2016 Pennsylvania Attorney General election

The Pennsylvania attorney general election of 2016 took place on November 8, 2016, to elect a new Pennsylvania attorney general. Democratic incumbent Kathleen Kane originally indicated her intention to seek re-election, but dropped out after she was criminally charged with violating grand jury secrecy laws stemming from alleged leaks of grand jury investigation details to embarrass a political enemy.^[1][2]

2016 Pennsylvania Attorney General election

← 2012 November 8, 2016 2020 →

Nominee Josh Shapiro John Rafferty Jr. Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 3,057,010 2,891,325 Percentage 51.4% 48.6%

County results Congressional district results Precinct results Shapiro:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Rafferty:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Tie:      50%      No votes

Attorney General before election Bruce Beemer Democratic Elected Attorney General Josh Shapiro Democratic

Democratic nominee and Montgomery County commissioner Josh Shapiro defeated Republican state senator John Rafferty Jr. by a margin of 2.78%.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• John Morganelli, Northampton County district attorney, candidate for Attorney General in 2000 and 2004 and nominee in 2008^[3]
• Josh Shapiro, chairman of the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors and former state representative (2005–2012)^[4]
• Stephen Zappala, Allegheny County district attorney^[5]

Withdrawn

• David Fawcett, former Allegheny County councilman^[6][7]
• Kathleen Kane, incumbent attorney general^[8][9]
• Jack Stollsteimer, former Delaware County assistant district attorney and former assistant United States attorney^[10][11]

Endorsements

John Morganelli

Individuals

• Jean Engler, Carbon County district attorney^[12]
• Anthony Rosini, former Northumberland County district attorney^[12]
• Cal Shields, former Schuylkill County district attorney^[12]

Josh Shapiro

Presidents

• Barack Obama, 44th president of the United States^[13]

U.S. senators

• Bob Casey, Jr., United States senator from Pennsylvania^[13]

Former assistant U.S. attorneys

• Jack Stollsteimer, former Delaware County assistant district attorney, former assistant United States attorney and former 2016 attorney general candidate^[11]

Governors

• Ed Rendell, 45th governor of Pennsylvania^[13]
• Tom Wolf, 47th and current governor of Pennsylvania^[13]

State executive officials

• Eugene DePasquale, Auditor General of Pennsylvania^[13]

State legislators

• Leslie Acosta, state representative^[13]
• Donna Bullock, state representative^[13]
• Tina Davis, state representative^[13]
• Art Haywood, state senator^[13]
• Vincent Hughes, state senator and former state representative^[13]
• Stephen Kinsey, state representative^[13]
• Leanne Krueger-Braneky, state representative^[13]
• Daylin Leach, state senator and former state representative^[13]
• Joanna E. McClinton, state representative^[13]

Mayors and other municipal leaders

• Kim Bracey, Mayor of York^[14]
• Blondell Reynolds Brown, Philadelphia City Councilwoman^[13]
• Darrell L. Clarke, Philadelphia City Council president^[15]
• Rick Gray, Mayor of Lancaster^[14]
• Derek Green, Philadelphia City Councilman^[13]
• Bill Greenlee, Philadelphia City Councilman^[13]
• Helen Gym, Philadelphia City Councilwoman^[13]
• Kenyatta Johnson, Philadelphia City Councilman and former state representative^[13]
• Eric Papenfuse, Mayor of Harrisburg^[14]
• Cherelle Parker, Philadelphia City Councilman and former state representative^[13]
• Maria Quiñones-Sanchez, Philadelphia City Councilwoman^[13]
• Marian Tasco, Philadelphia City Councilwoman^[13]
• Jewell Williams, Philadelphia Sheriff^[13]

Labor unions

• AFSCME 13^[13]
• Laborers District Council^[13]
• PASNAP^[13]
• Plumbers Local 690^[13]
• PSEA^[13]
• UFCW Local 1776^[13]

Organizations

• Chester County Democratic Committee^[13]
• Delaware County Democratic Committee^[13]
• Democracy for America^[13]
• Equality Pennsylvania^[13]
• Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5^[13]
• League of Conservation Voters^[13]
• Liberty City Democratic Club^[13]
• Liberty City LGBT Democratic Club^[16]
• Montgomery County Democratic Committee^[13]
• Planned Parenthood PA PAC^[13]

Newspapers

• The Philadelphia Inquirer^[13]
• Philadelphia Tribune^[13]

Stephen Zappala

Individuals

• Mike Stack, Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania^[17]

Organizations

• Western Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association^[18]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Kathleen Kane	John Morganelli	Josh Shapiro	Stephen Zappala	Other	Undecided
Harper Polling[19]	January 22–23, 2016	640 (LV)	± 3.81%	31%	9%	13%	18%	–	30%
				–	12%	19%	20%	–	49%

Results

2016 Pennsylvania Attorney General Democratic primary results

  Shapiro—80-90%

  Shapiro—60-70%

  Shapiro—50-60%

  Shapiro—40-50%

  Shapiro—30-40%

  Zappala—40-50%

  Zappala—50-60%

  Zappala—60-70%

  Zappala—70-80%

  Morganelli—30-40%

  Morganelli—40-50%

  Morganelli—60-70%

  Morganelli—70-80%

Democratic primary results^[20]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Josh Shapiro	725,168	47.03%
	Democratic	Stephen Zappala	566,501	36.74%
	Democratic	John Morganelli	250,097	16.22%
Total votes			1,541,766	100.0%

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

• Joe Peters, former federal and state prosecutor and nominee for Pennsylvania Auditor General in 2004^[21]
• John Rafferty, state senator^[22]

Withdrawn

• Todd Stephens, state representative^[23]

Declined

• Heather Heidelbaugh, former Allegheny County councilwoman^[24][6]

Results

2016 Pennsylvania Attorney General Republican primary results

  Rafferty—80-90%

  Rafferty—70-80%

  Rafferty—60-70%

  Rafferty—50-60%

  Peters—50-60%

  Peters—70-80%

  Peters—80-90%

Republican primary results^[20]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	John Rafferty	819,510	63.82%
	Republican	Joe Peters	464,491	36.18%
Total votes			1,284,001	100.0%

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking
Governing[25]	Tossup

Results

2016 Pennsylvania Attorney General election^[26]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Josh Shapiro	3,057,010	51.39%	−4.75%
	Republican	John Rafferty	2,891,325	48.61%	+7.05%
Total votes			5,948,335	100.0%	N/A
	Democratic hold

Notes

1. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear