Charlie Wolfson

Pittsburgh & Allegheny County government reporter, @PublicSourcePA

[Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson]

PA Senate Dems have formally named Costa their pick for president pro tem, per release.

Also, Sen. Nick Pisciottano (D-West Mifflin) picked as vice chair of the appropriations committee

[Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson]

After 30 years in the minority, Jay Costa steps into Senate spotlight https://t.co/xg9t57NkYH

[Stephen Caruso @StephenJ_Caruso]

Senate Democrats just finished their leadership elections, per two sources. The final team is:
-President Pro Tempore Jay Costa (Allegheny)
-Majority Leader Maria Collett (Montgomery)
-Approps Vince Hughes (Philly)
-Whip Steve Santarsiero (Bucks)

[Stephen Caruso @StephenJ_Caruso]

State Rep. La'Tasha D. Mayes (D., Allegheny) is the new chair of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus.

[Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson]

https://t.co/o4bAKOMaRy

[Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson]

Subscribe to the Public Source newsletter to learn about things like William "Pudge" Heffelfinger

[Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson]

Costa will be the first pro tem from Allegheny County since 1970, and the first Allegheny Democrat ever in the role

[Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson]

Jay Costa has been working in the Pa. Senate's minority for 30 years. Now, he's poised to lead the Senate as president pro tem after the Democrats' midterm gains.

Who is Costa, what do his colleague's think of him, and what's it all mean for the Pittsburgh region? (Story below)

[Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson]

After 30 years in the minority, Jay Costa steps into Senate spotlight https://t.co/xg9t57NkYH

[Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson]

Allegheny Co municipality closest to countywide gov margin: Ingram, Shapiro +45

Municipality closest to 50/50: Sewickley Heights, Shapiro +1

Among the 24 munis with >10,000 registered voters, the closest was North Fayette at Shapiro +17.

Avg. Garrity-won muni had 1,853 RVs.

[Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson]

Links to interactive maps:

2024: https://t.co/4zjMKAYLLZ
2026: https://t.co/iYv2EfuOnu

[Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson]

Here are maps comparing the 2024 and 2026 elections for HD-44, the only seat to flip in Allegheny County this year.

14 of 15 municipalities swung left this year. Third image lists margins by municipality.

[Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson]

@lara_putnam Do you attribute this to relative lack of downballot campaign spending in SWPA?

[Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson]

@StephenJ_Caruso And Costa got the seat that opened up

[Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson]

https://t.co/fQrXtABzb9

[Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson]

ICYMI: Here's what Summer Lee said about what Democrats should do in the next Congress (link below)

[Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson]

Pittsburgh Councilwoman Deb Gross won’t seek reelection. We’re onto 2027 https://t.co/DnXw4AcUqV

[𝗰𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗺 @chrisbriem]

If you ever want one chart to explain what is really different about Pittsburgh (the region)... this is it:

[Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson]

New Q&A with Summer Lee, who’ll be part of the House majority for the first time next year https://t.co/fQrXtABzb9

[Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson]

Tangentially related: The City of Duquesne voted 821-299 to adopt a Home Rule Charter on Tuesday.

[Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson]

Municipal govt news: Wilkinsburg's council voted to increase earned income tax for residents from 1% to 2%, and to impose a 1% tax on nonresidents working in the borough.

This was enabled when the borough adopted a home rule charter in 2024. https://t.co/wDmJWEGmjn

[Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson]

Municipal govt news: Wilkinsburg's council voted to increase earned income tax for residents from 1% to 2%, and to impose a 1% tax on nonresidents working in the borough.

This was enabled when the borough adopted a home rule charter in 2024. https://t.co/wDmJWEGmjn