Sen. Scott Wagner (R-York) was sworn into office Wednesday and appointed by Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) to be Majority Chair of the Intergovernmental Operations Committee. He was also named to the Local Government, Transportation, Urban Affairs and Housing and Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committees.
Asked about whether the GOP needed to mend relationships after the special election, Wagner said he was ready to focus on solving problems.
"The bottom line is we beat them. ... Once you stab your opponent in the neck and they bleed to death, you don't keep stabbing them," Wagner said.
"I was labeled a tea party guy, and the perception is that I'm going to Harrisburg to be disruptive," Wagner said. "No. I ask questions, and when you start asking people questions, it makes them nervous. And I'm a lifelong Republican. There is no 'tea party' party."
"There's no one like me, really," he said Friday. "I can't be bought or influenced. I'm not going to compromise my integrity. No backroom deals."
"We have a lot of challenges," Wagner said. "But I think we also have a lot of good people, and it's a beautiful state, and accessible to a lot of places. ... So there's a lot of opportunity."
Sen. Scarnati also made changes in other Committee Chairs--
-- Sen. Randy Vulakovich (R-Allegheny) was named Chair of the Aging and Youth, replacing Sen. Mensch;
-- Sen. Scott Hutchinson (R-Venango) was named Chair of Communications and Technology, replacing Sen. Vulakovich;
-- Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne) was named Chair of Labor and Industry, replacing Sen. Gordner who is Senate Republican Majority Caucus Chair; and
-- Sen. Bob Mensch (R-Lehigh) was named Chair of Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness, replacing Sen. Baker.
NewsClips:
Scott Wagner Sworn Into Senate