Piccola dropped out of the race for governor in early 2006, after it became clear that former professional football player Lynn Swann had earned the support of most of the Pennsylvania Republican Party.

[11] Following the 2006 elections, Piccola gave up his position as Senate Whip, and instead made a bid to become president pro tempore of the State Senate, after the sitting president pro tempore, Bob Jubelirer, lost the Republican primary in his home district.

[14] In 2012, he received a public reprimand from the Disciplinary Board of the State Supreme Court due to his conduct as a private attorney.

The public reprimand was the result of an agreement that allowed Piccola to keep his lawyer license and the dismissal of more serious charges of fraud, dishonesty and champery.

[15] Piccola became the chairman of the York County Republican Committee until 2022 when two career politicians, Stan Saylor, a Pennsylvanian House Representative for 29 years, and Keith J. Gillespie, another Representative for 19 years, were defeated by anti-establishment candidates, Wendy Fink and Joe D'Orsie, respectively, in their primary.

During the contentious primary, Piccola motioned to censure Mike Jones after he endorsed both Fink and D'Orsie.