Kathleen "KC" Tomlinson has triumphed in a hard-fought race for the 18th legislative district in Bensalem.

Powerful unions offered plenty of support but, in the end, old fashioned door-to-door conversations with Bensalem neighbors appear to have won Kathleen "KC" Tomlinson victory in Tuesday’s special election for the 18th legislative district.

With all but two precincts reporting, unofficial results from the Bucks County Board of Elections had Tomlinson leading Democrat Harold Hayes by nearly 500 votes. Republican Party officials had her leading by more than 870 votes with all precincts reporting, but that could not immediately be confirmed.

Tomlinson is the 31-year-old daughter of state Sen. Tommy Tomlinson, who has held office since 1995. Her victory means the township will be represented by a Tomlinson in both the state House and Senate.

"I feel amazing. I was born and raised here and the people of this town have known me my whole life and this proves they trust me to represent them in Harrisburg," KC Tomlinson said Tuesday. "I can’t wait to do that."

Tomlinson is a graduate of Bensalem High School who has worked in her family funeral home business while attending mortuary school. She obtained her funeral director license in 2016.

She said she wanted to serve, in part to help overcome the opioid crisis which she knows has claimed so many lives here in Bucks County. She also wants to make sure that school districts receive fair funding with charter schools.

KC Tomlinson will complete the term in office of former state Rep. Gene DiGirolamo, who resigned in January to take office as a county commissioner. His term expires at the end of December.

Hayes is unopposed in the April primary for the Democratic nomination, and will face off against Tomlinson again in November for a two-year term starting next year.

"This was a hard fought race and we are not going to let off the gas," said Hayes, a union plumber who raised more than twice Tomlinson’s $84,000 by early March.

Dena Gleason, executive director of the House Democratic Campaign Committee, said, "We worked tirelessly for the last two months." She said the campaign team was contacted by thousands of supporters and looks forward "to getting past the coronavirus," which she said may have prevented many voters from coming to the polls Tuesday.

Hayes wants to raise the minimum wage, combat the opioid crisis which claimed his cousin and union friends, as well as ensure that Bensalem and other school districts receive proper funding.

Which party holds onto the 18th district seat is important as the Pennsylvania Legislature currently is controlled by the Republican majority 107-92. The three vacant House seats up for election in Tuesday’s polling were all won by Republicans.

"The success of the March 17 special elections show the strength of our party in the commonwealth, and have fortified the Republican majority in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives," said Lawrence Tabas, chairman of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania. "These victories also serve to further the Republican momentum in Pennsylvania ahead of the November 3rd general election."

The Republican Party noted the Democrats spent more than $900,000 but lost the three races in the special election.

Nancy Patton Mills, Pennsylvania Democratic Party chairperson, said, "We are so grateful to Howie Hayes, Phil Heasley and Rob Prah for stepping into the arena and fighting to make Pennsylvania a better place. Their campaigns all put up a strong effort and were tenacious through the curveballs these unprecedented times have thrown them. We salute them for their commitment to their communities and encourage them onwards as they take the fight to November."