‘We’re going to Harrisburg.’ Paul Takac aims to be bipartisan leader as new state Rep
There’s a new Pennsylvania House District representing part of Centre County, and a longtime county resident will be the one to fill it after a highly competitive and expensive race.
Democrat Paul Takac declared victory in the newly created 82nd Pennsylvania House District late Tuesday night.
Surrounded by his family, friends and supporters, he told everyone at his election night party just after 11 p.m. on Nov. 8, “We’re going to Harrisburg.” Attendees also celebrated when news broke that Democrat Josh Shapiro had won the governor’s race.
The Associated Press called the race in Takac’s favor at 12:36 p.m. Wednesday, with Takac ahead of his Republican opponent, Justin Behrens, 12,588 to 9,836 votes.
During his victory speech at Happy Valley Brewing, Takac said that it’s easy to lose sight of what is important, which is that this district allows for more fair, honest and “real” representation.
“I am just so grateful to have the privilege and the honor to be that person who can represent you and every other person in this district in Harrisburg,” Takac said.
The district, which includes Penn State’s University Park campus, the surrounding municipalities and some rural parts of northern Centre County, “truly represents” the diversity of Centre County, Takac said.
“I think it is emblematic and reflective of Centre County,” Takac said in an interview.
Behrens thanked his supporters and volunteers, and congratulated Takac on his victory, in a phone interview with the Centre Daily Times.
“He has to remember that there is a majority out there that has not been answered, and he needs to represent them also, and actions will show that. And so I wish him the best and if there’s anything that I can do to help support moving the state in the right direction, I’m here,” Behrens said.
He’s not ruling out any future runs for office, but said he first wants to focus on building a homeless center in Centre County.
“I plan to invest a substantial amount of money to truly help the homeless and move in the right direction. That’s why I’ve done my whole life and Centre County needs it and I want to shine the light on a dark place that we have right now,” Behrens said.
Takac plans to be a bipartisan leader
Takac noted the “once a lifetime” opportunity of the new, open seat that is in a district that he says fairly represents the area, in an interview with the CDT. But it’s bigger than him, he said.
“The thing that has been building for me, as the pressure has gathered over the last months, I’ve not felt it on a personal level, I felt it as an opportunity that I really wanted to make the most out of,” Takac said. “And that is where I’m feeling the relief. I can actually now get to work for the people and communities of this area, and I’m so humbled and grateful for the opportunity.”
With Scott Conklin winning reelection to the 77th House District and Takac coming aboard in the 82nd, Centre County will now have two Democrats elected to the Pennsylvania State House for the first time in recent history.
Takac said he’s not thinking on a partisan basis, as he represents everyone, not just Democrats. He said he’s looking forward to working with Conklin and Republican Kerry Benninghoff, who was also reelected to the 171st House District Tuesday.
“For too long, Harrisburg has been broken in a way where even good, bipartisan legislation cannot get passed. We need to get back to working together so that we can advance the interests of the people in this area,” he said.
When he takes office in January, there are four key things he wants to prioritize: supporting working families, a full and fair funding for education, addressing climate change and environmental justice, and protecting individual rights and freedoms.
Supporting working families, he said, means a lot of things. He touched on increasing minimum wage, reducing childcare costs, working on prescription drug costs, and making health care more accessible and affordable.
Currently a College Township Council member, he said his experience in local government has helped prepare him to run for one of the most watched, highly competitive state house seats.
“I’ve spent my entire career working to find common ground. I’ve certainly done that in terms of local government experience,” he said. “I feel like my experience and my dedication is going to be to represent the best interests of everyone in the district and I will work in Harrisburg with anyone who’s willing to set aside their partisan interests in the interests of the people and communities they’re supposed to be representing.”
Behrens reflects on campaign
Earlier on election night, Behrens hosted an event on Penn State’s University Park campus with some students. His campaign was led by college students and credited them for the hard work they put in throughout the election cycle.
“They’re engaged. They got a good pulse on what’s going on and I’m excited for the future because they are the future. So I think it’s exciting to see,” Behrens said. “...They’re seeing the same things we’re suffering from, too, so it’s not like it’s a big difference. They just, they’re a lot more vocal, which is good. And they’re amazing, ... I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Behrens recently moved to Centre County, and this was his first election in the area. But he didn’t think that presented challenges during his campaign, because the area was welcoming to him. He recalled talking with many people in Harris Township specifically that told him their stories that needed to be heard. He said it was refreshing for people to have someone vent to, and who listened to them.
But not everyone was welcoming, he said, and he warned that the division between parties and loss of civility on both sides continues to get worse.
“There’s a lot of civility that’s disappeared. I’m the type that, it doesn’t matter who comes to my door. I’ll listen and talk to you. But there was a lot of doors slamming in my face and you can expect that in politics. But we need to have civility and you can see the division that’s going there on both sides. And that’s one thing that was a rude awakening, that it’s getting worse. It’s not getting better.”
This story was originally published November 9, 2022 at 10:43 AM.
