1996 Pennsylvania Senate election

The 1996 elections for the Pennsylvania State Senate were held on November 5, with 25 of 50 districts being contested. Primary elections were held on April 23, 1996. The term of office for those elected in 1996 began when the Senate convened in January 1997. Pennsylvania State Senators are elected for four-year terms, with half of the seats up for election every two years. The election coincided with the 1996 United States presidential election, United States House of Representatives elections and the election of the entirety of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Republicans had controlled the chamber since the 1994 election.

Results summary Retiring incumbents Democrats District 35: William J. Stewart retired.

Republicans District 19: Earl M. Baker retired. District 21: Tim Shaffer retired. District 25: John Peterson retired to run for Congress. District 37: Mike Fisher retired to run for Attorney General.

Incumbents defeated in primary Democrats District 39: Eugene Porterfield lost renomination to Allen Kukovich.

Primary elections

Democratic primary +1996 Pennsylvania Senate electionsDemocratic primary District Candidates Votes Percent 1 16,945 100.00 3 17,954 100.00 5 Tom Mills 6,367 100.00 7 17,218 100.00 9 Robert L. Felker 3,637 100.00 11 9,717 100.00 13 4,789 100.00 15 D. Ann Smilek 7,147 100.00 17 Dave Romine 5,606 100.00 19 Sara R. Nichols 4,321 100.0021 Robert Thomas 7,840 52.86 Larry M. Kriess 6,993 47.14 23No candidate filed for party.25 6,175 45.77 Lugene Inzana 5,166 38.30 Ronald Lee Bills Sr. 2,149 15.93 27No candidate filed for party. 29No candidate filed for party. 31 James Hoefler 6,364 100.00 33No candidate filed for party.35 12,575 41.15 P. J. Stevens 11,833 38.72 Daniel Kane 4,244 13.89 Linda Jo Berkey 1,906 6.24 37 19,143 100.0039 17,492 55.30 14,139 44.70 41 15,324 100.0043 17,632 57.77 Rich Talarico 6,694 21.93 Steve Luncinski 3,563 11.67 George John Tkach 2,632 8.62 45 24,043 100.00 47 23,898 100.00 49 15,604 100.00

Republican primary +1996 Pennsylvania Senate electionsRepublican primary District Candidates Votes Percent 1 Ron A. Reilly 2,800 100.00 3 Michael G. Floyd 1,493 100.00 5 7,843 100.00 7 Edward P. Bevans 1,590 100.00 9 23,101 100.00 11 Scott C. Carbon 6,518 100.00 13 15,059 100.00 15 17,202 100.00 17 16,439 100.00 19 19,721 100.0021 6,055 25.63 John R. McMillin Jr. 5,575 23.60 Robert Kasenter 5,019 21.25 Mark D. Burd 2,822 11.95 Brian D. Knapp 2,608 11.04 Jan K. Richardson 1,545 6.54 23 16,566 100.0025 8,028 32.25 7,677 30.84 Ron Orris 5,273 21.18 Michael A. Aiello 3,918 15.74 27 12,064 100.00 29 14,322 100.00 31 17,442 100.00 33 14,336 100.00 35 Samuel F. Rizzo 11,255 100.0037 11,402 69.89 John Schnatterly 4,912 30.11 39 Charles H. Frederickson 8,834 100.00 41 George R. Kepple 12,903 100.00 43 Kathy Matta 6,041 100.00 45 Dick Reid 7,586 100.00 47No candidate filed for party. 49 12,031 100.00

General election Overview +Statewide outlook Affiliation Candidates Votes % Seats before Seats up Seats won Seats after Republican 24 1,102,937 52.62 29 14 15 (1) 30 Democratic 21 982,343 46.87 21 11 10 (1) 20 Write-in - 6,484 0.31 - - - - Libertarian 1 4,162 0.20 0 0 0 () 0 Total 46 2,095,926 100.00 50 25 25 50

Close races Five district races had winning margins of less than 15%:

District Winner Margin District 41 Democratic 6.5% District 49 Republican (flip) 10.7% District 37 Republican 10.7% District 13 Republican 13.1% District 25 Republican 14.2%

District breakdown

See also Elections in Pennsylvania List of Pennsylvania state legislatures

Notes

References