Butler County Democrat Brandon Dukes appears to have narrowly won a Pa. House district that Republicans have held since 1999, which Trump won by 18 points two years ago.

Pennsylvania Democrats, including Gov. Josh Shapiro, are pointing to a stunning upset in a special election for a deep-red state House district as proof that the party has momentum while campaigning this fall for a trifecta in Harrisburg.

Butler County Democrat Brandon Dukes said his apparent victory over Republican Scott Timko, by fewer than 100 votes as of Wednesday afternoon, was thanks to his focus on local issues, such as a major corridor perennially under construction to the frustration of residents.

“We kept it local, we kept it practical, and we kept it common sense,” Dukes said in an interview.

The 12th Pennsylvania House District, just north of Pittsburgh, went for Donald Trump by more than 18 percentage points just two years ago and had been held by Republicans since 1999.