Senate Republicans held the Pennsylvania State Senate with a margin of 28 to 22 after this election. On Wednesday, the Senate elected its leadership for the next state congressional term.
Senator Kim Ward (R-39) has been re-elected as interim Senate President Pro Tempore. She will serve in the role from December 1st until January 6th. On January 7th, the Senate will elect a President Pro Tempore for the next two-year legislative session.
Senator Ward said, “First and foremost, I wish to express appreciation to my Senate colleagues for re-electing me as interim President Pro Tempore. But more importantly, together, we need to hit the ground running to tackle the real challenges facing Pennsylvania. Pennsylvanians don’t want disruption or divided government fueled by partisanship; they want a balanced government – that prioritizes economic growth and job creation, safeguards their constitutional rights, and addresses the rising costs of essentials like food and utilities.”
Senator Joe Pittman (R-41) was re-elected to serve as Senate Majority Leader. He said, “I am honored to have been re-elected by my colleagues to continue to serve as Senate Majority Leader for the upcoming 2025-26 legislative session. We stood together to stop massive spending increases proposed by Democrats and to uphold our Constitution. As we look to the new session, our efforts as a 28-member majority will continue to focus on advancing a pro-growth, pro-law enforcement agenda, and to grow our economy and population in a smart and sustainable way for the future.”
The State Senate re-elected Senator Ryan Aument (R-36) as Majority Whip. He reacted to his re-election, saying, “Pennsylvanians sent a strong message from the ballot box on Nov. 5 by voting to maintain the Republican majority in the Pennsylvania Senate, and we are honored to represent them and eager to advocate on their behalf for this next term. Our leadership team has heard their message loud and clear and is prepared to work hard advancing a solid conservative agenda for the people of Pennsylvania while also acting as a power check on House Democrats and Gov. Shapiro.”
The Senate Republicans elected several other members to leadership positions on Wednesday. Senator Scott Martin (R-13) was re-elected as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Senator Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-28) was re-elected to serve as Majority Caucus Chair, and Senator Camera Bartolotta (R-46) was re-elected as Senate Majority Caucus Secretary.
State Senate Democrats made some changes to their leadership ranks on Wednesday. In the top spots, Senator Jay Costa, Senator Vincent Hughes, and Senator Christine Tartaglione will continue to serve as Minority Leader, Minority Appropriations Chairperson, and Minority Whip respectively. Senator Judith Schwank was re-elected Caucus Administrator.
Senator Wayne Fontana will be replaced as Democratic Caucus Chairperson by Senator Maria Collett. Senator Steve Santarsiero will take over for Collett as the new Secretary. Senator Katie Muth will be replaced by Committee Chairperson Nick Miller after being successfully challenged.
