You’ve probably heard about the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s retention vote. And how it will be one of the most watched races in the country.
Voting takes place on the back of the ballot.
The first page of the ballot includes two other statewide contests that will result in recent judges being appointed to the Superior Courts and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
In the eighth installment of our series previewing the 2025 general elections, we focus on the vacancy on the 15-member Supreme Court – one of two intermediate appellate courts in the state – which hears both criminal and civil cases appealed to the Court of Common Pleas.
There has since been a vacancy on the 15-member state Supreme Court Judge Daniel McCaffery was elected to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2023. Pennsylvania is one of only a handful of states with partisan judicial elections, and of the current 14 Supreme Court justices, eight originally ran as Democrats and six as Republicans. Three candidates are running for the 10-year term: a Democrat and a current Washington County judge Brandon NeumanRepublican Mary the Baptistlegal consultant and Liberal Party Daniel Wassmerlawyer and instructor. All three were in private practice, but two had experience in state government.
Brandon Neuman
Neuman is a Washington County Common Pleas judge and a former Pittsburgh firm trial attorney who specialized in representing nursing home residents who alleged neglect and abuse. Neuman spoke in favor of efforts to notify voters if their absentee ballots contain errors and inform them of their right to vote by provisional ballot. He ran uncontested in the Democratic primaries.
Party: Democratic
Domicile: Washington County
Education: J.D., Duquesne University; MSL, University of Pittsburgh; BA in Criminal Justice, University of Richmond
Current profession: Judge of the Washington County Court of Common Pleas
Related Experience: Eight years on the bench, with an emphasis on civil and veterans matters, former member of the House of Representatives who served on the judicial and crime committees while in Harrisburg, trial lawyer.
Supporting/recommending people: “Highly recommended” by the Pennsylvania Bar Association and supported by Democratic state leaders, a dozen labor groups and three major labor unions.
Cufflinks: : Website | Facebook | Instagram
Fundraising (reported as of 15/09/25):
Together raised: $541,484.00
Total spent: $208,958.83
Mary the Baptist
Battista is a legal advisor who began her career in private practice. She then worked as an assistant district attorney and later a state prosecutor. Battista was unsuccessful in her 2023 Supreme Court bid, finishing third behind two Democrats in the race for open seats. In May, she won the Republican Party primaries Ann Marie Wheatcraft with almost 54% of the votes. She did not participate in the state Bar Association’s recommendation process and was not evaluated by that group.
Party: Republican
Domicile: Clarion County
Education: J.D., Ohio Northern University; Ed.D., University of Pittsburgh; M.Ed., Westminster College; BS, Elementary Education and Communication, Clarion University of Pennsylvania
Current profession: President of government services at the consulting company Judge Group
Related Experience: Six years in the state Office of the General Counsel, where he provided legal expertise to the health and state departments and served as an administrative hearing officer. Battista was an assistant district attorney in Franklin and Venango counties and a contracting specialist for the U.S. Department of Defense.
Supporting/recommending people: Backed by the state Republican Party and county Republican committees, several Second Amendment groups, the state Sheriff’s Association PAC and a handful of conservative Latino organizations.
Cufflinks: Website | Facebook | Instagram | X/Twitter | LinkedIn
Fundraising (reported as of 15/09/25):
Total collected: $154,507.80
Total spent: $49,474.99
Daniel Wassmer
Wassmer is a perennial candidate of the Liberal Party (formerly known as the Keystone Party), which he ran against Josh Shapiro for the state attorney general and John Fetterman for the US Senate. He owns a private law firm in southeastern Pennsylvania and teaches business management and paralegal studies at a local community college. He did not participate in the state Bar Association’s recommendation process and was not evaluated by that group.
Party: Liberal
Domicile: Pike County
Education: J.D., New York Law School; MBA and BA from Nassau Community College, Utah State University and Adelphi University.
Current profession: Attorney in private practice and adjunct professor at Bucks County Community College
Related experience: Over 20 years of work as a lawyer
Supporting/recommending people: Liberal Party of Pennsylvania
Cufflinks: Website
Fundraising: None reported
