2014 Pennsylvania Senate election

2014 Pennsylvania Senate election

November 4, 2014 (2014-11-04)
All even-numbered seats in the Pennsylvania State Senate 26 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Joe Scarnati Jay Costa Party Republican Democratic Leader since January 2, 2007 (2007-01-02) January 4, 2011 (2011-01-04) Leader's seat 25th 43rd Last election 27 23 Seats won 18 7 Seats after 30 20 Seat change 3 3 Popular vote 883,122 735,709 Percentage 54.51% 45.41%
Results      Democratic hold      Republican hold      Republican gain      No election
President Pro Tempore before election Joe Scarnati Republican President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati Republican

The 2014 elections for the Pennsylvania State Senate were held on November 4, 2014, with all even-numbered districts being contested. Primary elections were held on May 20, 2014.

Background

The term of office for those elected in 2014 began when the Senate convened in January 2015. Pennsylvania State Senators are elected to four-year terms, with 25 of the 50 seats contested every two years.

Republicans have controlled the chamber since the 1994 election (20 years) but Democrats competed to retake the majority. A net Democratic gain of two seats, combined with a win for their ticket of Tom Wolf and Michael J. Stack III in the 2014 gubernatorial election would have seen Stack become Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania and thus cast the tie-breaking vote to give Democrats the majority. Democrats hoped the unpopularity of Governor Tom Corbett would help in their efforts. Instead, the Republicans gained three seats from the Democrats to expand their majority.

Democratic senator LeAnna Washington of the 4th District was the only incumbent to be defeated in the primary elections. She lost to attorney Art Haywood, shortly after she was charged with diversion of services and conflict of interest for illegally using her legislative staff for campaign purposes. She received 13,708 votes (33.82%) to Haywood's 16,113 (39.75%). Brian Gralnick, the director of the Center for Social Responsibility at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, took 10,711 votes (26.43%).

These were the first elections held under new maps drawn using data from the 2010 census. Maps intended for use in the 2012 elections were struck down by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania due to splitting too many counties and municipalities unnecessarily. The court later allowed a new set of maps drawn by Republicans to pass despite accusations of partisan gerrymandering from Democrats, but they were not passed in time to be used for the 2012 elections.

Results overview

Affiliation		Candidates	Votes	Vote %	Seats Won	Seats After
	Republican	21	883,122	54.51%	18 (3)	30
	Democratic	20	735,709	45.41%	7 (3)	20
	Independent	1	1,355	0.08%	0	0
Total		42	1,620,186	100%	25	50

Polling

District 10

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Chuck McIlhinney (R)	Steve Cickay (D)	Other	Undecided
Thirty-Ninth Street	July 22–25, 2014	400	± ?	56%	32%	—	12%

District 40

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Mario Scavello (R)	Mark Aurand (D)	Other	Undecided
Harper Polling	September 21–22, 2014	754	± 3.57%	51%	34%	—	15%

Special election

A special election was held on March 18, 2014, to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Mike Waugh in January 2014.

District	Party		Incumbent	Status	Party		Candidate	Votes	%
28		Republican	Mike Waugh	Resigned		Write-In	Scott Wagner	10,654	47.51
						Republican	Ron Miller	5,951	26.54
						Democratic	Linda E. Small	5,744	25.61

General election

District	Party		Incumbent	Status	Party		Candidate	Votes	%
2		Democratic	Christine Tartaglione	Re-elected		Democratic	Christine Tartaglione	35,405	78.91
						Republican	John J. Jenkins III	9,464	21.09
4		Democratic	LeAnna Washington	Lost primary		Democratic	Arthur L. Haywood III	78,001	81.37
						Republican	Robin Matthew Gilchrist	16,498	17.21
						Independent	Ines Reyes	1,355	1.41
6		Republican	Robert M. Tomlinson	Re-elected		Republican	Robert M. Tomlinson	45,361	61.84
						Democratic	Kimberly Yeager-Rose	27,997	38.16
8		Democratic	Anthony H. Williams	Re-elected		Democratic	Anthony H. Williams	58,547	100.00
10		Republican	Chuck McIlhinney	Re-elected		Republican	Chuck McIlhinney	49,605	58.65
						Democratic	Stephen George Cickay, Jr.	34,967	41.35
12		Republican	Stewart Greenleaf	Re-elected		Republican	Stewart Greenleaf	50,319	63.34
						Democratic	Ruth S. Damsker	29,123	36.66
14		Democratic	John Yudichak	Re-elected		Democratic	John Yudichak	41,980	100.00
16		Republican	Pat Browne	Re-elected		Republican	Pat Browne	36,745	62.39
						Democratic	Walter Felton, Jr.	22,146	37.61
18		Democratic	Lisa Boscola	Re-elected		Democratic	Lisa Boscola	54,943	100.00
20		Republican	Lisa Baker	Re-elected		Republican	Lisa Baker	51,946	100.00
22		Democratic	John Blake	Re-elected		Democratic	John Blake	45,716	68.31
						Republican	Arthur Joseph Albert	21,213	31.69
24		Republican	Bob Mensch	Re-elected		Republican	Bob Mensch	41,885	59.90
						Democratic	Jack Hansen	28,041	40.10
26		Republican	Edwin Erickson	Retired		Republican	Thomas J. McGarrigle	45,910	52.12
						Democratic	John I. Kane	42,170	47.88
28		Republican	Scott Wagner	Re-elected		Republican	Scott Wagner	46,247	64.72
						Democratic	Linda E. Small	25,205	35.28
30		Republican	John Eichelberger	Re-elected		Republican	John Eichelberger	52,042	100.00
32		Democratic	Rich Kasunic	Retired		Republican	Patrick J. Stefano	36,670	57.21
						Democratic	Deberah L. Kula	27,428	42.79
34		Republican	Jake Corman	Re-elected		Republican	Jake Corman	46,391	100.00
36		Republican	Mike Brubaker	Retired		Republican	Ryan P. Aument	54,058	72.32
						Democratic	Gary J. Schrekengost	20,686	27.68
38		Democratic	Jim Ferlo	District moved		Republican	Randy Vulakovich	58,599	100.00
40		Republican	Randy Vulakovich	District moved		Republican	Mario Scavello	38,417	59.88
						Democratic	Mark D. Aurand	25,739	40.12
42		Democratic	Wayne D. Fontana	Re-elected		Democratic	Wayne D. Fontana	53,080	100.00
44		Republican	John Rafferty, Jr.	Re-elected		Republican	John Rafferty, Jr.	48,655	61.39
						Democratic	Kathi Cozzone	30,597	38.61
46		Democratic	Tim Solobay	Defeated		Republican	Camera C. Bartolotta	36,697	53.23
						Democratic	Tim Solobay	32,237	46.77
48		Republican	Mike Folmer	Re-elected		Republican	Mike Folmer	54,900	100.00
50		Republican	Robert D. Robbins	Retired		Republican	Michele Brooks	41,500	65.66
						Democratic	Michael T. Muha	21,701	34.34

Source: Pennsylvania Department of State