page_title: Politics of Pennsylvania
hierarchical_section_title: Politics of Pennsylvania
context_page_description: Pennsylvania has swung from being a Republican-leaning state during much of the 20th century to being a notable battleground state in presidential elections. Pennsylvania backed the Democratic presidential candidate in every election since 1992 up until 2016, when it was won by Republican candidate Donald Trump. Pennsylvania currently has a split government, with the governor's office being held by a Democrat Tom Wolf and both houses of the state legislature being controlled by the Republican Party. In the United States Senate, Pennsylvania is represented by Democrat Bob Casey Jr. and Republican Pat Toomey. In the United States House of Representatives, Pennsylvania is represented by nine Democrats and nine Republicans.
  In 2008, Barack Obama won the Keystone State by a margin of over 10 percent, the largest victory seen in a presidential election in Pennsylvania since Richard Nixon's victory in 1972. Despite a considerable loss statewide, John McCain won almost three times as many counties, winning 48 counties compared to Obama's 19.
  In 2016, Donald Trump became the first Republican Presidential candidate to win Pennsylvania since George H.W.
context_section_description: Pennsylvania has swung from being a Republican-leaning state during much of the 20th century to being a notable battleground state in presidential elections. Pennsylvania backed the Democratic presidential candidate in every election since 1992 up until 2016, when it was won by Republican candidate Donald Trump. Pennsylvania currently has a split government, with the governor's office being held by a Democrat Tom Wolf and both houses of the state legislature being controlled by the Republican Party. In the United States Senate, Pennsylvania is represented by Democrat Bob Casey Jr. and Republican Pat Toomey. In the United States House of Representatives, Pennsylvania is represented by nine Democrats and nine Republicans.
  In 2008, Barack Obama won the Keystone State by a margin of over 10 percent, the largest victory seen in a presidential election in Pennsylvania since Richard Nixon's victory in 1972. Despite a considerable loss statewide, John McCain won almost three times as many counties, winning 48 counties compared to Obama's 19.
  In 2016, Donald Trump became the first Republican Presidential candidate to win Pennsylvania since George H.W. Bush in 1988, winning by a margin of 0.7 percent. Despite Hillary Clinton improving upon Barack Obama's 2012 vote totals in Allegheny County and the Philadelphia metropolitan area, Trump scored record numbers in rural areas while also flipping traditionally Democratic counties such as Erie and Luzerne. Trump won in 56 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties.
caption: Results of the Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 2002, illustrating the conservative central "T" concept. Note that although Democratic nominee Ed Rendell won fewer counties than Republican opponent D. Michael Fisher, Rendell carried the more populous areas of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia to win the election.