Rep. O’Neal brokers bipartisan deal in state House to elect new speaker
Rep. Tim O’Neal
State Rep. Andrew Kuzma is sworn-in Tuesday to the state House of Representatives.
State Rep. Charity Grimm Krupa is sworn-in Tuesday to the state House of Representatives.
A Republican legislator from Washington County helped to broker a bipartisan agreement Tuesday to elect a Democrat for speaker in the closely divided state House of Representatives.
State Rep. Tim O’Neal of North Strabane seconded a motion by a fellow Republican legislator to nominate Rep. Mark Rozzi – a Democrat from Berks County – to lead the state House after previous attempts to select a speaker on party-lines failed.
“We need an independent voice and an independent mind, and that’s what we’re going to get with Rep. Mark Rozzi,” O’Neal said during a brief speech to the chamber. “I think that’s what the people asked for. I think that’s what the people want.”
Shortly after, Rozzi was elected by a 115-85 margin with all Democrats supporting his nomination and 16 Republicans – including O’Neal – crossing party-lines to support him.
“I’m sure a lot of you didn’t expect to see this coming today,” Rozzi said after being sworn-in, drawing laughter in the chamber.
Rozzi spoke about working in a bipartisanship manner and then announced he would be serving as an independent while speaker of the House.
The political jujitsu on the first day of Pennsylvania’s legislative session with O’Neal at the center of it came as a surprise to many as the balance of power in the state House teetered between Republicans and Democrats. Although Democrats won a 102-101 majority during the general election, their caucus is currently in the minority with three of their seats now vacant after one legislator died and two others won races for higher offices. A special election is expected to be held this spring to fill those three seats.
Before the bipartisan agreement was revealed Tuesday afternoon, Waynesburg University professor Larry Stratton struggled to explain the strange occurrence in which both parties claimed majority power without either side really having that authority.
“Basically both sides are claiming the majority. It’s completely bizarre – that’s my take on it,” Stratton said.
But Stratton, who teaches ethics and constitutional law at the university, compared the razor-tight margin to the country as a whole where the Republican-led Congress in Washington, D.C., struggled Tuesday to select their own speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
“It shows that Pennsylvania parallels as the bell-weather for the nation,” Stratton said. “That’s why we have a fascinating state. It always seems like it’s up in the air.”
Meanwhile, two freshmen Republican legislators from this area were sworn-in Tuesday to their first term in office. State Rep. Andrew Kuzma of Elizabeth and state Rep. Charity Grimm Krupa of Smithfield both took the oath-of-office after winning election in November.
“It is an understatement to say how much of a privilege it is to be able to work in the state House of Representatives,” said Kuzma, who represents the 39th District that includes the Mon Valley in Allegheny and Washington counties. “I can never thank the people of the 39th District enough for allowing me to be here.”
He said the biggest issues he heard while on the campaign trail were inflation, taxes and “pocketbook” issues, which will be his focus as a legislator.
“So anything we can do to alleviate financial concerns of people back home, I would be more than happy to do anything I can to take care of that,” he said.
Grimm Krupa, who represents the 51st District in Fayette County, said she would focus on gun rights, better job-training for students and various economic issues.
“I will fight for commonsense reforms in Harrisburg to reduce crushing inflation and make life more affordable for every taxpayer through controlled spending, less regulation, and other free market economic policies that increase opportunities for well-paying, family-sustaining jobs,” she said.