Press Release
Union Political Spending Heavily Targeted Pennsylvania during 2024 Election
Harrisburg, Pa., December 8, 2025 — Government unions steered $12.8 million to influence elections in Pennsylvania during the 2023-24 election cycle. Pennsylvania was the 5th highest recipient of union dollars, combined to a total of $915 million nationally. A new report from the Commonwealth Foundation examines spending among the four largest public sector unions, the NEA (National Education Association), AFT (American Federation of Teachers), SEIU (Service Employees International Union, AFSCME (American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees) and their state-level affiliates.
PAC spending by these four unions was overwhelmingly focused on the Democratic Party, with over 91 percent ($11.6 million) going to Democrats and just 1.9 percent ($237,643) going toward Republicans. The remaining 7.1 percent went to nonpartisan but progressive causes and other PACs, like the Pennsylvania Fund for Change, Pennsylvanians for Judicial Fairness, and Planned Parenthood.
With pivotal state legislature seats up-for-grabs in the 2024 election cycle, Pennsylvania, unsurprisingly, drew the attention of high-dollar union donors.
Among those high on the unions’ payroll are PA House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D), House Majority Leader Matt Bradford (D), Senate Minority Floor Leader Jay Costa (D), and Senate Minority Appropriations Committee Chair Vincent Hughes (D). The same unions contributed heavily to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court retention elections and Helen Gym’s failed mayoral campaign in Philadelphia.
Key Facts
- Pennsylvania was the 5th highest recipient of union dollars nationally.
- Pennsylvania lawmakers held 8 spots among the 20 top recipients of state government union PAC money.
- Top recipients included Joanna McClinton (Pa. House), Eugene DePasquale (Pa. AG), Vincent Hughes (Pa. Senate), Jay Costa (Pa. Senate), Matt Bradford (Pa. House), Sara Innamorato (Allegheny Co. Executive) Jordan Harris (Pa. House), and Nick Pisciottano (Pa. Senate).
- 2 of the top 20 group recipients of state government union PAC money operate in Pennsylvania.
David Osborne, Senior Director of Labor Policy for the Commonwealth Foundation, offered the following statement in response:
“Pennsylvania is the Keystone State, and union executives know it. They’ve continued to dump money into the state’s Democratic Party and legislative leaders in an effort to maintain the privileges for which they lobbied and secured decades ago: power and influence over education policy, taxing and spending, and the promotion of progressive causes.
“Government unions’ manufactured impact is possible because of a system where accountability and control are notably absent from the hands of workers. Most members aren’t aware of their union spending anything politically, let alone the substantial partisan lean.
“In Pennsylvania, and nationwide, unchecked political power by government unions creates a system where executives—often with their own personal interests in mind—decide the political and financial decisions of the workers they are meant to represent.
“Pennsylvania remains a key state politically, no matter the election year. It’s time its workers receive the dignity and accountability from their unions that is severely lacking from current political considerations.”
Additional Resources
For media inquiries and questions, please contact gmd@commonwelathfoundation.org or (215) 859 0384.