Dan Laughlin

Daniel J. Laughlin He graduated from Penn State Behrend.

Business career Laughlin joined his brother's homebuilding company and later bought into it as a full partner. The brothers would also found companies focusing on trash disposal, foam installation, and rentals.

For the 2025-2026 Session Laughlin sits on the following committees in the State Senate:

Law & Justice (Chair) Game & Fisheries (Vice Chair) Appropriations Environmental Resources & Energy Finance Health & Human Services Labor & Industry

Political positions After deciding not to run for governor of Pennsylvania in 2022, the Erie Times-News surmised Laughlin would have "fashioned himself as a centrist who could win independents, moderate Democrats and Republicans in a field of 'far-right' GOP candidates" had he run. Despite his affiliation as Republican, Laughlin has occasionally bucked the party's policy position. Unlike most in his party, Laughlin has endorsed the idea of legalized recreational marijuana and increasing the minimum wage. He also opposes changing Pennsylvania's abortions laws.

2020 presidential election Laughlin opposed efforts to audit the 2020 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania, subsequent efforts assemble a slate of fake electors, and the false claims of voter fraud after President Donald Trump lost the election. Privately, Laughlin referred to legal efforts to overturn the election results as "crap." He also blamed Congressman Mike Kelly for "hurting" the Republican Party by supporting such efforts. Publicly, Laughlin warned that Republicans' focus on dubious election fraud would only serve to benefit liberal candidates. whereas the brief Kelly signed explicitly sided with Texas. Laughlin's lawsuit also contended there was never an actual "pardon request list." Among his claimed losses was a "loss of consortium" where he claimed that the article ended his sex life for a time, that claim was dropped in September 2024. The lawsuit was settled in December 2024, with the Reader agreeing to label Wertz's column as an opinion piece with no admission of liability.

In June 2024, the Reader sued McLaughlin and his wife, Peggy, accusing the couple of removing hundreds of free copies of the publication from public locations. His wife admitted to removing papers to "prevent maybe somebody from reading all of the ridiculous, unjustified, completely dishonest, unprovoked attacks on my husband." The Reader's suit was dismissed in August.

Cannabis Laughlin was the first Pennsylvania Republican to endorse the legalization of adult-use cannabis in Pennsylvania. In 2021, Laughlin and State Senator Sharif Street sponsored a bill to legalize cannabis use for individuals over the age of twenty-one. Laughlin and Street had previously sponsored a similar bill in 2019 and later again in 2025. Laughlin said his support for such bills comes from concern for Pennsylvanians consuming unregulated cannabis from outside the state. In 2024, Laughlin proposed a bill that would allow medical marijuana users to legally possess a firearm. In May 2025, Laughlin, acting as chair of the Senate Law and Justice Committee, called a vote on a bill creating state run cannabis dispensaries, similar to liquor stores operated by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. He then voted against advancing the legislation after seeing little chance for the legal framework to pass in the state Senate.

Election reform Laughlin is a longtime supporter of open primary elections and has repeatedly co-sponsored legislation that would allow independent voters to participate in primary elections.

Laughlin supports voter ID and sponsored a bill that would require mail-in ballots be transported by the U.S. Postal Service, replacing the option of ballot drop boxes.

Energy Laughlin has supported expanding Pennsylvania's use of renewable energy sources, including solar energy.

Minimum wage In 2023, Laughlin introduced a bill that would raise Pennsylvania's $7.25 minimum wage to $11 by the next year and $15 by the following year. In 2025, he introduced a similarly structured bill with $11 as the final minimum wage.

Refugees In 2021, Laughlin said refugees coming to America from Afghanistan should be "thoroughly vetted," but pushed back against statements by other Republicans who opposed refugee resettlement. Laughlin said that those fleeing Taliban rule should be welcomed to a nation with more freedom than their homeland.

Personal life Laughlin married his wife Peggy Schneider on June 18, 1988. The couple have three children.