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

← 2012November 8, 20162020 →
 
NomineeJosh ShapiroJohn Rafferty Jr.
PartyDemocraticRepublican
Popular vote3,057,0102,891,325
Percentage51.4%48.6%

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

Withdrawn

Endorsements

John Morganelli
Individuals
Josh Shapiro
Presidents
U.S. Senators
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
State executive officials
State legislators
Mayors and other municipal leaders
Labor unions
Organizations
Newspapers
Stephen Zappala
Individuals
Organizations
  • Western Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association[18]

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size[a]
Margin
of error
Kathleen
Kane
John
Morganelli
Josh
Shapiro
Stephen
Zappala
OtherUndecided
Harper PollingJanuary 22–23, 2016640 (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[19]
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticJosh Shapiro 725,168 47.03%
DemocraticStephen Zappala566,50136.74%
DemocraticJohn Morganelli250,09716.22%
Total votes1,541,766 100.0%

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Withdrawn

Declined

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[19]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanJohn Rafferty 819,510 63.82%
RepublicanJoe Peters464,49136.18%
Total votes1,284,001 100.0%

General election

Predictions

SourceRanking
Governing[24]Tossup

Results

2016 Pennsylvania Attorney General election[25]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
DemocraticJosh Shapiro 3,057,010 51.39% -4.75%
RepublicanJohn Rafferty2,891,32548.61%+7.05%
Total votes5,948,335 100.0% N/A
Democratic hold

References

External links

Official campaign websites