Pennsylvania State Senate elections, 2008

Elections for the Pennsylvania State Senate consisted of a primary election on April 22, 2008, and a general election on November 4, 2008.

Qualifications

Under Article II of the Pennsylvania Constitution, Senators shall be at least twenty-five years of age and Representatives twenty-one years of age. They shall have been citizens and inhabitants of their respective districts one year next before their election (unless absent on the public business of the United States or of this State) and shall reside in their respective districts during their terms of service.

Campaign contributions

See also: State-by-state comparison of donations to state senate campaigns

This chart shows how many candidates ran for state senate in Pennsylvania in past years and the cumulative amount of campaign contributions in state senate races, including contributions in both primary and general election contests. All figures come from Follow The Money.

Year	Number of candidates	Total contributions
2012	55	$26,589,797
2010	53	$20,772,005
2008	65	$29,456,144
2006	63	$22,233,800
2004	52	$18,023,643
2002	53	$19,135,990
2000	49	$10,724,732

During the 2008 election, the total contributions to the 65 Senate candidates was $29,456,144. The top 10 contributors were:

2008 Donors, Pennsylvania State Senate
Donor	Amount
Pennsylvania Republican Party	$2,378,474
Pennsylvania Democratic Party	$1,608,546
Senate Republican Campaign Cmte of Pennsylvania	$1,581,016
Pennsylvania Democratic State Senate Campaign Cmte	$837,158
Electrical Workers Local 98	$406,500
Pennsylvania Association for Justice	$312,650
Pennsylvania Education Association	$307,965
Metropolitan Regional Council of Carpenters & Joiners	$263,250
Yaw, Gene	$228,023
Public Service Pac	$218,000

List of candidates

District 1

April 22 Democratic primary:

• Anne Dicker: 13,813
• John J. Dougherty: 27,331
• Lawrence M. Farnese: 30,879 a

April 22 GOP primary:

• Jack Morley: 2,642 a

November 4 General election candidates:

Lawrence M. Farnese: 95,727

Jack Morley: 22,698

District 3

April 22 Democratic primary:

• Shirley M. Kitchen: 51,193 a

April 22 GOP primary:

• Robert S. Nix: 2,041 a

November 4 General election candidates:

Shirley M. Kitchen: 96,328

Robert S. Nix: 12,647

District 5

April 22 Democratic primary:

• Mike Stack: 38,358 a

April 22 GOP primary:

• John Farley: 6,282 a

November 4 General election candidates:

Mike Stack: 71,141

John Farley: 27,702

District 7

April 22 Democratic primary:

• Vincent J. Hughes: 55,505 a

April 22 GOP primary:

• Marc Perry: 3,192 a

November 4 General election candidates:

Vincent J. Hughes: 101,996

Marc Perry: 17,344

District 9

April 22 Democratic primary:

• John Linder: 27,596 a

April 22 GOP primary:

• Dominic Pileggi: 21,835 a

November 4 General election candidates:

John Linder: 55,730

Dominic Pileggi: 77,440

District 11

April 22 Democratic primary:

• Michael A. O'Pake: 33,944 a

April 22 GOP primary:

• Stephen P. Fuhs: 9,615 a

November 4 General election candidates:

Michael A. O'Pake: 76,885

Stephen P. Fuhs: 30,991

District 13

April 22 Democratic primary:

• Jose E. Urdaneta: 24,524 a

April 22 GOP primary:

• Steve McDonald: 5,278
• Bill Neff: 2,054
• Lloyd K. Smucker: 11,271 a
• Paul Thibault: 5,044

November 4 General election candidates:

Jose E. Urdaneta: 50,488

Lloyd A. Smucker: 66,632

District 15

April 22 Democratic primary:

• Judy Hirsh: 23,561 a
• Alvin Q. Taylor: 13,259

April 22 GOP primary:

• Jeff Piccola: 19,747 a

November 4 General election candidates:

Judy Hirsh: 59,432

Jeff Piccola: 64,166

District 17

April 22 Democratic primary:

• Daylin Leach: 39,080 a

April 22 GOP primary:

• Lisa Paolino: 6,653
• Lance Rogers: 10,217 a

November 4 General election candidates:

Daylin Leach: 79,114

Lance Rogers: 49,643

District 19

April 22 Democratic primary:

• Andrew E. Dinniman: 37,176 a

April 22 GOP primary:

• Steve Kantrowitz: 18,183 a

November 4 General election candidates:

Andrew E. Dinniman: 84,846

Steve Kantrowitz: 62,026

District 21

April 22 Democratic primary:

• No candidates filed for election.

April 22 GOP primary:

• Mary Jo White: 21,889 a

Libertarian Party candidate:

• Mary Lea Lucas a

November 4 General election candidates:

Mary Jo White: 76,699

Mary Lea Lucas: 13,987

District 23

April 22 Democratic primary:

• Louis Trey Casimir: 19,520 a

April 22 GOP primary:

• Steven W. Cappelli: 8,561
• Doug McLinko: 8,475
• Gene Yaw: 15,548 a

Independent candidate:

• Michael A. Dincher a

November 4 General election candidates:

Louis Trey Casimir: 29,612

Gene Yaw: 61,430

Michael A. Dincher: 10,965

District 25

April 22 Democratic primary:

• Donald L. Hilliard: 22,276 a

April 22 GOP primary:

• Joseph B. Scarnati: 23,785 a

November 4 General election candidates:

Donald L. Hilliard: 31,979

Joseph B. Scarnati: 64,103

District 27

April 22 Democratic primary:

• No candidates filed for election.

April 22 GOP primary:

• John R. Gordner: 20,180 a

November 4 General election candidate:

John R. Gordner: 79,985

District 29

April 22 Democratic primary:

• Peter "PJ" Symons: 27,116 a

April 22 GOP primary:

• James J. Rhoades: 18,011 a

Independent candidate:

• Dennis Baylor a

November 4 General election candidates:

Peter "PJ" Symons: 38,017

James J. Rhoades: 68,160

Dennis Baylor: 2,354

District 31

April 22 Democratic primary:

• Susan Kiskis: 27,560 a

April 22 GOP primary:

• Patricia H. Vance: 25,843 a

November 4 General election candidates:

Susan Kiskis: 37,406

Patricia H. Vance: 92,959

District 33

April 22 Democratic primary:

• No candidates filed for election.

Note: Bruce Tushingham won the Democratic primary with 1,600 write-in votes.

April 22 GOP primary:

• Richard Alloway: 9,281 a
• Catherine A. Cresswell: 7,820
• Bob Curley: 1,382
• Jim Taylor: 8,949

November 4 General election candidates:

Bruce Tushingham: 36,804

Richard Alloway: 80,259

District 35

April 22 Democratic primary:

• John N. Wozniak: 41,205 a

April 22 GOP primary:

• Joseph W. Veranese: 13,800 a

November 4 General election candidates:

John N. Wozniak: 65,281

Joseph W. Veranese: 33,959

District 37

April 22 Democratic primary:

• Amy Jude Schmotzer: 37,423 a

April 22 GOP primary:

• John Pippy: 17,280 a

November 4 General election candidates:

Amy Jude Schmotzer: 46,152

John Pippy: 88,770

District 39

April 22 Democratic primary:

• Tony Bompiani: 29,748 a
• Chris Huffman: 15,446

April 22 GOP primary:

• Bob Regola: 10,916 a

November 4 General election candidates:

Tony Bompiani: 51,571

Kim Ward: 60,740

District 41

April 22 Democratic primary:

• No candidates filed for election.

April 22 GOP primary:

• Don White: 19,352 a

November 4 General election candidate:

Don White: 97,625

District 43

April 22 Democratic primary:

• Jay Costa: 55,900 a

April 22 GOP primary:

• No candidates filed for election.

November 4 General election candidate:

Jay Costa: 101,482

District 45

April 22 Democratic primary:

• Sean Logan: 46,474 a

April 22 GOP primary:

• No candidates filed for election.

November 4 General election candidate:

Sean Logan: 85,334

District 47

April 22 Democratic primary:

• Jason M. Petrella: 22,542
• Sean Michael Ramaley: 25,673 a

April 22 GOP primary:

• Jeff Harris: 5,427
• Elder Vogel: 7,020 a

November 4 General election candidates:

Jason M. Petrella: 45,857

Elder Vogel: 60,047

District 49

April 22 Democratic primary:

• Cindy Purvis: 34,920 a

April 22 GOP primary:

• Jane M. Earll: 13,221 a

November 4 General election candidates:

Cindy Purvis: 45,480

Jane M. Earll: 62,934

See also

• Pennsylvania State Senate
• Pennsylvania State Legislature

External links

• Pennsylvania Secretary of State 2008 Primary Election Results
• Pennsylvania Secretary of State 2008 General Election Results

Footnotes

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Current members of the Pennsylvania State Senate

Leadership

Majority Leader:Joe Pittman

Minority Leader:Jay Costa

Senators

District 1

Nikil Saval (D)

District 2

Christine Tartaglione (D)

District 3

Sharif Street (D)

District 4

Art Haywood (D)

District 5

Joe Picozzi (R)

District 6

Frank Farry (R)

District 7

Vincent Hughes (D)

District 8

Anthony Williams (D)

District 9

John Kane (D)

District 10

Steve Santarsiero (D)

District 11

Judy Schwank (D)

District 12

Maria Collett (D)

District 13

Scott Martin (R)

District 14

Nick Miller (D)

District 15

Patty Kim (D)

District 16

Jarrett Coleman (R)

District 17

Amanda Cappelletti (D)

District 18

Lisa Boscola (D)

District 19

Carolyn Comitta (D)

District 20

Lisa Baker (R)

District 21

Scott Hutchinson (R)

District 22

Martin Flynn (D)

District 23

Gene Yaw (R)

District 24

Tracy Pennycuick (R)

District 25

Cris Dush (R)

District 26

Timothy Kearney (D)

District 27

Lynda Culver (R)

District 28

Kristin Phillips-Hill (R)

District 29

David Argall (R)

District 30

Judith Ward (R)

District 31

Dawn Keefer (R)

District 32

Patrick Stefano (R)

District 33

Doug Mastriano (R)

District 34

Greg Rothman (R)

District 35

Wayne Langerholc (R)

District 36

Vacant

District 37

Devlin Robinson (R)

District 38

Lindsey Williams (D)

District 39

Kim Ward (R)

District 40

Rosemary Brown (R)

District 41

Joe Pittman (R)

District 42

Wayne Fontana (D)

District 43

Jay Costa (D)

District 44

Katie Muth (D)

District 45

Nick Pisciottano (D)

District 46

Camera Bartolotta (R)

District 47

Elder Vogel (R)

District 48

Chris Gebhard (R)

District 49

Daniel Laughlin (R)

District 50

Michele Brooks (R)

Republican Party (27)

Democratic Party (22)

Vacancies (1)