On November 19, Pennsylvania state Sen. John Yudichak announced he had changed his registration from Democratic to Independent. He also said that he would begin caucusing with the chamber’s Republicans majority. Yudichak was first elected to represent District 14 in 2010. He won re-election unopposed at both the primary and general levels in 2014 and 2018.

 

Yudichak’s change leaves Republicans in Pennsylvania State Senate with a 27-21 majority, with one vacancy in the 50-member chamber. The chamber’s odd-numbered districts (25 total seats) will hold elections in 2020. Yudichak’s term ends in 2022.

 

Yudichak is the 10th state legislator to switch parties in 2019. Five state representatives left the Democratic Party, four state representatives left the Republican Party, and one state senator left the Republican Party. Since 1994, Ballotpedia has tracked 124 state legislators—35 state senators and 89 state representatives—who have switched parties.

 

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