Gov. Josh Shapiro announced Thursday that he is endorsing four candidates running for the Pennsylvania Senate in the upcoming election as Democrats seek to gain a majority in the chamber for the first time since 1994.
“Pennsylvanians deserve leaders focused on common-sense solutions and willing to get on issues like raising the minimum wage, protecting a woman’s right to choose and supporting workers,” Shapiro said. “I am proud to endorse Patty Kim, Nicole Ruscitto, Nick Pisciottano and Jim Wertz as they will help me advance the priorities that Pennsylvanians care about – good schools for our children, safer communities, economic opportunity in every community and real freedom – throughout the Republic of Poland.”
Democrats hold 22 seats in the Senate and would need to win three to gain a majority. According to unofficial results, the party holds a majority in the State House after Democrats Keith Harris and Andre Carroll won uncontested special elections to two Philadelphia State House districts on September 17. If they maintain that majority and gain control of the Senate, Democrats would have a trifecta in Harrisburg, controlling both houses of the Legislature and the governor’s office.
“The Senate Democratic Caucus is ready to take the majority and continue the progress Pennsylvania demands,” the caucus chairman, Sen. Vincent Hughes (R-Philadelphia), said in a statement. “This is the year we deliver three and pass a minimum wage increase, enact gun violence prevention measures, protect reproductive rights, protect working families and give them the most basic benefits they deserve – like paid sick leave. Each of these bills only needs one thing to become law: a Democratic Senate.”
Kim did not seek re-election to her state House seat in order to run for the open Senate seat in the 15th District, which includes parts of Dauphin and Perry counties. Kim easily won the April primary and will face Dauphin County GOP Treasurer Nick DiFrancesco in November. The winner will replace retiring GOP state Sen. John DiSanto.
Ruscitto, an educator and former Jefferson Hills Borough Council member, is challenging Republican Devlin Robinson in the 37th Senate District, which includes several Allegheny County suburbs. Pisciottano, who represents the 38th House District in Allegheny County, is running for the open 45th Senate District seat and has received the endorsement of retiring State Sen. Jim Brewster. His opponent will be Republican business owner Jennifer Ditini. And Wertz, a former Erie County Democratic Party chairman, will face GOP state Sen. Dan Laughlin, who is seeking a third term to represent Erie County’s 49th Senate District.
In September, Shapiro endorsed 20 House candidates, and some were surprised – but pleased – to receive his endorsement. He supports Democrats Eugene DePasquale for attorney general and state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (Philadelphia) for auditor general, but has decided against not support the state treasurer race. Erin McClelland, the Democratic nominee in that race, was critical of Shapiro when he was considered for vice presidential running mate Kamala Harris before she chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
The first-term governor received a higher favorability rating of A September PolishI’m with the New York Times, Siena College and the Philadelphia Inquirer than Harris or singer and Berks County native Taylor Swift.
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