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25 Senate seats were on the ballot in 2020.
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14 Republicans ran for re-election. Of these, one (Senator David Argall (R-Schuylkill/Berks) was unopposed.
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Four Democratic incumbents were unopposed –Minority Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny), Sharif Street, (D-Phila.) Minority Chair, Senate Banking & Insurance Committee, John Sabatina (D-Phila.), and Vincent Hughes (D-Phila.)
FLIPS AND CLOSE CALLS. A Democratic seat flipped to GOP control. First term Democratic Senator Pam Iovino (Allegheny) lost to business owner Devlin Robinson. Iovino had 47.9% of the vote and was 7,119 votes short of her goal. Republican Senator Tom Killion (Delaware) lost by 5,627 votes to the Democratic challenger.
Re-election prospects for Senate Banking & Insurance Committee member Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny/Westmoreland) are still uncertain. As of 11/6, he was 1,543 votes behind his Republican challenger family law attorney Nicole Ziccarelli, losing 50.2% to 49.8%. Although split among several districts, uncounted mail in and provisional ballots for Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties total 40,500.
OPEN SEATS. There were three open seats now held by Democrats. Democrats retained the seats that were held by Senator Larry Farnese (D-Phila.), Senator Daylin Leach (D-Montgomery), and Senator Andy Dinniman (D- Chester). Dinniman’s seat will be filled by current Rep. Carolyn Comitta.
There was one open seat held by Republicans. Republicans retained the seat held by Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati. Current House member Cris Dush won easily with 74.4% of the vote total.
Senate Results and Impact on the Insurance Sector
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Banking & Insurance Committee Majority Chair Mario Scavello (R-Monroe) was not up for re-election. His counterpart Sherif Street (d-Phila.) had no opposition. Senator Street has considerable experience in insurance litigation.
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Republican Banking & Insurance Committee member Dan Laughlin (R-Erie) who at one time was considered vulnerable, won with 59.9% of the votes. As of 11/6, there were only 1,097 uncounted votes in Erie County – not enough to make up a 22,623 deficit.
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Banking & Insurance Committee member Democrat Larry Farnese’s (D-Phila.) seat will be vacant since he was defeated in the primary.
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Re-election of Democratic Banking & Insurance Committee member Senator Jim Brewster (D-Westmoreland/Allegheny) is uncertain since he is only 1,543 votes short.
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Banking & Insurance Committee member Republican Senator Tom Killion (R-Delaware/Chester) is losing 51.9% to 48.1%, a 5,627-vote deficit. If Killion finally loses, it is a loss for the Insurance Community since he formerly held a life/health insurance producer’s license. The apparent victor is Democrat is John Kane, a plumbers’ union official.
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Senator Joe Scarnati’s ex officio seat on the committee will be vacant. At one time, he sat on the Board of a Mutual Insurance Company. The likely new President Pro Tempore Jake Corman (R-Centre) will take his spot on the committee.
