Washington Examiner
After increasing their majority from 109 to 111 members (making the party division 111-92) in the 2012 General Elections last week, the Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus held leadership elections on Tuesday November 13 for the 2013-2014 legislative session.
The elections were part of the reorganization session of the Republican Caucus. The formal election for speaker will take place in the full House when the 2013-14 session begins on Jan. 1, 2013. The 10 newly elected Republican members who will begin their terms in January participated in the balloting. Members who are leaving office did not participate in the election.
Majority Leader-elect Rep. MikeTurzai (28th District, Allegheny County) said the candidates who ran in the election last week ran on a legislative record that included fiscal responsibility and holding a line on taxes in the state. Turzai also said the House “funded public education with more state dollars than ever before.”
The incoming Majority Leader said that the body will “continue to focus on the economy, private sector job-creation and restoring citizens’ confidence in state government.”
The Republican leadership team includes:
- SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE DESIGNEE: Rep. Sam Smith (66th District, Armstrong, Indiana and Jefferson counties). Smith was speaker of the House in the current session, and previously served as leader since 2003. In 2000, Smith was elected whip until April 2003, when he was elected majority leader after the death of Speaker Matthew J. Ryan. Smith was first elected to the House in 1986, succeeding his father, former Rep. Eugene “Snuffy” Smith.
- MAJORITY LEADER: Rep. Mike Turzai (28th District, Allegheny County). Re-elected as majority leader, Turzai was first elected to the House in 2001. He previously served as whip during the 2009-2010 legislative session. In 2006, he was elected Republican Policy Committee chairman.
- WHIP: Rep. Stan Saylor (94th District, York County). Previously (2009-2012) Saylor served as the Republican Policy Committee chairman.
- APPROPRIATIONS CHAIRMAN: Rep. William Adolph (165th District, Delaware County). Adolph was elected to his second full term as Republican chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.
- CAUCUS CHAIRMAN: Rep. Sandra Major (111th District, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties). This will be Major’s fourth term as Caucus Chair.
- POLICY COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: Rep. Dave Reed (62nd District, Indiana County). Reed was re-elected to his second term as the Policy Committee Chairman today. He also serves as chairman of the House Republican Campaign Committee.
- CAUCUS ADMINISTRATOR: Rep. Dick Stevenson (8th District, Mercer and Butler counties). This is Stevenson’s second term in House leadership.
- CAUCUS SECRETARY: Rep. Mike Vereb (150th District, Montgomery County).
As of press time, there was no word on whether the Democratic Caucus would show unity by accepting Smith for another term or voting against the Speaker.
Read more: http://www.examiner.com/article/pa-republican-caucus-selects-2013-2014-leadership