Incumbent Jarrett Coleman (R) and Mark Pinsley (D) are running in the general election for Pennsylvania Senate District 16 on November 3, 2026.

The election is a rematch. In 2022, Coleman defeated Pinsley 54.2%–45.8%. In the 2024 presidential election, President Donald Trump (R) received more votes than Kamala Harris (D) in Senate District 16 by a margin of 8.9 percentage points.

The Morning Call's Laurie Mason Schroeder said the race between Coleman and Pinsley was "[o]ne of the most closely watched races in the upcoming election ... viewed as critical to determining control of the Pennsylvania Senate." Twenty-five of 50 Senate seats are up for election this year. Republicans hold a 27–23 majority.

Coleman is an airline pilot. He was elected to the Senate in 2022 and earlier served on the Parkland School Board. Coleman's campaign website says, "Senator Jarrett Coleman turned down the state pension and perks, votes against tax hikes, and answers to the Lehigh Valley and Upper Bucks — not the Harrisburg insiders. On November 3, keep the pilot in the fight. Not the politicians."

Pinsley is a U.S. Army veteran and the Lehigh County Controller. Pinsley completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. In his survey response, Pinsley said, "I want to be remembered as someone who made sure working people in Pennsylvania got the same fair shot as people with money and connections. Most people I talk to aren't asking for special treatment. They just want to know that if something goes wrong, they won't get steamrolled because the other side has more lawyers, more money, or knows somebody in Harrisburg."

The Pennsylvania branch of Americans for Prosperity endorsed Coleman. The Lehigh Valley branch of the Democratic Socialists of America endorsed Pinsley.