Party control of Pennsylvania state government
| Party control in Pennsylvania | |
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| Governor | Democrat |
| Senate | Republican |
| House | Republican |
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Note: This content was accurate as of October 2016. It is currently being updated to reflect the political landscape in 2018.
Political control of Pennsylvania state offices in 2016 is split between Democrats and Republicans. As a result of the 2016 election, Pennsylvania remained under divided control. Control has been divided since 2015, though Republicans held a trifecta from 2011 to 2014.
Overview
In the 1980s, prosperous eastern Pennsylvania trended Republican while ailing western Pennsylvania trended Democratic. By the 1990s, though, social issues had become increasingly important. Fiscally conservative but socially moderate suburban Republicans in the east increasingly voted for Democrats, while economically liberal but socially conservative Democrats in the west flocked to the GOP.
The east has more people—metro Philadelphia cast 34% of the state’s votes in 2012, compared to 20% for metro Pittsburgh—so the state has mostly followed its lead. Pennsylvania voted Republican for president three times in the 1980s but Democratic for president in each of the six elections starting in 1992. Metro Philadelphia, which voted 50%-49% for Democrat Michael Dukakis in 1988, voted 65%-34% for Obama in 2012. Metro Pittsburgh, which voted 59%-40% for Dukakis, voted 50%-49% for Mitt Romney in 2012. Read more about Pennsylvania's political history »
Trifectas
- Trifectas influence how hard a party must work to advance its agenda.
When one party controls the three vital centers of state political power—the office of the governor, the state House, and the state Senate —Ballotpedia considers that party to control a "trifecta." Trifectas make it easier for the dominant party to pursue its agenda, and more difficult for opposition parties to challenge it.
There are currently 37 trifectas: 23 Republican trifectas and 14 Democratic trifectas. Pennsylvania is one of the 13 state governments with split-party control.
Trifectas in Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, Democrats and Republicans have maintained governing trifecta since 1992. Democrats held a trifecta in 1993. Republicans held a trifecta from 1995 to 2002 and from 2011 to 2014.
Current leadership of key offices
[[File:|100px|link=Debra Todd]]
Historical party control
Pennsylvania Party Control: 1992-2026
One year of a Democratic trifecta • Twelve years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
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| Governor | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | R | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D |
2015-2016
In 2015, Tom Wolf (D) became governor while Republicans held the legislature.
2011-2014: Republican trifecta
In 2011, Republicans gained trifecta control when Tom Corbett (R) became governor.
2003-2010
From 2003 to 2010, Democrats held the governorship while Republicans held the state senate. The state house was split with each party controlling the chamber for four years.
1995-2002: Republican trifecta
From 1995 to 2002, Republicans held a trifecta.
1994
In 1994, Republicans retook the state senate while Republicans held the governorship and state house.
1993: Democratic trifecta
In 1993, Democrats held a trifecta.
1992
In 1992, Democrats held the governorship and state house while Republicans held the state senate.
Pennsylvania compared with neighboring states
- Like New Jersey, Pennsylvania has been split between the two parties.
Like New Jersey, Pennsylvania has been split between the two parties. New York and Maryland are generally more Democratic than Pennsylvania while Ohio and West Virginia are more Republican.
- Delaware: Delaware is strongly Democratic. While Republicans held the state house from 1992 to 2008, Democrats have dominated the state senate and governorship. Democrats have also held a trifecta since 2009.
- Maryland: Maryland is strongly Democratic. Democrats held a trifecta for a total of 20 years since 1992. Republicans held the governorship from 2003 to 2006 and from 2014 to the present.
- New Jersey: New Jersey has been split between the parties since 1992. Republicans held a trifecta from 1994 to 2001 while Democrats from 2004 to 2009. Republicans took the governorship in 2010 while Democrats have held the legislature.
- New York: New York is a Democratic state on the presidential level, but the legislature has seen split-party control. Democrats have dominated the state house while Republicans have dominated the state senate. From 2008 to 2009, Democrats held a trifecta but Republicans have held a slight majority in the state senate since 2010.
- Ohio Ohio has favored Republicans at the state level since 1992. Republicans held a trifecta from 1995 to 2006 and again from 2011 to the present. Democrats only held the state house from 1992 to 1994 and again from 2009 to 2010. Republicans have also dominated the governorship.
- West Virginia: Democrats have dominated West Virginia. Despite a Republican governor from 1997 to 2000, Democrats held trifecta control for a total of 19 years. In 2014, however, Republicans have made strong gains and retook the state legislature.
Competitiveness of state legislative races
- Pennsylvania's state legislative elections are moderately less competitive than in other states.
| More about legislative competitiveness » |
In 2014, Pennsylvania ranked 32nd nationwide on Ballotpedia's Competitiveness Index.
The term "competitive" is used to indicate competitive environment on a ballot access level. The goal of the Competitiveness Index is to assess the relative competitiveness of state legislative elections by noting where incumbents are being challenged and if opportunities for election bids are being considered by candidates. States were ranked based on three factors:
- the percentage of seats where the incumbent did not run for re-election (known as "open seats")
- the percentage of incumbents who faced primary opposition
- the percentage of seats where a major party candidate faced major party opposition in the general election.
Around 11 percent of seats—five senate seats and 21 house seats—had no incumbent running for re-election in 2014, placing Pennsylvania 28th nationwide in competitiveness on that metric. Click here to see how Pennsylvania compared to other states.
About 21 percent of seats—three senate seats and 39 house seats—had an incumbent facing a primary challenge in 2014, making Pennsylvania 21st nationwide in competitiveness on that metric. Click here to see how Pennsylvania compared to other states.
Around 46 percent of seats—104 seats—had a major party candidate facing major party opposition in the general election, placing Pennsylvania 32nd nationwide in competitiveness on that metric. Click here to see how Pennsylvania compared to other states.
See also
- Pennsylvania
- Gubernatorial and legislative party control of state government
- Who Runs the States
- Who Runs the States, Pennsylvania
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