The Pennsylvania primary is April 28. Here’s who’s running to represent Centre County
Time’s up for candidates to file nomination petitions for the April 28 primary election. None of Centre County’s legislators up for election face opponents from their own party, but they will have challengers in November.
12th Congressional District
U.S. Rep. Fred Keller, R-Kreamer, will face Democratic challenger Lee Griffin as they vie to represent Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District — the largest district in the state that includes includes College, Ferguson, Gregg, Haines, part of Halfmoon, Harris, Miles, Penn and Potter townships and Centre Hall, Millheim and State College boroughs.
He defeated Ferguson Township Democrat Marc Friedenberg in a May 2019 special election to fill the unexpired term of U.S. Rep. Tom Marino. Prior to Congress, Keller served five terms in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and has a background in business management.
Griffin is from Northumberland County and is the son of two teachers. He is the director of operations at an online retail warehouse.
15th Congressional District
U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Howard Township, and Democratic challenger Robert Williams will face each other to represent Pennsylvania’s 15th Congressional District.
A lifelong Centre County resident, Thompson has been the No. 1 speaker on the House floor for the past four years and served as vice chairman of the Agriculture Committee and as chairman of the Subcommittee on Nutrition. He has served in the House for six terms.
A Clearfield County native, Williams lives in Burnside Township.
76th Legislative District
Republican state Rep. Stephanie Borowicz will seek a second term to represent the 76th Legislative District, which includes Clinton County and parts of Centre County. She will face Democratic challenger Joe Waltz.
Borowicz is the first woman to serve and represent the 76th District and lives in McElhattan. A mother, former teacher and pastor’s wife, Borowicz was first elected in 2018.
Waltz, a Lycoming County native, worked for 34 years as an educator. He retired from the Keystone Central School District in 2007. If elected, Waltz said he will stand up for farmers, firefighters and senior citizens on fixed incomes. He plans to support legislation that aims to create family-sustaining jobs and stimulate the local economy.
77th Legislative District
State Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township, and Republican challenger Stephen Yetsko are running to represent Pennsylvania’s 77th Legislative District.
Conklin, who has served in the state legislature since 2006, is a former Centre County commissioner with a background in business. He is also on the ballot for auditor general.
Yetsko is a native of Centre County and lives in Huston Township.
81st Legislative District
State Rep. Rich Irvin, R-Spruce Creek, will face Democratic challenger Ian Kidd to represent Pennsylvania’s 81st Legislative District.
Irvin was first elected to the House in 2014. He serves on the agriculture and rural affairs, human services, insurance and local government committees.
Kidd is a native of Huntingdon County and lives in Oneida Township.
171st Legislative District
State Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, R-Bellefonte, and former Ferguson Township supervisor Peter Buck, a Democrat, will face off to represent the 171st Legislative District, which includes parts of Centre and Mifflin counties.
First elected to the House in 1996, Benninghoff will seek reelection for a 13th term. In 2018, he was elected to serve as majority whip and is responsible for tracking House votes, aiding the majority leader in advancing the caucus agenda and informing colleagues on upcoming issues and proposed legislation.
Before resigning from Ferguson’s Board of Supervisors, Buck served on the Public Services and Environmental and Facilities committees of the Centre Region Council of Governments and on the Spring Creek Watershed Commission. He now lives in Houserville and sits on the executive committees of the Pennsylvania Environmental Resource Consortium and the Penns Valley Conservation Association.
This story was originally published February 19, 2020 at 12:51 PM.
