by Alex Lloyd Gross
In a stunning upset, Bryan Allen won the race for State Representative in the 18th Legislative District which encompasses Bensalem Township and part of Hulmeville Borough. He defeated incumbent KC Tomlinson by almost a 2-1margin, which was bolstered by a large mail in count.
Bryan Allen is not a newcomer. He previously served as a Councilman in Bensalem and had an unsuccessful run for mayor. Currently, he is the Chief Of Staff for State Rep Tina Davis in Bristol Township. Davis is doing well and is expected to keep her seat by the numbers from the early turnout.
At the Bensalem Country Club, Tomlinson sensed it was bad and her staff could be seen sitting shell shocked, wondering what happened. She took the floor early and spoke for less than a minute. She was accompanied by Mike Brill of the Republican Party.
There were shouts of encouragement from her supporters. When asked what her plans were, she stated she is not sure, as she was still in shock at the loss.
Bryan Allen had a closed event but issued a statement that read in part :“I owe this victory to my friends, family, campaign team, and volunteers who made this possible, especially my wife Melissa and our three amazing kids. I experienced a win on election night when I won my seat on Bensalem Council, and I felt so much gratitude. I’m reliving that, knowing that my community is putting trust in me again over 10 years later.
To every voter that opened your door for me, and all of the volunteers who came week after week to our campaign office, always asking what’s next for them to do–I thank you, and I am honored to fight for you in Harrisburg. It’s an understatement to say that I have spent a lot of time over the past year knocking on my neighbors’ doors, but every conversation has made crystal clear what our community needs in the State House. To Representative KC Tomlinson: Thank you for your service to our community.