania House.

Republican officials agreed not to challenge Barbara McIlvaine Smith's 28-vote victory, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

The Republican Party has held both houses of the Pennsylvania Legislature since 1994 and still control the state Senate. Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell won re-election this November with a healthy majority, and voters also ousted Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum and several Republican congressional representatives.

The election-day count gave Republican Shannon Royer a 19-vote margin. But a count of absentee ballots swung the vote the other way.

The Republican Party insisted on a recount by hand, which was carried out far more quickly than officials expected.