Republicans romp in Pa. state Senate

The Republican tide in Pennsylvania Tuesday wasn’t limited to the presidential election and the U.S. Senate race. The GOP captured a super-majority in the state Senate as well.

Though registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in Pennsylvania, the GOP came into Election Day with a lopsided 31-19 edge in the state Senate.

The party targeted seats held by Democrats in the Erie, Johnstown and Harrisburg areas, and hoped to keep a Delaware County seat held by Sen. Tom Killion just since a special election in April.

When the votes were counted, the Republicans swept all four, giving the party a 34-16 margin in the chamber.

Franklin & Marshall College political analyst Terry Madonna said that’s not good news for Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf.

“You’ve got a situation where the Wolf agenda moving forward for the next two years is not going to be in great shape,” Madonna said. “It’s going to require a lot of compromise and a lot of give and take by the governor.”

Wolf locked horns with lawmakers in his first year in office, battling with them over a proposed tax overhaul that was never enacted.

He managed to negotiate an agreement with the Legislature over this year’s budget.  As Wolf’s 2018 re-election year approaches, the GOP’s dominant majority in the Senate will give leaders more leverage over legislation and budgets.

Tuesday’s election gives the GOP a veto-proof majority in the state Senate, but not the House. Democrats there could vote to sustain a gubernatorial veto if they remain united.