Pennsylvania Working Families Party congratulates Governor Tom Wolf and Senate candidates Lindsey Williams (SD 38) and Katie Muth (SD 44) on their election wins. This is the beginning of a shift in politics in the state, with voters sending a group of progressive women to Harrisburg where they will break the Republican veto proof majority in the Senate. PA Working Families Party was heavily involved in races from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, where it was critical in turning out the vote for local candidates as well as for Governor Tom Wolf. A full list of PA WFP-endorsed winning candidates is below.

PAWFP invested in candidates who flipped districts or faced Republicans in mixed districts. This group includes Philadelphia-area candidates Danielle Otten (HD 155), Jennifer O’Mara (HD 165), and Joe Hohenstein (177). In HD181, Malcolm Kenyatta became the first Black LGBTQ man to be elected to the state legislature. Other winning WFP endorsed candidates are Sara Innamorato (HD 21), Summer Lee (HD 34), Elizabeth Fiedler (HD 184), and Rep. Chris Rabb (HD 200). For these races, we organized paid canvases, embedded staff in the campaigns and set up text programs to educate voters on the issues and candidates in the races. The organization also provided campaign consultation to candidates, including with communications, field, coalition building, fundraising, and data.

“With each election cycle, we’re building demand for candidates who are promoting a bold working families agenda and are an alternative to both Republicans and Democrats who are beholden to corporate donors, acting in their interests, rather than for constituents,” said Brandon Evans, state director of Pennsylvania Working Families Party.

A 50-person canvass coordinated with the Democratic Party and operating in Philadelphia and Delaware and Montgomery counties knocked on 130,000 doors for Tom Wolf, including 10,000 doors for Katie Muth, 4,000 doors for Joe Hohenstein and several thousand for Jennifer O’Mara. Another effort in Western Pennsylvania knocked 7,000 doors for Lindsey Williams. In an independent expenditure effort, a group of 15 paid canvassers knocked 36,000 doors for Tom Wolf in West and Northwest Philadelphia, focusing on low propensity voters. The organization also sent over 110,000 texts to voters for education and to encourage turnout.

“Pennsylvania Working Families Party has been with me since the beginning, giving me invaluable assistance in my tough primary campaign and powering me to victory today,” said Joe Hohenstein. “I’m grateful for their work on my behalf and their unyielding support of progressive values.”

The current Pennsylvania legislature can’t deliver on the most basic issues affecting working families, from raising the minimum wage, lowering property taxes, taxing natural-gas drillers, and gun control to taking action on sexual misconduct among its membership, and state campaign finance reform. By electing progressive women to the Senate and breaking the Republican veto proof majority, PA WFP is building a progressive caucus who will work together to move working families issues.

In 2019, PA WFP plans to build on our status-disrupting win in the Larry Krasner race and recruit, train, and support candidates in Philadelphia to win minority seats on the City Council. At the same time, the organization will explore electoral opportunities in Pittsburgh, Erie, and other localities to build working people power, creating local governments that work for the many, not the monied few.

PA WFP-endorsed candidates:

Tom Wolf Governor

Lindsey Williams State Senate, District 38

Katie Muth State Senate, District 44

Sara Innamorato State House, District 21

Summer Lee State House, District 34

Danielle Otten State House, District 155

Jennifer O’Mara State House, District 165

Joe Hohenstein State House, District 177

Malcolm Kenyatta State House, District 181

Elizabeth Fiedler State House, District 184

Chris Rabb State House, District 200