AICUP Message to Friends of Independent Higher Education
 

November 14, 2016

Pennsylvania Statewide Election Highlights

Nearly 6 million Pennsylvanians voted in the November 8 election. Democratic candidates won all three statewide offices which are often seen as a potential stepping stone to future elective office.

Montgomery County Commissioner Josh Shapiro defeated four-term Senator John Rafferty.  Shapiro is a former state legislator and graduate of University of Rochester with JD from Georgetown University.  Democratic incumbent Auditor General Eugene DePasquale retained that office.  DePasquale, a former state legislator, is a graduate of the College of Wooster, with a law degree from Widener University School of Law.   Joe Torsella was elected as State Treasurer.  Torsella served most recently as the U.S. Representative to the United Nations for Management and Reform (with the rank of ambassador) from 2011 to 2014. He is also the former chair of the Pennsylvania State Board of Education and the former President and CEO of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.  He is an Honors graduate from University of Pennsylvania and did graduate work as a Rhodes Scholar at New College, Oxford. 

Pennsylvania now has a clear Republican majority in the state Senate with 34 seats.  This majority of members would allow Republicans to overrule the Governor’s veto.  In the House, the majority increased to 122 Republicans to 81 Democrats.  Majority status confers control of all leadership and committee chairs.  These legislators will control the legislative agenda and the subsequent movement and passage of bills.

Did you know:  Detailed information on the election results are at Pennsylvania 2016 Election Results.  Look under “Offices” for all results.