Unpacking Harrisburg’s first session day of 2025

Tuesday marked a busy day in the Pennsylvania Capitol, as state lawmakers converged in Harrisburg for the first day of the 2025-26 legislative session.

New and returning lawmakers were officially sworn in for the new two-year term and proceeded to elect presiding officers for the Pennsylvania House and Senate, respectively, while also adopting operating rules. Caucus leaders for Democrats and Republicans also provided a glimpse into some of their priorities for 2025, and Lt. Gov. Austin Davis scheduled a special election to fill a vacant seat in the state Senate. 

Below, City & State examines some of the highlights from the first official day of the 2025-26 legislative session. 

McClinton, Ward reelected to top roles

Democratic state Rep. Joanna McClinton and Republican state Sen. Kim Ward will resume their roles leading their respective chambers in the General Assembly. 

Senate lawmakers reelected Ward as president pro tempore of the state Senate, a move that will allow Ward to continue serving in the position she was first elected to in 2022 when she became the first woman elected president pro tempore in 2022. 

Ward took to X to thank her Senate colleagues following Tuesday’s vote. “A heartfelt thank you to my family, Senate colleagues and the people of the 39th District for your trust and support as I continue to serve as Senate President Pro Tempore,” Ward wrote in a post. “It’s an honor to guide this institution.”

McClinton was able to secure the speakership despite control of the state House currently split at 101-101, with Democratic state Rep. Matt Gergely on leave due to a medical issue. 

“To have earned your support on this day, to serve as speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, brings great joy, humility, and most importantly, gratitude,” McClinton said on Tuesday. 

In remarks from the podium, McClinton urged colleagues on both sides of the aisle to put aside politics and prioritize the needs of Pennsylvanians.“We’re in a time where so many people are cynical. When you talk about politics, so many people say, ‘Well, what are you going to vote for? Why are you so excited about this person or that person, or this party or that party? They’re way too radical. They’re way too conservative. They’re way too liberal.’ Well, I look forward in 2025-26, where our neighbors say, “But they in the state Capitol, in the people's house, they’re doing the impossible.’”

House leaders look ahead to new session

Caucus leaders in the Pennsylvania House struck an optimistic tone on Tuesday, while acknowledging that the state and its residents face challenges that lawmakers will need to address. 

House Majority Leader Matt Bradford, a Democrat, listed mass transit funding and education funding as two key areas of focus. “We have opportunities in front of us – and we have challenges … I know if we don’t deal with transit, it’s not just a problem for the mayor of the first class, it’s a problem for the Southeastern region that many of us come from, and it is a region of our commonwealth that provides so much of the revenue and business activity that funds this entire commonwealth. We would be wrong, we would be remiss, we would be missing our duty if we don’t deal with transit,” Bradford said during floor remarks. “We’d be missing our obligation to poor kids in rural Pennsylvania and kids in Allentown and Reading if we don’t continue to make the down payments in terms of educational equitable funding that we did last year.”

House Minority Leader Jesse Topper encouraged members not to focus too much on internal politics in Harrisburg, and to instead remain committed to the issues affecting everyday Pennsylvanians. 

“When families sit around their dinner tables, they don’t talk about the inside politics of Harrisburg. They talk about the bills that are due at the beginning of next month, or whether or not that job at the manufacturing plant will still be there. They’re figuring out a way to get their daughters to their various extracurricular activities with their work schedules – but they also have to figure in time to go visit their aging parents to see if they can continue to stay in the home that they were raised in, or if it’s time to find other options,” Topper said. “We will keep them in mind as we debate policy that will determine whether they will continue to live and work in this great commonwealth.”

Davis schedules special election for March 25

Davis, who also serves as president of the state Senate, scheduled a special election on Tuesday to fill the seat vacated by former state Sen. Ryan Aument, who served as Senate majority whip before leaving office.

Aument, a Republican, announced in December that he would be resigning from his seat in the 36th Senate District to take a new role as U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick’s state director. Davis set the special election date for Tuesday, March 25.

“The people of Pennsylvania’s 36th Senate District deserve to have representation as lawmakers are considering the state budget and the many important issues facing our Commonwealth,” Davis said Tuesday in a statement. “After consulting with Senate Republican and Democratic leaders, I’ve decided to schedule the special election for this seat on Tuesday, March 25. I encourage all eligible voters in the district to make their voices heard at the ballot box on or before that date.”

Davis offered well wishes to Aument as he takes on a new position within McCormick’s office. “It’s been great working with him in the Senate, and I hope we can continue to collaborate on state and federal issues.”

Senate Republicans on Tuesday elected state Sen. Wayne Langerholc to replace Aument as majority whip.