Joseph Scarnati | |
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President pro tempore of the Pennsylvania Senate | |
Assumed office January 2, 2007 |
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Preceded by | Robert Jubelirer |
31st Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania | |
In office December 3, 2008 – January 18, 2011 |
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Governor | Ed Rendell |
Preceded by | Catherine Baker Knoll |
Succeeded by | Jim Cawley |
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate from the 25th district |
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Assumed office January 2, 2001 |
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Preceded by | Bill Slocum |
Personal details | |
Born |
Brockway, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
January 2, 1962
Political party | Republican |
Children | Lisa Kelly Michael |
Alma mater | Pennsylvania State University, DuBois |
Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Website | Official website |
Joseph B. "Joe" Scarnati (born January 2, 1962) is an American politician from the U.S. State of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Republican Party and is currently the President pro tempore of the Pennsylvania State Senate. Scarnati is in his fourth term as Senator from the 25th District.
As President Pro Tempore, he assumed the role of Lieutenant Governor upon the death of Catherine Baker Knoll on November 12, 2008. He was sworn in on December 3, 2008. He did not seek election to the post in 2010, and was succeeded as Lieutenant Governor by Jim Cawley.
Scarnati was born and raised in Brockway, Pennsylvania, a borough located in Jefferson County. He graduated from Penn State DuBois with a A.A. in Business Administration in 1982.
Prior to his senate election, Scarnati served on both the Brockway Borough Council (1986–1994) and the Jefferson County Development Council.
In 1996, Scarnati first ran for Pennsylvania's 25th senate district when incumbent Republican State Senator John E. Peterson decided to retire in order to run for congress. Scarnati lost the Republican primary to Bill Slocum by 351 votes. Slocum won the primary with a plurality of 32% of the vote in the four candidate field.
In 2000, Slocum was convicted of illegal dumping and resigned. Scarnati ran for the seat as an independent against Slocum, who was attempting a comeback in the special election to replace him. Scarnati won the election with 33% of the vote, defeating Democratic nominee Joseph J. Calla (33%) and Republican nominee Bill Slocum (32%). He edged Calla by just 197 votes. After the election, he switched back to the Republican party.