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The insurrection at the U.S. Capitol last week didn’t come out of nowhere. For months and even years leading up to the violent breach, many at the federal, state and local levels of government incited anger, fear, and a fundamental mistrust of the same process that got them elected.
It wasn’t just President Donald Trump. The ranks include nearly 100 elected officials in Pennsylvania.
Some lawmakers representing the commonwealth chose to object to certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College win even after the Jan. 6 coup attempt, when the House and Senate reconvened in broken quarters to finish what they’d started earlier that day.
A preview of the chaos erupted earlier this month at the Pa. State House when Republicans refused to seat Democrat Sen. Jim Brewster, whose election had already been certified. During the debate, GOP senators removed Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman from presiding over the session. On Tuesday a federal court ruled Brewster should be seated.
It’s unclear if the politicians involved in Washington or Harrisburg will face official censure from their colleagues. But repercussions are already beginning to roll down.
A handful of PACs for major corporations have vowed to cease campaign contributions to legislators who voted against accepting Biden’s win. So far the list of companies stopping donations includes Citibank, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Marriott, Commerce Bank, and Philly-based Comcast.
We likely haven’t seen the last of this. The FBI has warned there are plans for armed protests in all 50 state capitals ahead of Inauguration Day.
Who exactly helped incite these reactions, and sow distrust in U.S. elections? Here’s the eight U.S. reps from Pennsylvania who voted against certifying the election — and 80+ more state politicians who contested the commonwealth’s rules.
U.S. Congress
These representatives from Pa. all voted against certifying the Electoral College vote on Jan. 6.
Rep. John Joyce
District: 13 — South Central Pa., including parts of Somerset and Franklin counties
First elected: 2018
Rep. Fred Keller
District: 12 — North Central Pa., repping much of the Susquehanna Valley, including Hazleton and State College
First elected: 2019 (in the May special election)
Rep. Mike Kelly
District: 16 — Western Pa., including Butler, Erie and Mercer counties
First elected: 2010
Rep. Daniel Meuser
District: 9 — Central Pa., encompassing a bunch of counties including Columbia, Lebanon and Schuylkill counties and parts of Berks and Luzerne counties
First elected: 2018
Rep. Scott Perry
District: 10 — Central Pa., which includes Harrisburg and parts of York
First elected: 2012
Rep. Guy Reschenthaler
District: 14 — Western Pa., encompassing Washington, Fayette, Greene and parts of Westmoreland counties
First elected: 2018
Rep. Lloyd Smucker
District: 11 — South Central Pa., including parts of Lancaster and York counties
First elected: 2016
Rep. Glenn Thompson
District: 15 — Western Pa., including parts of Butler and Centre counties
First elected: 2008
Pa. General Assembly
In December, dozens of Pa. legislators sent a letter to Attorney General Josh Shapiro, asking him to appoint an independent prosecutor to review so-called “election irregularities.” The attorney general responded on Twitter saying such a move would not be allowed under state law.
These are the elected officials who signed the letter. Some have continued to cheer the anti-Biden crowds, while others have recanted.
Sen. Scott Martin
District: 13 — Central Pa., which covers part of Lancaster County
First elected: 2016
Sen. Scott Hutchinson
District: 21 — Western Pa., including parts of Butler, Clarion, Forest, Venango and Warren counties
First elected: 2012
Sen. Gene Yaw
District: 23 — North Central Pa., including parts of Bradford, Lycoming, Union, Sullivan and Susquehanna counties
First elected: 2008
Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill
District: 28 — Southeastern Pa., including York County
First elected: 2018
Sen. David Argall
District: 29 — Central Pa., including parts of Schuylkill and Berks counties
First elected: 2009 (in a March special election)
Sen. Judy Ward
District: 30 — South Central Pa., including parts of Blair, Cumberland, Franklin, Fulton and Huntingdon counties
First elected: 2018
Sen. Mike Regan
District: 31 — South Central Pa., including Cumberland and York counties
First elected: 2016
Sen. Pat Stefano
District: 32 — Southwestern Pa., including Somerset and Fayette counties
First elected: 2014
Sen. Doug Mastriano
District: 33 — Southwestern Pa., including Franklin and Adams counties
First elected: 2019 (in a May special election)
Sen. Wayne Langerholc
District: 35 — Central Pa., including parts of Clearfield, Cambria and Bedford counties
First elected: 2016
Sen. Ryan Aument
District: 36 — Central Pa., including part of Lancaster County
First elected: 2014
Sen. Joe Pittman
District: 41 — Western Pa., including parts of Armstrong and Indiana counties
First elected: 2019 (in a May special election)
Sen. Camera Bartolotta
District: 46 — Western Pa., including parts of Beaver, Washington and Greene counties
First elected: 2014
Sen. Dave Arnold
District: 48 — Central Pa., including parts of Lebanon, Dauphin and York counties
First elected: 2020 (in a January special election)
Sen. Michele Brooks
District: 50 — Western Pa., including parts of Erie, Crawford, Mercer and Warren counties
First elected: 2014
Rep. Curt Sonney
District: 4 — Northwestern Pa., including part of Erie County
First elected: 2004
Rep. Brad Roae
District: 6 — Western Pa., including parts of Crawford and Erie counties
First elected: 2006
Rep. Aaron Bernstine
District: 10 — Western Pa., including Beaver, Butler and Lawrence counties
First elected: 2016
Rep. Marci Mustello
District: 11 — Western Pa., including part of Butler County
First elected: 2019 (in a May special election)
Rep. Parke Wentling
District: 17 — Western Pa., including parts of Crawford, Erie, Lawrence and Mercer counties
First elected: 2014
Rep. Kathleen Tomlinson
District: 18 — Southeastern Pa., including part of Bucks County
First elected: 2020
Rep. Cris Dush
District: 25 — Central Pa., including parts of Jefferson and Indiana counties
First elected: 2020
Rep. Tim Hennessey
District: 26 — Central Pa., including parts of Montgomery and Chester counties
First elected: 1992
Rep. Meghan Schroeder
District: 29 — Southeastern Pa., including part of Bucks County
First elected: 2019 (in a January special election)
Rep. Mindy Fee
District: 37 — Central Pa., including part of Lancaster County
First elected: 2012
Rep. Natalie Mihalek
District: 40 — Western Pa., including parts of Washington and Allegheny counties
First elected: 2018
Rep. Brett Miller
District: 41 — Central Pa., including part of Lancaster County
First elected: 2014
Rep. Keith Greiner
District: 43 — Central Pa., including part of Lancaster County
First elected: 2012
Rep. Bud Cook
District: 49 — Western Pa., including parts of Fayette and Washington counties
First elected: 2016
Rep. Matt Dowling
District: 51 — Southwestern Pa., including parts of Fayette and Somerset counties
First elected: 2016
Rep. Ryan Warner
District: 52 — Southwestern Pa., including parts of Fayette and Westmoreland counties
First elected: 2014
Rep. George Dunbar
District: 56 — Western Pa., including part of Westmoreland County
First elected: 2010
Rep. Eric Nelson
District: 57 — Western Pa., including part of Westmoreland County
First elected: 2016 (in a March special election)
Rep. Eric Davanzo
District: 58 — Southwestern Pa., including part of Westmoreland County
First elected: 2020 (in a March special election)
Rep. Mike Reese
Reese died from a brain aneurysm on Jan. 2. He was 42 years old.
District: 59 — Western Pa., including parts of Somerset and Westmoreland counties
First elected: 2008
Rep. Jim Struzzi
District: 62 — Central Pa., including part of Indiana County
First elected: 2018
Rep. Donna Oberlander
District: 63 — Central Pa., including parts of Armstrong, Clarion and Forest counties
First elected: 2008
Rep. Lee James
District: 64 — Western Pa., including parts of Butler and Venango counties
First elected: 2012
Rep. Kathy Rapp
District: 65 — Northwestern Pa., including parts of Crawford, Forest and Warren counties
First elected: 2004
Rep. Martin Causer
District: 67 — North Central Pa., including parts of Cameron, Mckean and Potter counties
First elected: 2002
Rep. Clint Owlett
District: 68 — North Central Pa., including parts of Bradford, Tioga and Potter counties
First elected: 2018 (in a June special election)
Rep. Carl Walker Metzgar
District: 69 — South Central Pa., including parts of Bedford and Somerset counties
First elected: 2008
Rep. Thomas Sankey
District: 73 — Central Pa., including parts of Cambria and Clearfield counties
First elected: 2012
Rep. Jesse Topper
District: 78 — South Central Pa., including parts of Bedford, Franklin and Fulton counties
First elected: 2014 (in a January special election)
Rep. Lou Schmitt
District: 79 — Central Pa., including part of Blair County
First elected: 2018
Rep. James Gregory
District: 80 — Central Pa., including part of Blair County
First elected: 2018
Rep. Rich Irvin
District: 81 — Central Pa., including parts of Centre, Huntingdon and Middlin counties
First elected: 2014
Rep. John Hershey
District: 82 — Central Pa., including parts of Juniata, Franklin and Mifflin counties
First elected: 2018
Rep. Jeff Wheeland
District: 83 — Central Pa., including part of Lycoming County
First elected: 2014
Rep. David Rowe
District: 85 — Central Pa., including parts of Snyder and Union counties
First elected: 2019 (in an August special election)
Rep. Perry Stambaugh
District: 86 — Central Pa., including parts of Cumberland and Perry counties
First elected: 2020
Rep. Greg Rothman
District: 87 — Central Pa., including part of Cumberland County
First elected: 2015 (in an August special election)
Rep. Sheryl Delozier
District: 88 — Central Pa., including part of Cumberland County
First elected: 2008
Rep. Paul Schemel
District: 90 — South Central Pa., including part of Franklin County
First elected: 2014
Rep. Dan Moul
District: 91 — South Central Pa., including part of Adams County
First elected: 2006
Rep. Dawn Keefer
District: 92 — South Central Pa., including parts of Cumberland and York counties
First elected: 2016
Rep. Mike Jones
District: 93 — South Central Pa., including part of York County
First elected: 2018
Rep. Steven Mentzer
District: 97 — Central Pa., including part of Lancaster County
First elected: 2012
Rep. David Hickernall
District: 98 — Central Pa., including parts of Dauphin and Lancaster counties
First elected: 2002
Rep. Bryan Cutler, House Majority Leader
District: 100 — Central Pa., including part of Lancaster County
First elected: 2006
Rep. Frank Ryan
District: 101 — Central Pa., including part of Lebanon County
First elected: 2016
Rep. Andrew Lewis
District: 105 — Central Pa., including part of Dauphin County
First elected: 2018
Rep. Tom Mehaffie
District: 106 — Central Pa., including part of Dauphin County
First elected: 2016
Rep. David Millard
District: 109 — Central Pa., including part of Columbia County
First elected: 2004
Rep. Tina Pickett
District: 110 — North Central Pa., including parts of Bradford, Sullivan and Susquehanna counties
First elected: 2000
Rep. Jonathan Fritz
District: 111 — Northeast Pa., including parts of Susquehanna and Wayne counties
First elected: 2016
Rep. Aaron Kaufer
District: 120 — Northeast Pa., including part of Luzerne County
First elected: 2014
Rep. Doyle Heffley
District: 122 — Central Pa., including part of Carbon County
First elected: 2010
Rep. Mark Gillen
District: 128 — Central Pa., including parts of Berks and Lancaster counties
First elected: 2010
Rep. Jim Cox
District: 129 — Central Pa., including parts of Berks and Lancaster counties
First elected: 2006
Rep. David Maloney
District: 130 — Central Pa., including part of Berks County
First elected: 2010
Rep. Ryan Mackenzie
District: 134 — Central Pa., including parts of Berks and Lehigh counties
First elected: 2012 (in an April special election)
Rep. Michael Peifer
District: 139 — Northeast Pa., including parts of Pike and Wayne counties
First elected: 2006
Rep. Frank Farry
District: 142 — Southeastern Pa., including part of Bucks County
First elected: 2008
Rep. Todd Polinchock
District: 144 — Southeastern Pa., including part of Bucks County
First elected: 2018
Rep. Craig Staats
District: 145 — Southeastern Pa., including part of Bucks County
First elected: 2014
Rep. Craig Williams
District: 160 — Southeastern Pa., including parts of Chester and Delaware counties
First elected: 2020
Rep. Kate Klunk
District: 169 — South Central Pa., including part of York County
First elected: 2014
Rep. Martina White
District: 170 — Southeastern Pa., including part of Philadelphia County
First elected: 2015 (in a March special election)
Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, Majority Leader
District: 171 — Central Pa., including part of Centre and Mifflin counties
First elected: 1996
Rep. Jack Rader
District: 176 — Eastern Pa., including part of Monroe County
First elected: 2014
Rep. Wendi Thomas
District: 178 — Southeastern Pa., including part of Bucks County
First elected: 2018
Rep. Torren Ecker
District: 193 — South Central Pa., including parts of Adams and Cumberland counties
First elected: 2018
Rep. Seth Grove
District: 196 — South Central Pa., including part of York County
First elected: 2008
Rep. Barbara Gleim
District: 199 — Central Pa., including part of Cumberland County
First elected: 2018
