Ward joins state Senate GOP leadership

State Sen. Kim Ward, R-Hempfield, was named to the GOP Senate leadership Tuesday as the Republican Senate caucus regrouped for 2019.

The appointment came a day after Ward, now in her third term, was named chair of the Senate Transportation Committee.

Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson County, announced Ward’s appointment to the Senate leadership, where she joins Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Centre County, and Policy Chair David Argall, R-Schuylkill County.

“I am pleased to appoint Senator Argall and Senator Ward to serve as members of the 2019-20 Republican Leadership Team,” Scarnati said, announcing the new appointments. “I am confident that they will each bring great perspective and direction as we work together to strengthen our Commonwealth.”

Ward posted on her Facebook page that she will be a lot busier with her new responsibilities.

“I will be the first woman in Republican Senate leadership in many years. Thank you, Senator Joe Scarnati, for your confidence in me with these appointments. I’m ready to roll,” she posted.

Ward, 62, of Hempfield, has been a fixture in Westmoreland County GOP circles for 25 years, beginning in 1994 as county chair of former Sen. Rick Santorum’s 1994 senate campaign.

In the intervening years, she operated a political consulting firm and was elected Hempfield supervisor and Westmoreland County Commissioner.

Ward was elected to the state Senate in 2008 and re-elected in 2012 and 2016.

Deb Erdley is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Deb at 724-850-1209, derdley@tribweb.com or via Twitter @deberdley_trib.