Pennsylvania Democratic Party | |
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Abbreviation | PADems |
Chairman | Sharif Street |
Governor | Josh Shapiro |
Lieutenant Governor | Austin Davis |
Senate Leader | Jay Costa |
House Speaker | Joanna McClinton |
House Leader | Matthew Bradford |
Founded | 1792 |
Headquarters | 229 State St. Harrisburg, PA 17101 |
Student wing | Pennsylvania College Democrats High School Democrats of Pennsylvania |
Youth wing | Pennsylvania Young Democrats |
Women's wing | Pennsylvania Federation of Democratic Women |
Membership (May 2021) | 4,059,810 [1] |
Ideology | Modern liberalism Progressivism [2] |
National affiliation | Democratic Party |
Colors | Blue |
U.S. Senate Seats | 1 / 2 |
U.S. House Seats | 7 / 17 |
Statewide Executive Offices | 2 / 5 |
State Senate | 22 / 50 |
State House | 102 / 203 |
State Supreme Court | 5 / 7 |
Election symbol | |
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Website | |
www | |
The Pennsylvania Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is headquartered in Harrisburg and is the largest political party in the state. Its chair is Senator Sharif Street.
As of 2025, it controls two out of five statewide offices, one U.S. Senate seat, 7 out of 17 U.S. House seats, and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Along with the Pennsylvania Republican Party, it is one of the two major parties in the state. Governor Josh Shapiro is a Pennsylvania Democrat.
The state Democratic Party has recently made economic factors a major component of its platform, with advocacy for middle class workers of particular prominence. The party has also opposed Republican-sponsored legislation to require a photo ID for voting, asserting that such a requirement would discourage minorities, youth, and those with low incomes from voting because they are less likely to possess a state-issued ID. Additionally, the party has committed itself to maintaining the social safety net and encouraging more transparency in state government. [3]
Key issues for the party include affordable healthcare, jobs and wages, support for workers and unions, fairer taxes, strong public education, retirement security, civil rights, environmental protection, marijuana legalization, and criminal justice reform. [4]
A priority for Pennsylvania Democrats in the 2010s and 2020s has been increasing the minimum wage. [5]
The Pennsylvania Democratic Party traces its history to 1792. Pennsylvania Democrat James Buchanan was elected president in 1856 but did not seek re-election four years later, when Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, was elected president. Buchanan's rise and fall from political prominence coincided with that of the Democratic Party in Pennsylvania; for much of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the party was largely out of power. [6] [7]
The party held the governorship from 2003 to 2011 with the election of Ed Rendell in 2002 and his re-election in 2006. The party lost control of the governorship following the election of Republican Tom Corbett in 2010. The party picked up a U.S. Senate seat in 2006 with the election of Bob Casey Jr. Pennsylvania Democrats also briefly held both of the state's U.S. Senate seats following Arlen Specter's party-switch. However, Joe Sestak defeated Specter in the May 2010 Democratic primary before losing the fall general election to Republican Pat Toomey. On the state legislative level, the party won a majority in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 2006 and in 2008 but lost its majority in the 2010 election. [8]
Republican governor Tom Corbett was defeated for re-election to a second term by Democrat Tom Wolf. This marked the first time an incumbent governor lost re-election in Pennsylvania. [9] Wolf was re-elected in 2018. [10]
The party controls three of five statewide executive offices, including the governorship, and is in the minority in the Pennsylvania State Senate. Democrats hold one of the state's U.S. Senate seats, seven of the state's 17 U.S. House seats, and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
District | Member | Photo |
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2nd | Brendan Boyle | ![]() |
3rd | Dwight Evans | ![]() |
4th | Madeleine Dean | ![]() |
5th | Mary Gay Scanlon | ![]() |
6th | Chrissy Houlahan | ![]() |
12th | Summer Lee | ![]() |
17th | Chris Deluzio | ![]() |
As of 19 November 2024 [update] :
Senate [11] | Leadership Position | House [12] |
Jay Costa | Floor Leader | Matthew Bradford |
Christine Tartaglione | Whip | Mike Schlossberg |
Maria Collett | Caucus Chairperson | Robert Matzie |
Steve Santarsiero | Caucus Secretary | Tina Davis |
Vincent Hughes | Appropriations Committee Chairman | Jordan Harris |
Judy Schwank | Caucus Administrator | Leanne Krueger |
Nick Miller | Policy Committee Chairman | Ryan Bizzarro |
The Pennsylvania Republican Party (PAGOP) is the affiliate of the Republican Party in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, headquartered in Harrisburg. The party is led by Lawrence Tabas, who has served as state chairman since 2019. It is the second largest political party in the state behind the Pennsylvania Democratic Party.
Pennsylvania is generally considered a swing state that leans slightly left. Throughout its entire history, it voted for the nationwide loser on only 10 occasions, meaning it has voted for the national winner 83% of the time as of 2024. Although, it generally supported Republicans between the Civil War and New Deal eras, as it voted Republican in every election between 1860 and 1932, except for 1912, when the Republican vote was split. Even then, the state's strong Republican ties meant that it backed Republican-turned-Progressive Theodore Roosevelt. The state backed a Democrat in 1936 for the first time since 1856. Pennsylvania generally leaned Democratic since the 1990s, as it backed the Democratic presidential candidate in every election since 1992 except in 2016 and 2024, when it was won by Republican candidate Donald Trump.
Michael Joseph Stack III is an American attorney and former politician who served as the 33rd lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania from 2015 to 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate for the 5th district from 2001 to 2015.
The 2010 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania took place on November 2, 2010, during the 2010 midterm elections. Incumbent Republican-turned-Democrat U.S. Senator Arlen Specter ran for reelection to a sixth term, but lost in the Democratic primary to Joe Sestak. Republican nominee Pat Toomey then won the seat.
Jacob Doyle Corman III is an American politician who served as the president pro tempore of the Pennsylvania Senate from 2020 to 2022.
The 2004 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on November 2, 2004. Incumbent Republican Senator Arlen Specter won re-election to a fifth term. As of 2025, this is the last time a Republican statewide candidate won Montgomery and Delaware Counties and won more than 25% of the vote in Philadelphia. Specter later lost renomination in 2010 as a Democrat, having joined the party in April 2009. Specter’s party switch marked the first time since 1947 that Democrats held both of Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate seats.
Pennsylvania held various elections on November 2, 2010. These include elections for a Senate seat, a gubernatorial race, and many state legislature races.
James Cawley is an American politician who served as the 32nd Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania from 2011 to 2015 as a Republican and is the most recent to hold that position as of 2025.
The 1980 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on November 4, 1980. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Richard Schweiker decided to retire, instead of seeking a third term.
The 1944 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on November 7, 1944. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator James J. Davis sought re-election, but was defeated by Democratic nominee Francis J. Myers.
The 2014 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 2014, to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, concurrently with elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
The 2016 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania took place on November 8, 2016, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in numerous other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. The primaries were held on April 26. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Pat Toomey was reelected to a second term in a close race, defeating Democratic nominee Katie McGinty and Libertarian Party nominee Edward Clifford. With a margin of 1.43%, this election was the second-closest race of the 2016 Senate election cycle, behind only the election in New Hampshire.
The 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania were held on November 8, 2016, to elect the 18 U.S. representatives from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, one from each of the state's 18 congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate, and various state and local elections. The primaries were held on April 26.
The 2018 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, concurrently with the election of Pennsylvania's Class I U.S. Senate seat, as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various local elections. Incumbent Governor Tom Wolf won re-election to a second term by a double-digit margin, defeating Republican challenger Scott Wagner and two third-party candidates from the Green Party, Paul Glover and Libertarian Party, Ken Krawchuk. The primary elections were held on May 15. This was the only Democratic-held governorship up for election in a state that Donald Trump won in the 2016 presidential election.
The 2022 United States Senate elections were held on November 8, 2022, concurrently with other midterm elections at the federal, state, and local levels. Regularly scheduled elections were held for 34 of the 100 seats in the U.S. Senate, the winners of which will serve 6-year terms beginning with the 118th United States Congress. 2 special elections were held to complete unexpired terms. While pundits considered the Republican Party a slight favorite to gain control of the Senate, the Democrats outperformed expectations and expanded the majority they had held since 2021, gaining a seat for a functioning 51–49 majority.
The 2022 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on November 8, 2022, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Democratic lieutenant governor John Fetterman won his first term in office, defeating Republican surgeon Mehmet Oz. Fetterman succeeded Republican incumbent senator Pat Toomey, who did not seek re-election after two terms. This was the only U.S. Senate seat to flip parties in 2022.
A special election was held on May 21, 2019, to fill the remainder of the term for Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives for the 116th United States Congress. Tom Marino, a Republican, resigned from office effective January 23.
The 2022 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania. Democratic state attorney general Josh Shapiro defeated Republican state senator Doug Mastriano to win his first term in office. Shapiro succeeded Democratic incumbent Tom Wolf, who was term limited.
The 2018 Pennsylvania state elections took place on November 6, 2018. On that date, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania held elections for the following offices: Governor and Lieutenant Governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, Pennsylvania State Senate, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and various others. Primary elections took place on May 15, 2018.
The 2022 Pennsylvania state elections took place on November 8, 2022. On that date, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania held elections for the following offices: Governor and Lieutenant Governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, Pennsylvania State Senate, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and various other government leadership positions.