1996 Pennsylvania Senate election

1996 Pennsylvania Senate election
All odd-numbered seats in the Pennsylvania State Senate; 26 seats needed for a majority
	Democratic hold; Republican hold Republican gain; No election; Republican: 50–60% 60–70% >90%; Democratic: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90%
President Pro Tempore before election; Robert Jubelirer; Republican	Elected President Pro Tempore ; Robert Jubelirer; Republican

The 1996 elections for the Pennsylvania State Senate were held on November 5, with 25 of 50 districts being contested. Primary elections were held on April 23, 1996.^[1] The term of office for those elected in 1996 would begin when the Senate convenes in January 1997. Pennsylvania State Senators are elected for four-year terms, with half of the seats up for election every two years.^[2] The election coincided with the 1996 United States presidential election, United States House of Representatives elections and the election of the entirety of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Republicans had controlled the chamber since the 1994 election.

Results summary

Retiring incumbents

Democrats

District 35: William J. Stewart retired.

Republicans

District 19: Earl M. Baker retired.
District 21: Tim Shaffer retired.
District 25: John Peterson retired to run for Congress.
District 37: Mike Fisher retired to run for Attorney General.

Incumbents defeated in primary

Democrats

District 39: Eugene Porterfield lost renomination to Allen Kukovich.

Primary elections

Democratic primary

1996 Pennsylvania Senate elections
Democratic primary^[1]
District	Candidates	Votes	Percent
1	Vince Fumo	16,945	100.00
3	Roxanne Jones	17,954	100.00
5	Tom Mills	6,367	100.00
7	Vincent Hughes	17,218	100.00
9	Robert L. Felker	3,637	100.00
11	Michael O'Pake	9,717	100.00
13	Bill Saylor	4,789	100.00
15	D. Ann Smilek	7,147	100.00
17	Dave Romine	5,606	100.00
19	Sara R. Nichols	4,321	100.00
21	Robert Thomas	7,840	52.86
21	Larry M. Kriess	6,993	47.14
23	No candidate filed for party.
25	Curt Bowley	6,175	45.77
	Lugene Inzana	5,166	38.30
	Ronald Lee Bills Sr.	2,149	15.93
27	No candidate filed for party.
29	No candidate filed for party.
31	James Hoefler	6,364	100.00
33	No candidate filed for party.
35	John N. Wozniak	12,575	41.15
	P. J. Stevens	11,833	38.72
	Daniel Kane	4,244	13.89
	Linda Jo Berkey	1,906	6.24
37	Gregory Fajt	19,143	100.00
39	Allen Kukovich	17,492	55.30
39	Eugene Porterfield	14,139	44.70
41	Patrick J. Stapleton Jr.	15,324	100.00
43	Jay Costa	17,632	57.77
	Rich Talarico	6,694	21.93
	Steve Luncinski	3,563	11.67
	George John Tkach	2,632	8.62
45	Albert Belan	24,043	100.00
47	Gerald LaValle	23,898	100.00
49	Anthony Andrezeski	15,604	100.00

Republican primary

1996 Pennsylvania Senate elections
Republican primary^[1]
District	Candidates	Votes	Percent
1	Ron A. Reilly	2,800	100.00
3	Michael G. Floyd	1,493	100.00
5	Frank A. Salvatore	7,843	100.00
7	Edward P. Bevans	1,590	100.00
9	Clarence D. Bell	23,101	100.00
11	Scott C. Carbon	6,518	100.00
13	Gibson E. Armstrong	15,059	100.00
15	Jeffrey Piccola	17,202	100.00
17	Richard Tilghman	16,439	100.00
19	Robert J. Thompson	19,721	100.00
21	Mary Jo White	6,055	25.63
	John R. McMillin Jr.	5,575	23.60
	Robert Kasenter	5,019	21.25
	Mark D. Burd	2,822	11.95
	Brian D. Knapp	2,608	11.04
	Jan K. Richardson	1,545	6.54
23	Roger A. Madigan	16,566	100.00
25	Bill Slocum	8,028	32.25
	Joe Scarnati	7,677	30.84
	Ron Orris	5,273	21.18
	Michael A. Aiello	3,918	15.74
27	Edward Helfrick	12,064	100.00
29	James J. Rhoades	14,322	100.00
31	Harold Mowery	17,442	100.00
33	Terry L. Punt	14,336	100.00
35	Samuel F. Rizzo	11,255	100.00
37	Tim Murphy	11,402	69.89
37	John Schnatterly	4,912	30.11
39	Charles H. Frederickson	8,834	100.00
41	George R. Kepple	12,903	100.00
43	Kathy Matta	6,041	100.00
45	Dick Reid	7,586	100.00
47	No candidate filed for party.
49	Jane Earll	12,031	100.00

General election

Overview

Statewide outlook^[3]
Affiliation		Candidates	Votes	%	Seats before	Seats up	Seats won	Seats after
	Republican	24	1,102,937	52.62	29	14	15 (1)	30
	Democratic	21	982,343	46.87	21	11	10 (1)	20
	Write-in	-	6,484	0.31	-	-	-	-
	Libertarian	1	4,162	0.20	0	0	0 ()	0
Total		46	2,095,926	100.00	50	25	25	50

Close races

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

District	Winner	Margin
District 41	Democratic	6.5%
District 49	Republican (flip)	10.7%
District 37	Republican	10.7%
District 13	Republican	13.1%
District 25	Republican	14.2%

District breakdown

District		Incumbent	Status		Candidate	Votes	%
1	Democratic	Vince Fumo	Re-elected	Democratic	Vince Fumo	57,267	78.65
1	Democratic	Vince Fumo	Re-elected	Republican	Ron A. Reilly	15,542	21.35
3	Democratic	Roxanne Jones	Died^[a]	Democratic	Shirley Kitchen	58,218	88.01
3	Democratic	Roxanne Jones	Died^[a]	Republican	Michael G. Floyd	7,934	11.99
5	Republican	Frank A. Salvatore	Re-elected	Republican	Frank A. Salvatore	46,575	59.27
5	Republican	Frank A. Salvatore	Re-elected	Democratic	Tom Mills	32,011	40.73
7	Democratic	Vincent Hughes	Re-elected	Democratic	Vincent Hughes	64,846	89.04
7	Democratic	Vincent Hughes	Re-elected	Republican	Edward P. Bevans	7,980	10.96
9	Republican	Clarence D. Bell	Re-elected	Republican	Clarence D. Bell	59,882	65.42
9	Republican	Clarence D. Bell	Re-elected	Democratic	Robert L. Felker	31,647	34.58
11	Democratic	Michael O'Pake	Re-elected	Democratic	Michael O'Pake	58,108	72.90
11	Democratic	Michael O'Pake	Re-elected	Republican	Scott C. Carbon	21,602	27.10
13	Republican	Gibson E. Armstrong	Re-elected	Republican	Gibson E. Armstrong	48,125	56.54
13	Republican	Gibson E. Armstrong	Re-elected	Democratic	Bill Saylor	36,987	43.46
15	Republican	Jeffrey Piccola	Re-elected	Republican	Jeffrey Piccola	60,100	66.96
15	Republican	Jeffrey Piccola	Re-elected	Democratic	D. Ann Smilek	29,660	33.04
17	Republican	Richard Tilghman	Re-elected	Republican	Richard Tilghman	59,823	58.75
17	Republican	Richard Tilghman	Re-elected	Democratic	Dave Romine	42,004	41.25
19	Republican	Earl M. Baker	Retired	Republican	Robert J. Thompson	60,122	62.70
				Democratic	Thomas J. Bosak	31,601	32.96
				Libertarian	Thomas F. McGrady Jr.	4,162	4.34
21	Republican	Tim Shaffer	Retired	Republican	Mary Jo White	51,532	60.04
21	Republican	Tim Shaffer	Retired	Democratic	Robert Thomas	34,303	39.96
23	Republican	Roger A. Madigan	Re-elected	Republican	Roger A. Madigan	62,044	100.00
25	Republican	John Peterson	Retired to run for Congress	Republican	Bill Slocum	46,804	57.11
25	Republican	John Peterson	Retired to run for Congress	Democratic	Curt Bowley	35,144	42.89
27	Republican	Edward Helfrick	Re-elected	Republican	Edward Helfrick	58,000	100.00
29	Republican	James J. Rhoades	Re-elected	Republican	James J. Rhoades	81,872	100.00
31	Republican	Harold Mowery	Re-elected	Republican	Harold Mowery	61,004	67.88
31	Republican	Harold Mowery	Re-elected	Democratic	James M. Hoefler	28,869	32.12
33	Republican	Terry L. Punt	Re-elected	Republican	Terry L. Punt	82,599	100.00
35	Democratic	William J. Stewart	Retired	Democratic	John N. Wozniak	59,505	70.54
35	Democratic	William J. Stewart	Retired	Republican	Samuel F. Rizzo	24,855	29.46
37	Republican	Mike Fisher	Retired to run for Attorney General	Republican	Tim Murphy	59,434	55.36
37	Republican	Mike Fisher	Retired to run for Attorney General	Democratic	Gregory Fajt	47,919	44.64
39	Democratic	Eugene Porterfield	Defeated in primary	Democratic	Allen Kukovich	51,071	60.96
39	Democratic	Eugene Porterfield	Defeated in primary	Republican	Charles H. Frederickson	32,704	39.04
41	Democratic	Patrick J. Stapleton Jr.	Re-elected	Democratic	Patrick J. Stapleton Jr.	43,439	53.25
41	Democratic	Patrick J. Stapleton Jr.	Re-elected	Republican	George R. Kepple	38,138	46.75
43	Democratic	Jay Costa	Re-elected	Democratic	Jay Costa	60,890	71.00
43	Democratic	Jay Costa	Re-elected	Republican	Kathy Matta	24,867	29.00
45	Democratic	Albert Belan	Re-elected	Democratic	Albert Belan	53,518	64.06
45	Democratic	Albert Belan	Re-elected	Republican	Dick Reid	30,032	35.94
47	Democratic	Gerald LaValle	Re-elected	Democratic	Gerald LaValle	83,905	100.00
49	Democratic	Anthony Andrezeski	Defeated	Republican	Jane Earll	51,367	55.35
49	Democratic	Anthony Andrezeski	Defeated	Democratic	Anthony Andrezeski	41,431	44.65

Notes

^ Jones died on May 19, 1996, after winning the primary. Shirley Kitchen was chosen as the Democratic nominee.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c The Pennsylvania Manual. Vol. 113. Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Department of General Services. 1997. p. 7-10. ISSN 0275-8814.
^ Center, Legislativate Data Processing. "Members of the Senate". The official website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Archived from the original on September 15, 2019. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
^ The Pennsylvania Manual. Vol. 113. Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Department of General Services. 1997. p. 7-23. ISSN 0275-8814.

[4] Jones died on May 19, 1996, after winning the primary. Shirley Kitchen was chosen as the Democratic nominee.

[primary_results-1] The Pennsylvania Manual. Vol. 113. Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Department of General Services. 1997. p. 7-10. ISSN 0275-8814.

[2] Center, Legislativate Data Processing. "Members of the Senate". The official website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Archived from the original on September 15, 2019. Retrieved October 8, 2019.

[3] The Pennsylvania Manual. Vol. 113. Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Department of General Services. 1997. p. 7-23. ISSN 0275-8814.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[a]

Results summary

Retiring incumbents

Democrats

Republicans

Incumbents defeated in primary

Democrats

Primary elections

Democratic primary

Republican primary

General election

Overview

Close races

District breakdown

See also

Notes

References