Candidates for the 165th state legislative race

Position holder: Jennifer O’Mara, D

Age: 34

Occupation: Pennsylvania State Representative

Political experience: Since January 2019, I have served as a state representative for the 165th District. I have not previously held elected office.

Why do you run and what are your priorities in this race?

I’m running because I have unfinished business as an incumbent state representative and I want to accomplish even more in Harrisburg. I first ran for office because I wanted to address equity in public schools, make real policy change to help those affected by mental health issues, including veterans and first responders, and fight the epidemic of gun violence , which is rampant in our communities. While I’m proud to say I’ve made some progress, including passing bipartisan legislation to add PTSI to first responder workers’ wages and bipartisan legislation establishing extreme risk protection orders in Pennsylvania, only some of these measures have made it to the finish line lines, and many still languish in the Pennsylvania Senate. And while we passed a budget this year that includes record funding for our public schools, we still need to ensure that this investment is sustained for many years to come to truly meet our demands for equitable funding of our public schools. Additionally, as a new mom and a more experienced legislator, I have expanded my work to focus on family issues such as paid sick leave and sick leave, access to IVF insurance, and access to mental health for children and adults.

Why should voters choose you for this seat?

I believe I deserved the votes of my voters because I consistently showed that I work hard and commit to my community. I did this by hosting nearly 40 community service-focused events for the entire family this legislative session, including multiple open forum town halls, securing nearly $6 million in grants this session to support projects ranging from infrastructure to first responders, to behavioral health by participating in and supporting community events, passing legislation to address the issues we face every day, and ensuring that I and my staff are available to serve every resident of our community.

What do you like most about the district?

People! It’s the people in this district that make our schools strong, our small businesses thrive, and our communities thrive. We are here to support each other when tragedy strikes and celebrate when we achieve great things. We are also here for each other in more down-to-earth ways, by volunteering as a local firefighter or scout leader, attending events at the local library, donating blood at a church blood drive, or working every weekend at the local farmer’s market. I am infinitely proud to work in such a special place as Delco. I remain humbled and grateful to be your voice in Harrisburg.

Challenger: Liz Piazza, R

Age: 64

Occupation: Operations Manager/CEO Piazza Property Pros Inc.

Political experience: Deputy Commissioner, Upper Providence County (2000-2001); Commissioner, Media Borough (2023-2024); commission member, Upper Providence Township (2024-present)

Why do you run and what are your priorities in this race?

I’m running to bring a fresh perspective to Harrisburg. Currently, Harrisburg is broken. Our Pennsylvania House of Representatives has been one of the least productive in the last 30 years because we do not have representatives in Harrisburg willing to achieve consensus and bipartisan solutions. I want to be a representative like our region used to be, like Reps. Bill Adolph, Chris Quinn and Alex Charlton, and restore bipartisan problem-solving to help resolve the gridlock in Harrisburg.

As your representative, I intend to prioritize solutions that put money back into taxpayers’ wallets as we work to recover from high prices. I will also work to reduce energy costs, which are expected to increase due to current energy policies such as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. There are other ways to diversify our energy production in the Community without burdening consumers with additional costs. Finally, I want to help families struggling with the opioid epidemic. As a grandmother who has had to take over the care of my grandchildren, I understand what many families go through and I want to help develop programs to help treat them. people who need it, and helping families whose loved ones are affected by opioids.

Why should voters choose you for this seat?

I bring experience and a sensible approach. As a former county employee of over 20 years, mother, grandmother and businesswoman, I bring a wealth of experience to my work. My priority is my voters, not the party and certainly not interest groups. I will work for all voters and listen to them when I get to Harrisburg before I vote for our district.

What do you like most about the district?

I love all the green spaces our community has to offer, from Rose Tree Park in Upper Providence, Glen Providence Park in Media, Smedley Park in Springfield, and everything in between. Each of them provides so many opportunities for people to escape to enjoy our environment and nature. As your representative, I will do my best to preserve it.

District

Pa. 165th District House includes the townships of Media, Morton and Swarthmore, and Springfield and Upper Providence, and part of Marple Township.