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Greenleaf to Retire

According to sources, state Sen. Stewart Greenleaf (R-Bucks) will announce this afternoon that he is retiring at the end of this year, creating another open seat in the southeast.

Sources close to Greenleaf confirmed to PoliticsPA that he will not seek re-election and will support his son, Montgomery County Controller Stewart Greenleaf Jr. for the seat.  

Update: “Serving the people of Pennsylvania – especially the citizens of Montgomery and Bucks Counties – has bee my greatest honor.  While I will miss the privilege of being a strong voice for justice for all the people as a legislator, it does not mean I cannot continue to help others in our community in a different way,” Greenleaf said in a statement.

Greenleaf’s long-rumored decision comes amid a slew of retirements in the southeast ahead of the 2018 election.  The seat will likely be contested by Democrats as they look to close the veto-proof Senate majority Republicans currently hold.  

The decision follows a similar one by Sen. Chuck McIlhinney, who announced last week his intent to retire.

Greenleaf has outperformed other Republicans in the 12th district for several years. In 2016, Hillary Clinton won the district 51-45. Governor Tom Wolf won it by 4 points in 2014. President Obama won the 12th by 0.13 percent in 2012.

21 Responses

  1. Greeleaf Junior is as charismatic as his father, which is to say as charismatic as a cardboard cutout of himself. A last name (and one term as a county row officer) does not qualify one for the state senate. And given that Greenleaf Senior was a reliable vote FOR the teachers union, organized labor, pro-choice agenda, etc. do we really want the son to succeed the father? The GOP should look elsewhere for a candidate.

  2. Heard from three reliable sources that State Rep. Kate Harper is getting into this race to challenge Greenleaf. I doubt she’ll admit it right now but my understanding is her team is working on a roll out as we speak. I’m with Kate and I bet a lot of the Republican Committee will be too.

    1. From the little I know about her I think her candidacy would be welcomed. Never met Greenleaf Jr but this feels like Jeb Bush 2016. He was a decent candidate but Bush fatigue did him in. After 40 years, I wonder how many voters have a problem with keeping it in the family.

  3. Buh-BYE, Stu! Glad you could read the tea leaves – BOTH PA houses are going BLUE this year! Trump is the best thing Dems could ever hope for!

    1. I mean, not likely. D’s will make gains but taking back both chambers is impossible in 2018

  4. Wow, I hope all the Dems who are upset about Greenleaf Jr running expressed similar outrage when Bob Casey Jr ran for Treasurer/Auditor General/Governor/Senator on his father’s name.

    1. Lamplighter-

      I didn’t vote for Casey’s dad, and fortunately, in this case, the apple fell far from the tree. Casey Sr was extremely anti-choice and ran a nasty campaign, and he was one of few Dems that I couldn’t vote for.

      Casey Jr had the advantage of his father’s name, but didn’t run as a consecutive plug-in replacement for the same office like Greenleaf would be (and like how Fitzpatrick’s brother did).

      Bob Casey Jr rid the state of the blight known as Rick Santorum.

  5. This is old news, Republicans and STU have been testing the waters on this “concept” for a while. The “boys” think they can pull and “Eddie Murphy movie” win by keeping the name similar.
    Shame but the Republican party has lost credibility, running the son just helps.
    Far from over, many challengers already lined up, with some really good qualifications

  6. Funny the only thing people can attack Greenleaf, Jr. on here for is either (a) his name or (b) he wasn’t a good “party guy” who stayed in office just to stay in office. I really find the party guy attack hilarious because half the comments are mad at him for not staying in office and half say he’s some kind of insider pick; sounds like he’s just as independent as his father has always been, and that’s been great for the district.

    In one term as Controller the man uncovered theft in the county library system, called for needed pension reforms (and refused one himself), and brought the county into compliance with reporting laws they had shirked for decades. Yes, he’s not a woman. But voting for someone just because she’s a woman is as shallow as voting for someone because of their name.

    1. The issue isn’t that Greenleaf Jr. is unqualified. It’s the fact that his father and other party bosses are trying to jam him through because of his name. I’m sorry, but the fact that his dad is going to transfer over $150k from his war chest basically seals the deal. This won’t be a fair fight.

        1. True, but this is why so many people don’t get in to politics. No shot to beat the Greenleaf Jr’s of the world.

          I guess I’m just glad we’ll have some younger blood in the seat now. That will be refreshing, even if its from the same bloodline.

  7. Any truth to the rumor that Joe Gale is looking at dropping out of the LG race to run in this district? I believe he still has a residence in the district.

  8. Maria Collet is the dem running in that seat. As a PA-12 dem, i’m looking forward to helping elect her over Greenleaf’s kid. It’s a tough year for Republicans overall and i think the thought of political patronage will be the downfall of the Republicans. You guys really couldn’t find a woman to run? You do know that 2018 will be the year of women sweeping into state and federal office.

    Whatever, your stupidity is our gain. Senator Collet!

    1. If Greenleaf Jr. was a team player, we’d probably still have that row office. If Greenleaf Jr. was a team player, he would have ran for county commissioner. At least we wouldn’t have Joe Gale in there now.

  9. Wait, so the Republicans are gonna hand this seat off to a guy who was so afraid of losing an election he didn’t run for re-election? Name ID is appealing for the GOP establishment but don’t you think voters are gonna think this is shifty?

    Dems can make this an issue with enough people sick of political dynasties.

  10. Thanks for your service, Sen. Greenleaf. And how nice of you to support your son for your seat. I’m sure the informed voters of the 12th district will just assume they’re voting for the guy they’ve voted for the past 40 years. It’s a shame we can’t have a real discussion on who the right Republican to run in that seat is. Party bosses and the Greenleaf’s will force Jr. down the throats of the Republican voters.

    1. Agree completely. This seat belongs to the people, its not a heredity birthright of the Greenleaf family. Republican deserve an open and contested primary. What about Rep. Todd Stephens? He should jump in and we should let the people decided.

      1. Rep. Stephens would be a great choice. But so would Reps. Murt and Harper. The point is, why should the GOP support Greenleaf Jr? Because of his last name?

        This is why government is so screwed up. We reward people based on who their parents are and who they know – not on who the best person for the job is. It’s discouraging for anyone who is interested in seeking election to public office to know that there is always someone’s kid in the way. The more things change the more things stay the same…

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