2018 Pennsylvania Senate election

Last updated

2018 Pennsylvania Senate election
Flag of Pennsylvania.svg
  2016 November 6, 2018 2020  

All even-numbered seats in the Pennsylvania State Senate
26 seats needed for a majority
 Majority partyMinority party
  Joe Scarnati.jpg Jay Costa 2018.png
Leader Joe Scarnati Jay Costa
Party Republican Democratic
Leader sinceDecember 2006 [1] January 4, 2011
Leader's seat 25th 43rd
Last election3416
Seats won1312
Seats after2921
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 5Increase2.svg 5
Popular vote1,096,9541,297,494
Percentage45.51%53.83%

PAStateSenate2018.svg
Results
     Democratic hold     Democratic gain
     Republican hold     No election

President Pro Tempore before election

Joe Scarnati
Republican

Elected President Pro Tempore

Joe Scarnati
Republican

The 2018 elections for the Pennsylvania State Senate were held on November 6, 2018, with 25 of 50 districts being contested. Primary elections were held on May 15, 2018. [2] The term of office for those elected in 2018 began when the Senate convened in January 2019. Pennsylvania State Senators are elected for four-year terms, with half of the seats up for election every two years. [3]

Contents

Republicans have controlled the chamber since the 1994 election (24 years).

Overview

Republicans have controlled the chamber for 24 years (since the 1994 election). Democrats won five seats but failed to retake the majority despite winning the popular vote by over 200,000 votes. However, in five contests a Democrat ran unopposed with no Republicans appearing on the ballot. Republican senator Randy Vulakovich of the 38th district was the only incumbent to be defeated in the primary elections, losing to Jeremy Shaffer, who in turn lost to Democratic candidate Lindsey Williams in the general election. Two other Republican incumbents Thomas J. McGarrigle and John Rafferty Jr. – were also defeated in the general election by their Democratic challengers (Timothy P. Kearney and Katie Muth, respectively). In the 10th district, Republican Chuck McIlhinney chose to retire, and his seat was won by Democrat Steve Santarsiero, while in the 12th district, Republican Stewart Greenleaf retired and was replaced by Democrat Maria Collett.

AffiliationCandidatesVotesVote %Seats wonSeats after
Republican 201,096,95445.51%13 (Decrease2.svg5)29
Democratic 241,297,49453.83%12 (Increase2.svg5)21
Green 114,4670.60%00
Libertarian 11,2510.05%00
Total462,410,166100%2550
Popular vote for 25 Senate seats
Democratic
53.83%
Republican
45.51%
Other
0.65%
Percentage of 25 Senate seats won
Republican
52%
Democratic
48%

Close races

Ten district races had winning margins of less than 15%:

DistrictWinnerMargin
District 6Republican0.06%
District 10Democratic (flip)5.06%
District 12Democratic (flip)5.38%
District 16Republican2.84%
District 24Republican5.82%
District 26Democratic (flip)8.58%
District 34Republican11.52%
District 38Democratic (flip)0.64%
District 40Republican12.59%
District 44Democratic (flip)3.94%

Controversy

Democrat Lindsey Williams defeated Republican Jeremy Shaffer in the 38th District, a seat previously held by Republican Randy Vulakovich. After the election, Senate Republicans questioned whether Williams met the State-Constitutional requirement to be a "citizen and inhabitant" of Pennsylvania for four years prior to the election, as she claimed to have moved to Pennsylvania exactly four years prior to her election. [4] After weeks of speculation and rumors of the GOP majority planning to refuse to seat her, Senate Majority Leader Joe Scarnati announced that he would recommend that she be seated. [5] This announcement came after Williams provided proof that she had accepted a job in Pennsylvania on November 2, 2014. Ultimately, Williams was sworn in with the rest of the senators without any objection.

Results

DistrictPartyIncumbentStatusPartyCandidateVotes %
2 Democratic Christine Tartaglione Re-elected Democratic Christine Tartaglione 58,717100.00
4 Democratic Arthur L. Haywood III Re-elected Democratic Arthur L. Haywood III 110,11486.58
Republican Ronald F. Holt17,06813.42
6 Republican Robert M. Tomlinson Re-elected Republican Robert M. Tomlinson 54,38250.03
Democratic Tina Davis54,30849.97
8 Democratic Anthony H. Williams Re-elected Democratic Anthony H. Williams 86,092100.00
10 Republican Chuck McIlhinney Retired Democratic Steve Santarsiero 67,43852.53
Republican Marguerite Quinn 60,93547.47
12 Republican Stewart Greenleaf Retired Democratic Maria Collett 62,06952.69
Republican Stewart Greenleaf Jr.55,74247.31
14 Democratic John Yudichak Re-elected Democratic John Yudichak 51,521100.00
16 Republican Pat Browne Re-elected Republican Pat Browne 48,89751.42
Democratic Mark Pinsley48,20048.58
18 Democratic Lisa Boscola Re-elected Democratic Lisa Boscola 65,705100.00
20 Republican Lisa Baker Re-elected Republican Lisa Baker 67,35082.32
Green John Sweeney14,46717.68
22 Democratic John Blake Re-elected Democratic John Blake 59,24961.33
Republican Frank Scavo III37,36738.67
24 Republican Bob Mensch Re-elected Republican Bob Mensch 54,58652.41
Democratic Linda Fields49,55847.59
26 Republican Thomas J. McGarrigle Defeated Democratic Timothy Kearney 65,66054.29
Republican Thomas J. McGarrigle 55,28745.71
28 Republican Scott Wagner Ran for Governor Republican Kristin Phillips-Hill 62,38062.70
Democratic Judith McCormick-Higgins37,10537.30
30 Republican John Eichelberger Ran for U.S. House Republican Judy Ward 63,66172.87
Democratic Emily Garbuny Best23,68427.13
32 Republican Patrick J. Stefano Re-elected Republican Patrick J. Stefano 54,41765.73
Democratic Pamela Gerard28,37134.27
34 Republican Jake Corman Re-elected Republican Jake Corman 49,25955.76
Democratic Ezra Nanes39,07544.24
36 Republican Ryan P. Aument Re-elected Republican Ryan P. Aument 69,85166.44
Democratic William Troutman Jr.35,28033.56
38 Republican Randy Vulakovich Lost Primary Democratic Lindsey Williams 62,36150.32
Republican Jeremy Shaffer61,56849.68
40 Republican Mario Scavello Re-elected Republican Mario Scavello 54,78355.66
Democratic Tarah Probst 42,39643.07
Libertarian Adam Reinhardt1,2511.27
42 Democratic Wayne D. Fontana Re-elected Democratic Wayne D. Fontana 86,288100.00
44 Republican John Rafferty, Jr. Defeated Democratic Katie Muth 62,69251.97
Republican John Rafferty, Jr. 57,94348.03
46 Republican Camera C. Bartolotta Re-elected Republican Camera C. Bartolotta 55,52758.80
Democratic James R. Craig38,90841.20
48 Republican Mike Folmer Re-elected Republican Mike Folmer 60,35762.94
Democratic Lois Herr35,54537.06
50 Republican Michele Brooks Re-elected Republican Michele Brooks 55,64865.64
Democratic Sue Ann Mulvey29,12534.36

Source: Pennsylvania Department of State [6]

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References

  1. "Member Information, Joseph Scarnati".
  2. "PA 2018 Election Calendar". Committee of Seventy. Archived from the original on January 10, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  3. Center, Legislativate Data Processing. "Members of the Senate". The official website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  4. "Lindsey Williams was elected to the Pa. Senate, but will she be able to serve?". December 27, 2018.
  5. "No more drama: Pittsburgh's Lindsey Williams sworn in as state senator". January 1, 2019.
  6. "2018 General Election: Senator in the General Assembly". Pennsylvania Department of State. November 6, 2018. Retrieved December 4, 2018.