Joseph B. Scarnati
Joseph Scarnati | |
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President pro tempore of the Pennsylvania Senate | |
Assumed office January 2, 2007 | |
Preceded by | Robert Jubelirer |
31st Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania | |
In office December 3, 2008 – January 18, 2011 | |
Governor | Ed Rendell |
Preceded by | Catherine Baker Knoll |
Succeeded by | Jim Cawley |
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate from the 25th district | |
Assumed office January 2, 2001 | |
Preceded by | Bill Slocum |
Personal details | |
Born |
Brockway, Pennsylvania, U.S. | January 2, 1962
Political party | Republican |
Children |
Lisa Kelly Michael |
Alma mater | Pennsylvania State University, DuBois |
Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Website | Official website |
Joseph B. "Joe" Scarnati (born January 2, 1962) is an American politician from the U.S. State of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Republican Party and is currently the President pro tempore of the Pennsylvania State Senate. Scarnati is in his fourth term as Senator from the 25th District.
As President Pro Tempore, he assumed the role of Lieutenant Governor upon the death of Catherine Baker Knoll on November 12, 2008.[1] He was sworn in on December 3, 2008.[2] He did not seek election to the post in 2010, and was succeeded as Lieutenant Governor by Jim Cawley.
Early life, education, and early political career
Scarnati was born and raised in Brockway, Pennsylvania, a borough located in Jefferson County. He graduated from Penn State DuBois with a A.A. in Business Administration in 1982.
Prior to his senate election, Scarnati served on both the Brockway Borough Council (1986–1994) and the Jefferson County Development Council.
Pennsylvania Senate
Elections
In 1996, Scarnati first ran for Pennsylvania's 25th senate district when incumbent Republican State Senator John E. Peterson decided to retire in order to run for congress. Scarnati lost the Republican primary to Bill Slocum by 351 votes. Slocum won the primary with a plurality of 32% of the vote in the four candidate field.[3]
In 2000, Slocum was convicted of illegal dumping and resigned.[4] Scarnati ran for the seat as an independent against Slocum, who was attempting a comeback in the special election to replace him. Scarnati won the election with 33% of the vote, defeating Democratic nominee Joseph J. Calla (33%) and Republican nominee Bill Slocum (32%). He edged Calla by just 197 votes. After the election, he switched back to the Republican party.[5][6]
In 2004, Scarnati ran for re-election with no Democratic opposition in his first re-election campaign. He defeated Constitution Party nominee Alan R. Kiser 90%-10%.[7] In 2008, he won re-election to a third term, defeating Democrat Donald L. Hilliard 67%-33%.[8] In 2012, he won re-election to a fourth term unopposed.[9]
Tenure
In May 2006, Robert Jubelirer and David Brightbill, the Republicans' two top leaders were defeated in the primary election, victims of the legislative pay raise fallout. Scarnati narrowly won the race to replace Jubelirer against veteran lawmakers Stewart Greenleaf and Jeffrey Piccola.[10]
Upon the death of Lieutenant Governor Catherine Baker Knoll on November 12, 2008, Scarnati assumed the position of Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania. He served as acting Lieutenant Governor until he was sworn into office on Wednesday, December 3, 2008.[11] He did not seek election to the post in 2010, and was succeeded as Lieutenant Governor by Jim Cawley.
Scarnati played a lead role in representing Republicans during Pennsylvania's 2009 budget impasse, and harshly criticized Governor Rendell's leadership style and priorities.[12] He was seen as "the de facto opposition leader to Rendell."[13]
Votes
When Chris Abruzzo was nominated to become secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in December 2013, and came under criticism for testifying that he was unaware of evidence that global warming was harmful to the environment, Scarnati defended Abruzzo, saying "We should not be deemed unfit to serve simply because we may not agree entirely with the strongly held view of some in this chamber and elsewhere. As a matter of fact, anyone who has ventured outdoors the past few days may very well have good reason to disagree with that point of view." It had been snowing in Harrisburg, off and on, for the previous two days.[14] Scarnati was criticized for confusing weather with climate. Abruzzo was confirmed in a 42-8 vote.
Committee assignments
Ex-Officio Member of all Senate Committees
Personal life
Scarnati, 54, grew up in an Italian-American family in Brockway, Pennsylvania. He began his political career on the Brockway Borough Council in 1986. He helped run the family's restaurant and became the chairman of the Jefferson County Republican Party. Scarnati resides in his hometown of Brockway with his wife Amy. They enjoy spending time outdoors, cooking, traveling, biking and spending time with their children, Lisa, Kelly, Sawyer, Coll and Michael. [15]
See also
References
- ↑ "Scarnati to be Next Lieutenant Governor". Pasenategop.com. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
- ↑ "Scarnati Sworn In as Lieutenant Governor". Pasenategop.com. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
- ↑ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=283578
- ↑ Don Hopey, Senator gets jail time for dumping sewage, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 5/10/2000
- ↑ GOP concedes to Gore; Santorum keeps seat, Associated Press, reprinted in USA Today. 11/8/2000
- ↑ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=37528
- ↑ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=77208
- ↑ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=404882
- ↑ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=760428
- ↑ Tom Barnes, GOP taps Scarnati as state senate president pro tem, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 11/29/06
- ↑ Levy, Marc (2008-12-03). "Scarnati sworn in as lieutenant governor". Allentown Morning Call. Retrieved 2008-12-09.
- ↑ Scarnati tells Gov. Ed Rendell to pay state workers
- ↑ "PA Report 100". Pennsylvania Report. Capital Growth, Inc. January 23, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-08-14.
- ↑ DEP pick confirmed in Pa., leaving lawmakers to squabble, WHYY Newsworks, Mary Wilson, 11 Dec. 2013.
- ↑ "Sen. Joe Scarnati assumes lieutenant governor's role". Pocono Record. November 14, 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Joseph B. Scarnati. |
- State Senator Joe Scarnati official caucus website
- Joe Scarnati (R) official PA Senate website
Pennsylvania State Senate | ||
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Preceded by Bill Slocum |
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate from the 25th district 2001–present |
Incumbent |
Political offices | ||
Preceded by Robert Jubelirer |
President pro tempore of the Pennsylvania Senate 2007–present |
Incumbent |
Preceded by Catherine Baker Knoll |
Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania 2008–2011 |
Succeeded by Jim Cawley |
United States order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
Preceded by Jim Cawley as Lieutenant Governor |
Pennsylvania gubernatorial line of succession 2nd in line as President pro tempore of the Senate | Succeeded by Sam Smith as Speaker of the House of Representatives |