An upset victory in a state Senate race in Pennsylvania is the latest development to give Democrats hope of growing grassroots enthusiasm in the first few months of President Trump’s second term.

Democratic East Petersburg Mayor James Malone’s surprise victory over his GOP rival in a Trump-friendly district follows other under-the-radar wins the party has pulled off since the beginning of the year.

It’s another example of the party performing well in off-year elections when President Trump isn’t on the ballot. But it also comes as anger rises among the base over Trump’s actions and how Washington Democrats have responded, and comes days before the first major election of the year with Wisconsin’s Supreme Court race.

“I think it shows that the Republicans have a problem, and while the Democrats have their problems as well at the national level, in the end, the Democratic voters are coming home and people are upset with what’s going on in Washington,” said Pennsylvania Democratic strategist Mike Mikus.

If any eyes were on Pennsylvania heading into Tuesday, they were on a state House special election happening simultaneously. Democrat Dan Goughnour seemed likely to win the open House seat and restore a Democratic majority in the body.

While the district leaned Democratic and Goughnour won easily, Democrats were still eager to pick up the seat to end the even split that had been in place since former Rep. Matt Gergely’s (D) death in January.

But the real event of the night happened later, when Malone pulled off a surprise in a district that Trump won with 57 percent of the vote and Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) won with 56 percent in November.

As of Wednesday, Malone led Republican Josh Parsons, a Lancaster County commissioner, by about 500 votes.

Adding to the gravity of the upset, a Democrat had not represented the district........

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