HARRISBURG – ChamberPAC, the bipartisan political action committee of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, today announced its slate of endorsed candidates for statewide judicial office in the upcoming General Election on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.
“Pennsylvania’s appellate courts hold immense importance for employers, and the decisions they make have a profound impact on every facet of life in the Commonwealth,” PA Chamber President and CEO Luke Bernstein said. “We believe these candidates’ judicial philosophies, decisions, and past experiences will contribute to the integrity of our courts and reflect favorably on the business community.”
In the race for Pennsylvania Supreme Court, ChamberPAC has endorsed Judge Carolyn Carluccio. Judge Carluccio was elected to the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas in 2009, where she has served with distinction as the first female President Judge in the county’s history.
As a common pleas judge, Carluccio was assigned to sit in the Criminal, Family, and Civil Court Benches and as an alternate Judge to Juvenile Court. Carluccio also served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and as Montgomery County’s first female Chief Public Defender.
Judge Carluccio is Highly Recommended by the Pennsylvania Bar Association and was endorsed by ChamberPAC during the primary election. Click here to read ChamberPAC’s primary election endorsement of Judge Carluccio.
In the race to fill two seats on Pennsylvania’s Superior Court, ChamberPAC has endorsed Maria Battista and Judge Harry Smail, Jr.
Battista, a former Commonwealth Attorney and Assistant District Attorney for Venango County, has more than 15 years of legal experience in civil, criminal, and administrative law. She demonstrated fairness and impartiality as a hearing examiner and would bring a unique perspective the bench. Learn more about Maria Battista here.
Judge Smail has served on the Court of Common Pleas in Westmoreland County since 2014. During his tenure, Judge Smail has administered a complex civil litigation docket of a variety of nuanced legal issues, boasting a 97 percent affirmation rate of his judicial opinions. Prior to his joining the bench, Judge Smail spent 17 years as a litigation attorney. Judge Smail is Recommended by the Pennsylvania Bar Association “based on his extensive background, legal ability, and temperament.” Learn more about Judge Harry Smail, Jr. here.
In the race for Commonwealth Court, ChamberPAC has endorsed Megan Martin.
Martin’s three-decade career in public service includes legal experience across all three branches of Pennsylvania state government and as an attorney for the United States Navy.
Martin served as the Pennsylvania Senate’s Secretary-Parliamentarian for more than a decade, where she managed the legislative process, decided legal appeals, and drafted legal opinions on Right-to-Know Law issues. Martin is Recommended by the Pennsylvania Bar Association, which pointed to her “substantial administrative law experience” in its favorable review of her candidacy. Learn more about Megan Martin here.
For more information about ChamberPAC, click here.