Member Biography

Joseph B. Scarnati III


Biography

01/02/1962 -


Joseph B. Scarnati III (R25) Cameron, Clearfield (Part), Elk, Erie (Part), Forest, Jefferson (Part), McKean, Potter, Venango (Part), and Warren Counties 2001-2004 (R25) Cameron, Clearfield (Part), Elk, Jefferson, McKean, Potter, Tioga, and Warren (Part) Counties 2005-2014 (R25) Cameron, Clearfield (Part), Clinton, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, Potter and Tioga Counties 2015-2020

Early Life: 

Joseph B. Scarnati III, born January 2, 1962, Brockway, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania; son of Joseph H. Jr. and Yvonne Scarnati; Brockway Area High School, 1980; Penn State University-Dubois, (B. A.), 1982; restaurateur; Brockway Borough Council, 1986-1994; Jefferson County Development Council; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 2001-2020, Majority Policy Chairman, 2006-2006, Senate President Pro Tempore, 2006-2020, not a candidate reelection, 2020; resigned, November 10, 2020.; businessman; married, Amy, five children.      

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships:

Member, Brockway Borough Council, 1986-1994; president, Jefferson County Development Council; chairman, Jefferson County Republican Party; member, Saint Tobias Roman Catholic Church, Brockway; National Rifle Association; Horton Sportsmen Club; Gun Owners of America, Penn State-Dubois Advisory Board.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Unsuccessful campaign, Pennsylvania's 25th senate district, 1996.

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 25th district, Cameron, Clearfield (Part), Elk, Erie (Part), Forest, Jefferson (Part), McKean, Potter, Venango (Part), and Warren Counties, 2001-2004, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 25th district, Cameron, Clearfield (Part), Elk, Jefferson, McKean, Potter, Tioga, and Warren (Part) Counties, 2005-2014, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 25th district, Cameron, Clearfield (Part), Clinton, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, Potter and Tioga Counties, 2015-2020; Majority Deputy Whip, 2005-2006, Majority Policy Chairman, 2006-2006, Senate President Pro Tempore, 2006-2020; served, ex-officio member of each of the twenty-two Senate committees, as Senate President Pro Tempore; member, Senate Republican Policy Committee, Pennsylvania Hardwoods Development Council, Pennsylvania Workforce Investment Board; not a candidate reelection, 2020; resigned, November 10, 2020.

Proceeded, 31st Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, (Catherine Baker Knoll, death), 2008-2011; did not seek reelection, 2010; Was the second Lieutenant Governor in state history to serve with a governor from the opposite party. Louis Arthur Watres, Lieutenant Governor, Lackawanna County, 1891-1895, was the first.

Legacy:

Pennsylvania State Senatorial District 25, largest state senatorial district east of the Mississippi River.

Cited: 

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members S"Wilkes University Election Statistics ProjectWilkes University.

The Pennsylvania Manual, (2019-2020). Mattos, S., (Editor). (Volume 124) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 3-33/34, 3-40; Biographies of Members of the Senate, page 3-12.