# Jay Costa

Jay Costa is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania Senate for district 43.

- Party: Democrat
- Seat: Pennsylvania Senate, district 43
- Serving since: 1996-05-13
- Current term: PA 2025–26 session
- Open States ID: ocd-person/ee6b52c3-d92c-4cd6-a6ea-6869a8c93df0

Source: https://americaspoliticalpulse.com/p/ee6b52c3-d92c-4cd6-a6ea-6869a8c93df0 (America’s Political Pulse, Polarization Research Lab), data through 2026-10-27. Data under CC BY 4.0. Cite as: Westwood, Sean J., and Yphtach Lelkes. 2024. America's Political Pulse [data set].

## Headline

Costa reported $1.8M in the 2026 cycle, in the top 5% of State Senate Democrats (median $55.5K).

## What Costa says (PA 2025–26 session)

1,771 classified statements: 1,771 posts on X. Each rate is the share of statements with the label, against the State Senate Democrats average; rank 1 is the highest rate.

| Label | Costa | State Senate Democrats average | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal attacks | 0.7% | 2.4% | 140 of 329 |
| Policy criticism | 10.2% | 10.3% | 134 of 329 |
| Policy discussion | 57.0% | 42.9% | 95 of 329 |
| Bipartisanship | 3.8% | 3.4% | 111 of 329 |
| Credit claiming | 18.8% | 16.1% | 128 of 329 |
| Extreme labels | 0.1% | 0.8% | 120 of 329 |

Most discussed policy areas: Economics and Public Finance 22% (State Senate Democrats 10%); Health 17% (State Senate Democrats 17%); Transportation and Public Works 12% (State Senate Democrats 5.4%); Government Operations and Politics 12% (State Senate Democrats 14%); Education 11% (State Senate Democrats 15%).

## Ideology (CSIP)

CSIP score −0.59 (standard error 0.01), from 661 donors and 927 roll calls. Negative is left of 0, positive right of it, on one scale for every official. 60% of State Senate Democrats score lower.

## Votes (PA 2025–26 session)

502 roll calls. Attendance 100% (Pennsylvania Senate 98.9%). Party unity 97.1% (93.4%). 5 votes against the party majority.

Key votes:

- 2026-10-21 · voted yea · FINAL PASSAGE · HB 2187 An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, in administrative organization, further… · pass · https://openstates.org/pa/bills/2025-2026/HB2187/
- 2026-10-21 · voted yea · FINAL PASSAGE · HB 558 An Act amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known as The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, in creation of leases, statute of frauds and… · pass · https://openstates.org/pa/bills/2025-2026/HB558/
- 2026-10-21 · voted yea · FINAL PASSAGE · HB 1098 An Act amending the act of November 22, 1978 (P.L.1166, No.274), referred to as the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency Law, providing… · pass · https://openstates.org/pa/bills/2025-2026/HB1098/
- 2026-10-21 · voted yea · FINAL PASSAGE · SB 807 An Act amending the act of November 6, 1987 (P.L.381, No.79), known as the Older Adults Protective Services Act, in preliminary provisions, further… · pass · https://openstates.org/pa/bills/2025-2026/SB807/
- 2026-10-21 · voted yea · FINAL PASSAGE · HB 2437 An Act amending Title 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in unconventional gas well fee, further providing for Statewide… · pass · https://openstates.org/pa/bills/2025-2026/HB2437/
- 2026-10-21 · voted yea · FINAL PASSAGE · HB 1704 An Act amending Title 68 (Real and Personal Property) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in general provisions relating to residential real… · pass · https://openstates.org/pa/bills/2025-2026/HB1704/
- 2026-10-21 · voted yea · FINAL PASSAGE · HB 2443 An Act providing for Child Victim Recovery Fee; establishing the Child Victim Recovery Fund; and imposing duties on the Pennsylvania Commission on… · pass · https://openstates.org/pa/bills/2025-2026/HB2443/
- 2026-10-21 · voted yea · FINAL PASSAGE · HB 369 An Act amending Title 68 (Real and Personal Property) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in land banks, further providing for definitions. · pass · https://openstates.org/pa/bills/2025-2026/HB369/
- 2026-10-21 · voted yea · FINAL PASSAGE · HB 1652 An Act amending the act of September 9, 1965 (P.L.497, No.251), known as the Newborn Child Testing Act, further providing for Newborn Child Screening… · pass · https://openstates.org/pa/bills/2025-2026/HB1652/
- 2026-10-21 · voted yea · FINAL PASSAGE · HB 928 An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in epinephrine auto-injector entities, further providing for… · pass · https://openstates.org/pa/bills/2025-2026/HB928/

## Legislation (PA 2025–26 session)

Sponsored 20 bills: 20 reached committee, 2 passed one chamber, 0 passed both, 0 became law. Cosponsored 858. 15.0% of sponsored bills got out of committee (Pennsylvania Senate 24.3%; rank 31 of 49).

Recent sponsored bills:

- SB 1397: An Act amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, in mixed-use development tax credit, further providing for… (in committee, 2026-06-25) https://openstates.org/pa/bills/2025-2026/SB1397/
- SR 306: A Resolution celebrating the incredible life and achievements of Benjamin Franklin upon the occasion of the United States Semiquincentennial. (passed one chamber, 2026-05-13) https://openstates.org/pa/bills/2025-2026/SR306/
- SB 1107: An Act designating a bridge, currently identified as the Fort Duquesne Bridge, on that portion of U.S. Route 279 over the Allegheny River, City of Pittsburgh,… (in committee, 2025-12-05) https://openstates.org/pa/bills/2025-2026/SB1107/
- SB 1080: An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), known as The Fiscal Code, in special funds, further providing for disposition of Budget… (in committee, 2025-11-11) https://openstates.org/pa/bills/2025-2026/SB1080/
- SB 1028: An Act amending the act of October 15, 1980 (P.L.950, No.164), known as the Commonwealth Attorneys Act, in Office of Attorney General, further providing for… (in committee, 2025-10-03) https://openstates.org/pa/bills/2025-2026/SB1028/
- SB 1024: An Act amending Titles 18 (Crimes and Offenses) and 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in assault, further… (in committee, 2025-10-03) https://openstates.org/pa/bills/2025-2026/SB1024/
- SB 1026: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in Safe2Say Program, further providing for definitions and… (in committee, 2025-10-03) https://openstates.org/pa/bills/2025-2026/SB1026/
- SB 1027: An Act amending Titles 18 (Crimes and Offenses), 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) and 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated… (in committee, 2025-10-03) https://openstates.org/pa/bills/2025-2026/SB1027/
- SB 1025: An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in sentencing, providing for sentencing for hate-based… (in committee, 2025-10-03) https://openstates.org/pa/bills/2025-2026/SB1025/
- SB 1029: An Act amending Title 44 (Law and Justice) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, establishing a hate group database; and imposing powers and duties on… (in committee, 2025-10-03) https://openstates.org/pa/bills/2025-2026/SB1029/

## Campaign money (2026 cycle)

Itemized receipts $1.8M (State Senate Democrats median $55.5K). 83% of itemized individual money came from in state. Aggregates only; no individual donors.

## Recent statements

Newest first. Posts on X are listed by date and link only.

- 2026-10-26 · Post on X · https://x.com/Senatorcosta JayCostaPA/status/2114689254211178783
- 2026-10-26 · Post on X · labels: policy discussion · https://x.com/Senatorcosta JayCostaPA/status/2114759542324056422
- 2026-10-26 · Post on X · labels: policy discussion · https://x.com/Senatorcosta JayCostaPA/status/2114809341081436492
- 2026-10-25 · Post on X · labels: policy discussion · https://x.com/Senatorcosta JayCostaPA/status/2114150473666379821
- 2026-10-24 · Post on X · labels: policy discussion · https://x.com/Senatorcosta JayCostaPA/status/2113964145695408492
- 2026-10-23 · Post on X · labels: policy discussion · https://x.com/Senatorcosta JayCostaPA/status/2113686288930943271
- 2026-10-23 · Post on X · labels: policy discussion · https://x.com/Senatorcosta JayCostaPA/status/2113688658804933066
- 2026-10-23 · Post on X · labels: policy discussion · https://x.com/Senatorcosta JayCostaPA/status/2113727418036895783
- 2026-10-23 · Post on X · https://x.com/Senatorcosta JayCostaPA/status/2113727420343714194
- 2026-10-23 · Post on X · labels: policy discussion · https://x.com/Senatorcosta JayCostaPA/status/2113737246717206643

## Links

- Official site: https://senatorcosta.com/
- Campaign site: https://jaycosta.org/
- X: https://x.com/Senatorcosta
- X: https://x.com/JayCostaPA
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/senatorjaycosta
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/senatorcosta/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaycostapa
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXa151ReDnRf6oQ_Dd-oKwQ
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-costa-6ba37519/

Full profile, with every chart and the methods: https://americaspoliticalpulse.com/p/ee6b52c3-d92c-4cd6-a6ea-6869a8c93df0