James Brewster
James Brewster (Democratic Party) was a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, representing District 45. He assumed office on November 17, 2010. He left office on November 30, 2024.
Brewster (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Pennsylvania State Senate to represent District 45. He won in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Biography
Brewster earned his B.S. in education from the California University of Pennsylvania. His professional experience includes working at Mellon Bank first as a fraud investigator and later as the vice-president.[1] Brewster served on the McKeesport City Council from 1995 to 2004 until his election to the office of mayor of McKeesport.
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.
2023-2024
Brewster was assigned to the following committees:
- Banking & Insurance Committee
- Senate Game & Fisheries Committee, Chair
- Law & Justice Committee, Chair
- Senate Local Government Committee
- Senate Transportation Committee
2021-2022
Brewster was assigned to the following committees:
- Senate Appropriations Committee
- Banking & Insurance Committee
- Senate Education Committee
- Senate Game & Fisheries Committee, Minority Chair
- Law & Justice Committee, Minority Chair
- Senate Transportation Committee
2019-2020
Brewster was assigned to the following committees:
- Banking & Insurance Committee
- Senate Game & Fisheries Committee, Minority Chair
- Senate Education Committee
- Law & Justice Committee, Minority Chair
- Senate Transportation Committee
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Pennsylvania committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Game & Fisheries, Minority chair |
| • Law & Justice, Minority chair |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Brewster served on the following committees:
| Pennsylvania committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Game & Fisheries, Minority Chair |
| • Law & Justice, Minority Chair |
| • Banking & Insurance |
| • Transportation |
| • Legislative Budget and Finance, Vice-Chair |
2013-2014
In the 2013-2014 legislative session, Brewster served on the following committees:
| Pennsylvania committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Urban Affairs & Housing, Minority Chair |
| • Banking & Insurance |
| • Community, Economic & Recreational Development |
| • Game & Fisheries |
| • Transportation |
| • Legislative Budget and Finance |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Brewster served on the following committees:
| Pennsylvania committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Banking & Insurance |
| • Communications & Technology |
| • Community, Economic & Recreational Development |
| • Game & Fisheries |
| • Transportation |
| • Urban Affairs & Housing, Minority Chair |
| • Legislative Budget and Finance |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2024
James Brewster did not file to run for re-election.
2020
See also: Pennsylvania State Senate elections, 2020
General election
General election for Pennsylvania State Senate District 45
Incumbent James Brewster defeated Nicole Ziccarelli in the general election for Pennsylvania State Senate District 45 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | James Brewster (D) | 50.0 | 66,261 |
 | Nicole Ziccarelli (R)  | 50.0 | 66,192 | |
| Total votes: 132,453 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Pennsylvania State Senate District 45
Incumbent James Brewster advanced from the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania State Senate District 45 on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | James Brewster | 100.0 | 36,044 |
| Total votes: 36,044 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Pennsylvania State Senate District 45
Nicole Ziccarelli advanced from the Republican primary for Pennsylvania State Senate District 45 on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Nicole Ziccarelli | 100.0 | 14,939 |
| Total votes: 14,939 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Campaign finance
2016
Elections for the Pennsylvania State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election was held on April 26, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was February 16, 2016.
Incumbent James Brewster ran unopposed in the Pennsylvania State Senate District 45 general election.[2][3]
| Pennsylvania State Senate District 45, General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic |  James Brewster Incumbent (unopposed) | |
| Source: Pennsylvania Department of State | ||
Incumbent James Brewster ran unopposed in the Pennsylvania State Senate District 45 Democratic primary.[4][5]
| Pennsylvania State Senate District 45, Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | James Brewster Incumbent (unopposed) | |
2012
Brewster ran in the 2012 election for Pennsylvania Senate District 45. Brewster ran unchallenged in the April 24 primary and was unchallenged in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[6][7]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James Brewster Incumbent |
100% | 72,189 | |
| Total Votes | 72,189 | |||
2010
On November 2, 2010, Brewster defeated Republican Paul Olijar in the special election held for District 45 of the Pennsylvania State Senate. Brewster won the election with 53% of the vote.
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
James Brewster did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Pennsylvania scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2024
In 2024, the Pennsylvania State Legislature was in session from January 2 to November 14.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to civil rights and civil liberties issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to gun safety.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the Pennsylvania State Legislature was in session from January 3 to December 13.
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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the Pennsylvania State Legislature was in session from January 4 to November 30.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Pennsylvania State Legislature was in session from January 5 to December 31.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Pennsylvania State Legislature was in session from January 7 to November 30.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the Pennsylvania General Assembly was in session from January 2 through November 30.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the Pennsylvania General Assembly was in session from January 3 through December 31.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the Pennsylvania General Assembly was in session from January 5 through November 30.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Pennsylvania General Assembly was in session from January 6 through December 31.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the Pennsylvania General Assembly was in session from January 7 through November 12.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the Pennsylvania General Assembly was in session from January 2 to December 31.
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2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
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In 2012, the Pennsylvania General Assembly was in session from January 3 to November 30.
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2011
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2011, click [show]. |
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In 2011, the Pennsylvania General Assembly was in session from January 4 through November 30.
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See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ www.senatorbrewster.com, "About Me," accessed May 16, 2014
- ↑ Pennsylvania Voter Services, "Candidate listing," accessed August 31, 2016
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "November 8, 2016, official election results," accessed May 17, 2017
- ↑ Pennsylvania Secretary of State, "Election Information," accessed February 18, 2016
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "2016 Presidential Primary," accessed August 2, 2016
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "2012 General Primary," accessed March 11, 2014
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "2012 General Election," accessed March 11, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Pennsylvania State Senate District 45 2010-2024 |
Succeeded by Nick Pisciottano (D) |
