Jay Costa
Pennsylvania State Senator, District 43 since 1996. Next on the ballot in 2028.
- In office
- 30 yrs
- Since 1996
- Bills became law
- 0
- 20 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 0.0%
- Chamber median 0.0%
- With party
- 97%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +42.0
- Won 1996
- Next election
- 2028
- Nov 7, 2028
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Appropriations · ex officio
- Rules and Executive Nominations · democratic chair
- Intergovernmental Operations
- State Government Commission
- State Government Commission
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
In committee Jun 2025
Introduced Jun 2026
Introduced Dec 2025
Introduced Nov 2025
Introduced Oct 2025
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Costa sits in the Pennsylvania State Senate
Costa is closer to the center than 48% of the chamber's Democrats.
Closest: Patty Kim, Tony Williams, Carolyn Comitta
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 5:00 PM ET
With Costa’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Democrats97%
- Cosponsorships of the other party's bills32%
Black tick: the average of Democrats in the Pennsylvania State Senate.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Costa’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Democrats.
| Date | Bill | Costa | Dem. majority | Rep. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 21, 2026 | HB 2299: An Act amending Titles 18 (Crimes and Offenses) and 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure)… | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 43–7 |
| Oct 21, 2026 | HB 2443: An Act providing for Child Victim Recovery Fee; establishing the Child Victim Recovery… | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 47–3 |
| Oct 21, 2026 | HB 558: An Act amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known as The Landlord and Tenant… | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 36–14 |
| Oct 21, 2026 | HB 369: An Act amending Title 68 (Real and Personal Property) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated… | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 35–15 |
| Oct 19, 2026 | HB 1935: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes,… | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 45–5 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Costa was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Pennsylvania State Senate, District 43 | Won | — |
| 2020 | Pennsylvania State Senate, District 43 | Won | — |
| 2016 | Pennsylvania State Senate, District 43 | Won | — |
| 2012 | Pennsylvania State Senate, District 43 | Won | — |
| 2008 | Pennsylvania State Senate, District 43 | Won | — |
| 2004 | Pennsylvania State Senate, District 43 | Won | — |
| 2000 | Pennsylvania State Senate, District 43 | Won | — |
| 1996 | Pennsylvania State Senate, District 43 | Won | D+42.0 |
Source: 99chambers results archive
Seats Costa has held
- Pennsylvania State Senate, District 43 · since 1996
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Costa has run against
- Kathy Matta (R) · 1996 general, won
Source: 99chambers results archive
How we know Costa
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/ee6b52c3-d92c-4cd6-a6ea-6869a8c93df0
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET