Vincent Hughes
1994 - Present
2028
30
Vincent Hughes (Democratic Party) is a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, representing District 7. He assumed office on November 21, 1994. His current term ends on November 30, 2028.
Hughes (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Pennsylvania State Senate to represent District 7. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Biography
Hughes attended Temple University.[1]
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
Hughes was assigned to the following committees:
- Senate Appropriations Committee, Chair
- Intergovernmental Operations Committee
- Rules & Executive Nominations Committee
2021-2022
Hughes was assigned to the following committees:
- Senate Appropriations Committee, Minority Chair
- Senate Finance Committee
- Rules & Executive Nominations Committee
2019-2020
Hughes was assigned to the following committees:
- Senate Appropriations Committee, Minority Chair
- Senate Finance Committee
- Intergovernmental Operations Committee
- Rules & Executive Nominations Committee
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Pennsylvania committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Appropriations, Minority chair |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Hughes served on the following committees:
| Pennsylvania committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Appropriations, Minority Chair |
| • Intergovernmental Operations |
| • Rules & Executive Nominations |
| • Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness |
2013-2014
In the 2013-2014 legislative session, Hughes served on the following committees:
| Pennsylvania committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Appropriations, Minority Chair |
| • Intergovernmental Operations |
| • Rules & Executive Nominations |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Hughes served on these committees:
| Pennsylvania committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Appropriations, Minority Chair |
| • Finance |
| • Judiciary |
| • Public Health & Welfare |
| • Rules & Executive Nominations |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Hughes served on these committees:
| Pennsylvania committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Education |
| • Rules & Executive Nominations |
| • Transportation |
Issues
Budget
Despite a 30 to 19 disadvantage in votes, Hughes made it clear he would not be rolling over on the state budget.
"While we are ready to work cooperatively to achieve results, we will not succumb to political expediency or waver in defending our own principles and core beliefs in jobs, investment and progress for all," Hughes wrote in an opinion piece in the Harrisburg Patriot-News.
In that opinion column, Hughes was referring to the approaching struggle over the next state operating budget and the $4 billion to $5 billion shortfall that will have to dealt with by the General Assembly and Republican governor Tom Corbett.[2]
Severance tax
In April 2014, Hughes supported a severance tax on Pennsylvania’s natural gas industry. He argued that there was interest among both parties to further tax natural gas. “Many of us believe, collectively, that a lion’s share, if not all of those dollars, should go to our education system,” said Hughes.[3]
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
See also: Pennsylvania State Senate elections, 2024
General election
General election for Pennsylvania State Senate District 7
Incumbent Vincent Hughes won election in the general election for Pennsylvania State Senate District 7 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Vincent Hughes (D) | 98.7 | 113,010 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.3 | 1,443 | ||
| Total votes: 114,453 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Pennsylvania State Senate District 7
Incumbent Vincent Hughes advanced from the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania State Senate District 7 on April 23, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Vincent Hughes | 99.4 | 32,285 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.6 | 180 | ||
| Total votes: 32,465 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Campaign finance
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Hughes in this election.
2020
See also: Pennsylvania State Senate elections, 2020
General election
General election for Pennsylvania State Senate District 7
Incumbent Vincent Hughes won election in the general election for Pennsylvania State Senate District 7 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Vincent Hughes (D) | 100.0 | 115,760 |
| Total votes: 115,760 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Pennsylvania State Senate District 7
Incumbent Vincent Hughes advanced from the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania State Senate District 7 on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Vincent Hughes | 100.0 | 51,032 |
| Total votes: 51,032 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Devon Cade (D)
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 Vincent Hughes ran unopposed in the Pennsylvania State Senate District 7 general election.[4][5]
| Pennsylvania State Senate District 7, General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic |  Vincent Hughes Incumbent (unopposed) | |
| Source: Pennsylvania Department of State | ||
Incumbent Vincent Hughes ran unopposed in the Pennsylvania State Senate District 7 Democratic primary.[6][7]
| Pennsylvania State Senate District 7, Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Vincent Hughes Incumbent (unopposed) | |
2012
Hughes ran in the 2012 election for Pennsylvania Senate District 7. Hughes ran unchallenged in the April 24 primary and was unchallenged in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012. [8][9]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Vincent Hughes Incumbent |
100% | 105,146 | |
| Total Votes | 105,146 | |||
2008
On November 4, 2008, Hughes was re-elected to Pennsylvania State Senate District 7.[10] Hughes raised $560,965 for this campaign.[11]
| Pennsylvania State Senate District 7 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| HUGHES, VINCENT J. (D)
|
101,996 | |||
| PERRY, MARC (R) | 17,344 | |||
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Vincent Hughes did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Vincent Hughes 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
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2024, click [show]. |
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In 2024, the Pennsylvania State Legislature was in session from January 2 to November 14.
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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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Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Vincent is married to Sheryl Lee Ralph. They have four children and reside in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[1]
See also
2024 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Pennsylvania State Senate District 7 |
Officeholder Pennsylvania State Senate District 7 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Project Vote Smart, "Rep. Vincent Hughes," accessed March 11, 2014
- ↑ Pennsylvania Independent, "Sen. Hughes: Across The Board Budget Cuts Won't Work," accessed January 4, 2011
- ↑ WatchDog.org, "Lawmakers still pushing for severance tax in Pennsylvania," April 10, 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
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "2008 General Election," accessed March 11, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Report on 2008 campaign contributions," accessed March 11, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Pennsylvania State Senate District 7 1994-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Pennsylvania House of Representatives 1987-1994 |
Succeeded by - |
