Joe Picozzi

{{Short description|Pennsylvania political candidate (b. 1995)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Joe Picozzi

| honorific-suffix =

| image = State Senator Elect Joe Picozzi Official Pennsylvania State Senate Headshot.jpg

| caption = Official portrait, 2025

| alt =

| state_senate = Pennsylvania State

| district = 5th

| term_start = January 3, 2025

| term_end =

| predecessor = Jimmy Dillon

| successor =

| prior_term =

| birth_date = April 22, 1995

| birth_place = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Republican

| otherparty =

| spouse =

| children =

| relatives =

| residence =

| alma_mater =

| education = Georgetown University

| website =

}}

Joe Picozzi (born 1995 or 1996) is an American politician from Somerton, Philadelphia currently serving as a Pennsylvania State Senator from District 5. {{Cite web |last=McCutcheon |first=Lauren |date=2024-07-04 |title=Who's Running for Election in Philadelphia on November 5, 2024? |url=https://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/who-is-running-for-election-in-philadelphia-in-2024/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=The Philadelphia Citizen |language=en-US}} A member of the Republican Party, he was elected to represent District 5 of the Pennsylvania State Senate in the 2024 US elections,{{Cite web |last1=McGoldrick |first1=Gillian |last2=Orso |first2=Anna |date=2024-11-07 |title=Republicans flip Northeast Philly state Senate seat, which Dems called 'the most embarrassing part' of the election results |url=https://www.inquirer.com/news/pennsylvania/joe-picozzi-wins-jimmy-dillon-state-senate-20241107.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241108125945/https://www.inquirer.com/news/pennsylvania/joe-picozzi-wins-jimmy-dillon-state-senate-20241107.html |archive-date=2024-11-08 |access-date=2024-11-08 |website=The Philadelphia Inquirer |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=McGoldrick |first=Gillian |date=2024-09-24 |title=Northeast Philly state Sen. Jimmy Dillon denies posting racist and homophobic tweets to his basketball business account |url=https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/jimmy-dillon-tweets-hoops-basketball-academy-20240924.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240924190302/https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/jimmy-dillon-tweets-hoops-basketball-academy-20240924.html |archive-date=2024-09-24 |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=The Philadelphia Inquirer |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Philadelphia |first=Alistair Dawber |date=2024-06-25 |title=Young Americans back Trump in rebellion against 'the Man' |url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/us-world/article/young-voters-us-election-2024-trump-biden-tqvzknplt |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=The Times |language=en}} defeating Democratic incumbent Jimmy Dillon who was elected in a 2022 special election to replace John Sabatina, who resigned to serve on a Court of Common Pleas.{{Cite web |last=Siwy |first=Bruce |date=28 February 2024 |title=Which 5 state Senate seats does the Pennsylvania GOP see as flip opportunities in 2024? |url=https://www.goerie.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/02/28/pa-election-2024-state-senate-gop-flip-opportunities/71652879007/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=Erie Times-News |language=en-US}} Both candidates ran unopposed in their respective party primaries.{{Cite web |last=Waring |first=Tom |date=2024-05-01 |title=Picozzi looks to November |url=https://northeasttimes.com/2024/05/01/picozzi-looks-to-november/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=Northeast Times |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Waring |first=Tom |date=2024-04-11 |title=Dillon, Picozzi talk at Delaire |url=https://northeasttimes.com/2024/04/11/dillon-picozzi-talk-at-delaire/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=Northeast Times |language=en-US}}

Picozzi's parents are a retired deputy fire chief and the former director of rehabilitation at the now-closed Hahnemann Hospital.{{Cite web |last=McCrone |first=Brian X. |date=2017-10-03 |title=Northeast Philadelphia Man on Washington D.C. List of 30 Under 30 |url=https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/joe-picozzi-northeast-philadelphia-man-on-washington-dc-list-of-30-under-30/30062/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=NBC10 Philadelphia |language=en-US}} He graduated from Holy Ghost Preparatory School.{{Cite web |last=Times |first=Northeast |date=2024-04-20 |title=Laying the foundation for a campaign |url=https://northeasttimes.com/2024/04/20/laying-the-foundation-for-a-campaign/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=Northeast Times |language=en-US}} Picozzi studied government at Georgetown University.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-04-07 |title=Picozzi jump starts Senate campaign |url=https://northeasttimes.com/2024/04/07/picozzi-jump-starts-senate-campaign/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=Northeast Times |language=en-US}} He has worked as a senior advisor in strategic planning at the Manhattan Institute and an assistant to US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. He was an Eagle Scout. Picozzi now lives in Tacony.{{Cite web |last=Waring |first=Tom |date=2024-09-22 |title=Candidates make their pitch |url=https://northeasttimes.com/2024/09/22/candidates-make-their-pitch/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=Northeast Times |language=en-US}}

In 2017, Picozzi was a finalist for that year's "30 under 30" list produced by Red Alert Politics, due in part to his campaigning in the 2016 US elections. The Erie Times-News reported early in the campaign that although District 5 is heavily Democratic, Republican strategists saw the seat as a "potential pick-up". By flipping District 5, Picozzi will be the first Republican to represent Philadelphia in the State Senate in over two decades.{{Cite web |last=Bunch |first=Jesse |date=2024-10-28 |title=This 29-year-old candidate could become Philadelphia's only GOP state senator. But the city's party isn't standing behind him. |url=https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/joe-picozzi-northeast-philadelphia-republicans-2024-election-20241028.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241028233825/https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/joe-picozzi-northeast-philadelphia-republicans-2024-election-20241028.html |archive-date=2024-10-28 |access-date=2024-11-08 |website=The Philadelphia Inquirer |language=en}}