Scott Janney Formally Announces Campaign For Pa Senate

From the acoustically challenged rotunda of Northampton County's Courthouse, Republican Scott Janney yesterday formally announced his campaign for the Pa. State Senate seat currently held by Lisa Boscola. Her district (18) includes much of Northampton County plus a small portion of Lehigh County in Bethlehem.

Boscola, a Democrat, has been challenged by former Easton City Council member Taiba Sultana for the Democratic nod. Janney is the sole Republican to announce. 

Janney is particularly proud to be a 14th generation American descended from settlers who arrived in Pennsylvania before William Penn.

Janney said he is no career politician, but has instead been a pastor, author and fundraiser for the Salvation Army. He said Boscola, who has been a state Senator since 1998, has been in office too long. He criticized her for bringing Pa into something called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). He claimed she voted for it. "We got it in 2022 and look at our bills now."

In remarks from the Senate floor on Oct. 22, 2025, Boscola stated, "We are not in RGGI and never have been." She said Pa is an electric energy juggernaut, "but our constituents are being squeezed by rising electric bills. ... We should lower electric bills by helping families invest in their homes and cut wasted energy. We should reform permitting so power plants can get built before we face rolling blackouts. ... RGGI is a relic. It does not reflect today's grid or today's costs." 

Janney said that just as Boscola thinks it's time to move on from RGGI, Pennsylvania should move on from Boscola. 

He said he'd do a better job because he listens to people and what they really care about. 

He would improve the economy by "simplifying" regulations, support middle career workers and strengthen the middle class.

He criticized rising prices of commodities as a result of "Biden's crippling inflation." He slammed the state gas tax, noting Pa is the only state east of Nevada where gas is more than $3 a gallon. He supports taking advantage of the state's abundant fossil fuel reserves to power our economy with responsible common sense energy production and notr be hamstrung by a RGGI. 

He also complained about the sanctuary city policies of Northampton and Lehigh County, noting that citizens are incarcerated while illegal aliens are set free. I frankly have no idea what he is talking about here, but there it is. He laments a "democratic fixation" on promoting illegal immigration, which is news to me. 

In order to win this race, Janney would need to attract at least some Democratic votes. I don't see that happening. 

Scott Janney Seeking GOP Nod for LV's State Senate Seat Held By Boscola

I've already told you that State Senator Lisa Boscola is seeking re-election in Pa.'s 18th Senatorial District, which includes parts of Northampton and Lehigh Counties. On Friday, I speculated that Taiba Sultana, a former Easton City Council member would primary her. At the time, to told you that no GOP candidate had announced, but I was wrong. Scott Janney announced his candidacy on WAEB-AM 790 on November 7, the day after a blue wave swept a large number of Democrats into municipal office. He also followed up with an announcement later that evening at the local tea party.

I had spoken to Janney prior to November's election, and he told me he planned to announce his candidacy. I never received anything and thus concluded he was having second thoughts. I saw nothing in any of the local news sources, either. 

When he appeared on WAEB on November 7, radio host Bobby Gunther Walsh drilled home a point that, when John Merhottein ran for Boscola's seat four years ago, nobody knew him. He failed to make himself known by appearing on programs like his or using news sources or social media to get his message out there. 

I disagree with that assessment. Merhottein did make the rounds and did use social media but had no money to spend against a very popular and formidable foe. Well, I think Janney has made a bigger mistake. Other than a right-wing radio show and tea party, I've seen nothing from more mainstream outlets like local new organizations or blogs. 

Boscola's State Senate district includes a lot of voters who would rather die before listening to WAEB or going to a tea party meeting. It also includes more centrist voters who are looking for a change from Boscola. But how can they be persuaded to vote for him if they don't even know he's in the hunt?   

According to his webpage, Janney raises money for a 12-state region of the Salvation Army, perhaps one of the best and altruistic charities in existence. He touts a great deal of success as a fundraiser and told radio host Walsh that he would use those skills to raise money in his own race. But Janney was also involved in the local county races and even spoke at several county council meetings. The fundraising of those candidates was anemic, to put it mildly. It's one thing to raise money for a worthwhile charity, but quite another to raise money for a party that supports the invasion of Greenland, Venezuela, Canada, Iran, Mexico and Cuba while refusing to do a damn thing to help millions of people who need help paying for healthcare. 

Janney outlines his positions here. I suspect he's going to have problems. I don't like Boscola myself, but I dislike his stances on issues more.