In November, Joe Picozzi won perhaps the most improbable victory yet in a state Senate election. The 29-year-old Philadelphia resident managed to unseat a Democratic incumbent in Northwest Philadelphia, where no Republican has won a seat since 1996. He will be the youngest member of the Senate.
Picozzi attributed this success to his team’s ground game, even though he received significant financial assistance from the Pennsylvania Senate Republican Campaign Committee. He touched on kitchen table issues – crime, education and affordability.
He is not a complete political novice. Picozzi studied politics and political theory at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. He also worked at the Manhattan Institute and was an adviser to former U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican.
Throughout the campaign, Picozzi presented himself as a moderate willing to work with Democrats in both state and local governments to achieve legislative victories. While many Republicans across the country have invoked culture war issues in their campaigns, Picozzi’s website describes him as “open and committed to pursuing good ideas no matter where they come from.”
Picozzi declined to be interviewed as part of the “new faces” series. The following text is from a Capital-Star interview with Picozzi conducted shortly after the race was announced in his favor, edited for length and clarity.
Capital-Star: When did you come up with the idea of running for state Senate?
Ice axes: I think it’s something that has built over time. I have always been interested in the American experiment, ever since I attended Independence Hall and the Constitution Center as a boy. When I looked at things in my house, I saw how crazy and how bad everything had changed. When I was a kid, there was nothing to worry about in Northeast Philadelphia. It was completely secure. Everyone got along. It felt like TV Land. And it has changed a lot. This is where it got really challenging. So I felt a real sense of obligation to actually do something. I also looked at it this way: “If I don’t do this and things continue to decline in the Northeast, how can I look back on myself at 40?”
Capital-Star: What were the main themes of your campaign, when you knocked on doors you felt trapped among people?
Ice axes: Public safety. We see brutal crime in places where it was unthinkable not so long ago. It’s really sorrowful. There are neighborhoods that were perfectly secure when I was growing up, neighborhoods that were just fun to hang out in. Northeast Philadelphia is the place you moved to when you got here, and now it’s the place people are really trying to get out of. It was quite surreal for me to see how much had changed, and it deepened my determination to really lend a hand the people here in a meaningful way.
Capital-Star: Do you have any specific policy plans you hope to implement?
Ice axes: During this transition period, I want to meet with political leaders here and other leaders in Philadelphia. I would love to sit down with the mayor and discuss policy priorities. I think good cooperation with local authorities can be really critical for my program here in the North East. The Senate doesn’t have direct influence on many quality of life issues, so this relationship will be really key. More and more resources for our police. I believe our officers should be paid more. I think they need more resources. We need many more officers here in the North East. These are the 7th, 8th, 15th and 2nd police districts. We need many more officers.
There are many quality of life issues. Our park, Pennypack Park, has many problems. This needs to be cleaned up. I also want to revitalize our business corridors like Torresdale Avenue, Frankfort Avenue and Cottman Avenue. I want to do a lot to save our mall, Franklin Mills Mall. He’s struggling a bit with this and I think he needs lend a hand. Needs more security. I would love to lend a hand keep them secure, but these are just some of the things that come to mind.
I’m just preparing the city for 2026. We will celebrate the 250th anniversary of America’s founding. We will play six matches in the World Cup. We will have the MLB All-Star Game and the Home Run Derby. The NCAA semifinals will be held in Philadelphia. So we really need to prepare for this.
Capital-Star: Any final thoughts?
Ice axes: I believe we need more ambitious teenage people to step up and I hope this campaign can serve as a model and motivation for other teenage people who are considering entering public service to just do it. People are hungry for fresh ideas. They want fresh kinds of leadership. I think my generation can bring a different perspective to the conversation that will have a lot to offer people from all types of communities.
