Pa. House Democrats hopeful for bipartisanship at start of new legislative session

Pa House Democrats will control the chamber even though one of their members suffered a medical emergency last week. They will lead operations of the House even though it is tied 101 to 101 for the start of the new legislative session. 

An air of bipartisanship filled the Pennsylvania House on Tuesday as members from both parties started the 208th legislative session by electing Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton to a second term holding the Speaker’s gavel. 

Democrats control the Pennsylvania House by a 102-101 majority for the second straight legislative session, but started the new term down a member after State Rep. Matthew Gergely (D-Allegheny) suffered a medical emergency last week. 

McClinton was elected House Speaker by a voice vote after House Minority Leader Jesse Topper removed himself from consideration for the post. The initial vote for Speaker between McClinton and Topper resulted in a 101-101 tie on the first ballot.  

“As we gather in this hallowed chamber, we reflect on the gravity and seriousness of our roles and the responsibility that we have to the people of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” McClinton said during her remarks. “Each of us, whether Democrat or Republican, we were chosen by our communities to lead, to serve and to make decisions that will shape the lives of Pennsylvanians. Not only now but for generations to come.”

House Majority Leader Matt Bradford (D-Montgomery) thanked Topper and the House Republican caucus for cooperating with the Democrats to avoid a start that could have thrown the session into turmoil. 

“I want to recognize that we have a closely divided chamber. A chamber made even more divided by [Gergely’s] absence. An absence we feel in our hearts today but one that in no small way is made better by the fact that our chamber today proved that it can cooperate and it can operate. That is a bipartisan achievement that many did not think we could achieve,” Bradford said in his remarks.

“We are at 101-101, and that reality will be reflected in the way we legislate for some period of time. We need to be humble, and we need to be wise. I want to thank you and congratulate the new Republican leader.”

With control of the Pennsylvania General Assembly divided between Democrats in the House and Republicans in the Senate and the previous session being one of the least productive sessions in over a decade, House Democrats hope Tuesday’s actions can set the mood for the next two years. 

“It’s great to pass bills, but it’s even better to pass laws. And that’s what we need to do,” House Whip Mike Schlossberg (D-Lehigh) said in an interview. “Our challenge, of course, is to not only work internally, but work with the Senate and with the governor’s office to make sure that we can both find more common ground and get both of our legislative priorities satisfied as best as possible.”