In terms of clout inside the corridors of power in Harrisburg, Lancaster County was sitting in a good spot last year, boasting three Republicans in powerful leadership roles in the General Assembly.
And one Democrat from the county was the longest consecutively serving member of the House, affording him a leading role in education policy.
A year later, only one Lancaster County Republican holds a senior leadership post — in his case as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. And the two Democrats representing districts in the county, combined, have less than three years of experience in Harrisburg.
The loss of seniority was driven by a resignation and a retirement. Senate GOP Whip Ryan Aument resigned from the seat he held for 10 years to take a job with U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick. And longtime Democratic state Rep. Mike Sturla retired.
Still representing his southern Lancaster County district, state Rep. Bryan Cutler chose not to run again for House Republican leader after the party failed to flip the chamber’s majority in November’s election.
The lawmakers’ decisions will impact Lancaster County’s influence during the two-year legislative session that began last week. The Legislature’s rival power centers and arcane rules and traditions, aides and lobbyists say, can take years to master.
That complexity, said Stephen Medvic, director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at Franklin & Marshall College, is why the years of service lost with the departure of Aument and Sturla is a bigger deal than any leadership role they or Cutler had.
Medvic said being in leadership largely brings “prestige for an area” but fewer tangible benefits, such as state grant funding.
“Seniority is a little different,” Medvic said. “That is really valuable. It gives a representative the knowledge of navigating the labyrinth of the Legislature.”
In 2024, Lancaster County’s 12 legislators had a combined 126 years of service in the General Assembly. The 11 current legislators begin 2025 with just 89 years of service.
‘Nature of the beast’
Medvic said leadership roles can constrain lawmakers on how they represent the constituents in their home districts, as they have to balance the needs of other lawmakers within their caucus.
“In a way, it sort of frees up a representative – when they're not in a leadership position – to advocate for their constituents,” Medvic said. “In leadership, they’re wearing two hats.”
Sturla, who served as House Democrats’ policy chairman from 2009 to 2020, said he had much more time for his district after he lost his leadership post. He, too, stressed the value of seniority.
“You don’t waste time doing trial and error on things you know aren’t going to work,” Sturla said. “You become more efficient and you develop relationships with people over the years who influence legislation.”
Sturla leveraged relationships and his tenure in Harrisburg to gain the co-chairmanship of the Basic Education Funding Commission, despite not being in leadership or a member of the House Education Committee.
Especially in the House, which consists of 203 members, Sturla said it's important to establish a positive reputation with the individuals who can guide policy through committees and toward floor votes.
“It takes a while to replace some of that experience and ability to call in chips that you’ve built up over the years,” Sturla said. “It’s just the nature of the beast.”
Still, Sturla said new lawmakers are important because they bring fresh ideas and “new energy” to the Capitol.
Cutler, first elected in 2006, said he’s already been approached by newcomers seeking help in understanding how the Legislature works, and he’s prepared to fill a mentorship role in the caucus to “build up the next bench of legislators.”
As former GOP leader and House Speaker, Cutler said he was “more interested in helping others get their priorities through.”
But he noted that no longer serving as caucus leader lets him focus on his own legislative priorities, including a bill he introduced last year to allow medical facilities to donate their unused medical supplies.
Aument, who began his job with McCormick on Jan. 3, did not respond to requests for comment.
‘Fight and advocate’
Scott Martin’s top job on the Appropriations Committee could make him a go-to legislator for Lancaster County businesses and organizations seeking assistance in the Capitol. That’s because the committee significantly influences state budgets, as its members can amend and must clear any related legislation before it reaches a floor vote in the chamber.
Medvic and Sturla agreed that Martin, of Martic Township, will likely feel pressure to represent the entire county in the Senate this year, especially with much of northern Lancaster County lacking a state senator until a March 25 special election is held to replace Aument in the 36th District.
Martin said he’s ready for the added responsibility he may need to take on in the Senate: “It’s my job to find a way and to fight and advocate.”
Martin added that among his legislative priorities remains to make Pennsylvania competitive with other states by reducing energy, housing and taxing costs, and to preserve the state’s “fiscal stability.”
Prioritizing Lancaster County
While Martin holds a powerful seat in the Senate, many of his House colleagues have more years of service in the Legislature. State Reps. Mindy Fee, Keith Greiner and Steven Mentzer all were first sworn into office in 2013, while state Reps. Brett Miller and Dave Zimmerman took office in 2015. Martin took office in 2017.
State Rep. Izzy Smith-Wade-El, a Lancaster city Democrat beginning his second term, said constituents should not be concerned about he and his Republican colleagues’ ability to represent them without Aument and Sturla in Harrisburg or Cutler having a role in the House GOP leadership.
He said their job is about more than just having years of experience in the Legislature. Equally important is how lawmakers’ prioritize advocating for the interest of their districts.
“I don’t think, all of sudden, Lancaster County is going to stop being the sixth-largest (populated) county in Pennsylvania,” Smith-Wade-El said. “We have a delegation to match many other parts of the Commonwealth.”
