In Northeast Philadelphia, Republican Joe Picozzi is optimistic about his state Senate bid

Could a 29-year-old Republican with a strong TikTok game but lacking support from the Philadelphia GOP finally win the party back a state Senate seat in this heavily Democratic city? That’s the question Joe Picozzi’s campaign is trying to answer with his challenge to incumbent Democrat Jimmy Dillon in Philadelphia’s 5th state Senate district race.

On Tuesday night, Picozzi still wasn’t sure of the answer – but the gap between him and his first-term rival closed as returns came in and remained in a dead heat three hours after polls closed. Picozzi, a one-time staffer for former House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, remained optimistic after mounting a campaign that went from a quixotic quest to a toss-up in the days before the election.

The mood was cheerful at Picozzi’s election night party at Cottage Green, a venue on a residential street dotted with Trump posters. “We certainly did the work,” said Picozzi as returns came in. “We knocked on 70,000 doors. We talked to tens of thousands of voters. We built a huge team.”

“For too long, there hasn’t been any Republican representation from Philadelphia in the state Senate,” he added. “We need someone (in that caucus) who can speak to urban issues, to the challenges that cities face … And there’s a generational factor here. I think we need somebody in that room who understands the concerns of the next generation.” 

Picozzi, a Georgetown University graduate, knew he was up against the numbers: Democrats outnumber Republicans in voter registrations by 2 to 1 in his district, admittedly better odds than the 7 to 1 margin citywide. But as those figures suggest, Northeast Philly is as good a place as any to wage a battle against Democratic dominance. And Picozzi’s campaign emphasized tackling crime as a priority, which resonates in a city still rattled by the pandemic-era homicide spike.

More than any policy, it was Picozzi’s youthful energy that inspired supporters like Milt Martelack, who came to the watch party wearing a “Picozzi for Senate” T-shirt. “I liked what I saw,” he said of the campaign, “and I jumped on board.” 

The Mayfair resident said he’d been active in Philly Republican politics for decades, serving as a GOP ward committee person and on his Town Watch, but was disenchanted with party leadership – and looking for a fresh face. “To see the younger generation caring the way they do, I’m amazed at the energy,” he said.

Sonny Mazzone, Picozzi’s deputy campaign manager, said he believed Picozzi could pull off the upset. “We’re very optimistic and excited,” he said. “What this campaign means is the potential for a new chapter in Philadelphia.”

At publication time, the race was still too close to call, with 60% of the vote tallied, Picozzi and Dillon were mere tenths of a point apart.