2025 Election Preview: Commonwealth Court
You have probably heard about Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court retention vote. And how it will be one of the most closely-watched races in the country.
That vote takes place on the back of your ballot.
On the front of the ballot are two other statewide contests that will place new judges on Pennsylvania’s Superior and Commonwealth Courts.
In the seventh in our series previewing the 2025 municipal general election, we focus on the vacancy on the nine-member Commonwealth Court – one of the state’s two intermediate appellate courts — and focuses on cases in which state or local governments are involved in a case.
The present makeup of the Commonwealth Court has five judges that were elected as Republicans and three others as Democrats. While its decisions can be appealed to the state Supreme Court, Commonwealth Court does make landmark rulings. In 2023, it ruled that the state’s public education funding formula is unconstitutional, setting up a still-ongoing battle in the state Capitol over how best to fund struggling school districts. Judges serve 10-year terms before standing for retention.
The contest pits Democrat Stella Tsai against Republican Matt Wolford.
Stella Tsai
Tsai is a first-generation American who was appointed to the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas in 2016. She won an election to remain on the bench for a 10-year term the following year. Since then, she’s served within several divisions, presiding over cases involving medical malpractice, election candidacy challenges, guardianship, and disputes over trusts and estates. I
Party: Democratic
Place of residence: Philadelphia
Education: J.D., University of Pennsylvania; B.A., Political Science, Penn State University
Current occupation: Judge on the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas orphans’ court division
Related experience: Former private-practice attorney who focused on regulatory compliance and land use, member of the Judicial Ethics Advisory Board, oversaw child welfare and social services cases in the City of Philadelphia’s law department, and adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
Supporters/endorsements: “Highly recommended” by the Pennsylvania Bar Association, backed by several labor and education unions and Democratic party leaders.
Links: Website | Facebook | X/Twitter | Instagram
Fundraising (reported as of 9/15/25):
Total raised: $249,835
Total spent: $209,677.19
Matt Wolford
Wolford has owned a law office since 1999, after working in the state Attorney General’s Office and the state Department of Environmental Protection. He now works for private-sector clients, such as landowners seeking advice on oil and gas leases and energy companies that need help with environmental compliance.
Party: Republican
Place of residence: Erie County
Education: J.D., Temple University; B.A., English, Penn State University
Current occupation: Private-sector solo practitioner
Related experience: Deputy attorney general for environmental crimes at the state AG’s office, regional counsel for the state Department of Environmental Protection, and long-time solo practitioner for environmental counseling and litigation.
Supporters/endorsements: “Highly recommended” by the Pennsylvania Bar Association. Wolford is backed by Gun Owners of America, law-enforcement groups, state Republican leaders and Conservative Latinos PA.
Links: Website | Facebook
Fundraising (reported as of 9/15/25):
Total raised: $317,563.15, as well as $208,134.99 in in-kind donations, most of which was in the form of advertising donated by the state Republican Party.
Total spent: $270,464.89
Steve Ulrich is managing editor of Politics PA where this article originally appeared.
