
The November election will likely long be remembered as the night that Donald Trump bucked the Republican establishment and upset Democratic Nominee Hillary Clinton. And President-elect Trump has already set his sights on several regulatory initiatives of note to PFMA members, including the menu labeling requirements required in the Affordable Care Act and the increase of the mandatory overtime payment threshold.
But apart from the obvious prize of the Presidency, it was a good night for Republicans in Pennsylvania as well.
• Pennsylvania Senate Republicans achieved the 34-16 veto-proof majority that they long coveted. By flipping an open seat previously held by retiring Democratic Sen. John Wozniak (Cambria), as well as scoring defeats of incumbent Senators Rob Teplitz (Dauphin) by John DiSanto and Sean Wiley (Erie) by Dan Laughlin, Republicans in the Senate can override Gubernatorial vetoes simply by holding the party line.
• Pennsylvania House Republicans similarly had an excellent night, increasing their majority by three seats.
• Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Pat Toomey resisted a spirited challenge from Democratic challenger Katie McGinty. Senator Toomey precariously scored his second two-percentage point victory in six years.
• The Pennsylvania delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives held true, with either incumbent wins or same-party victories for open seats.
• Democrats had a strong showing with their clean sweep of state row offices. Democrat Josh Shapiro defeated Republican Sen. John Rafferty for Attorney General, Gene DePasquale maintained his office as Auditor General, and challenging Democrat Joe Torsella defeated incumbent Otto Voit for State Treasurer.
• Democrat Dwight Evans easily defeated James Jones for U.S. Congress in the second district.
But apart from the obvious prize of the Presidency, it was a good night for Republicans in Pennsylvania as well.
• Pennsylvania Senate Republicans achieved the 34-16 veto-proof majority that they long coveted. By flipping an open seat previously held by retiring Democratic Sen. John Wozniak (Cambria), as well as scoring defeats of incumbent Senators Rob Teplitz (Dauphin) by John DiSanto and Sean Wiley (Erie) by Dan Laughlin, Republicans in the Senate can override Gubernatorial vetoes simply by holding the party line.
• Pennsylvania House Republicans similarly had an excellent night, increasing their majority by three seats.
• Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Pat Toomey resisted a spirited challenge from Democratic challenger Katie McGinty. Senator Toomey precariously scored his second two-percentage point victory in six years.
• The Pennsylvania delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives held true, with either incumbent wins or same-party victories for open seats.
• Democrats had a strong showing with their clean sweep of state row offices. Democrat Josh Shapiro defeated Republican Sen. John Rafferty for Attorney General, Gene DePasquale maintained his office as Auditor General, and challenging Democrat Joe Torsella defeated incumbent Otto Voit for State Treasurer.
• Democrat Dwight Evans easily defeated James Jones for U.S. Congress in the second district.