In the state House’s 59th District, Democrats Lisa Gephart and Jordan Omlor will compete Tuesday for a spot on the fall ballot. The winner will go up against incumbent Republican Leslie Rossi, who is unopposed and has been in office since her election in 2021.
Gephart, 59, of Mt. Pleasant Township, is retired after a career as a van driver and security guard in the Southmoreland School District, and ran a brief but unsuccessful campaign for county commissioner in 2021.
“I see things not being done,” Gephart said. “I see families, including mine, having a hard time making it. When I’m watching the news and holding my granddaughter, I can’t help wondering what kind of future she’ll have.”
Gephart said she wants to prioritize a cap on prices for medication such as insulin, negotiate Medicare drug costs and put an end to massive medical bills that can bankrupt a family.
“My daughter went to the dentist and needed a $1,200 dental surgery,” Gephart said. “My son-in-law paid for it upfront, and then he found out she’d need another $900 for anesthesia. On top of that, our groceries, gas and medicine costs have all gone up — and our wages have not. When gas is $5 a gallon, someone working for minimum wage isn’t going to be able to pay for all the things they need in order to live.”
Gephart will go up against Jordan Omlor, 35, of Latrobe, who is a real estate developer.
Omlor was a Republican until he switched parties last December, before his run for state representative. He said he came to realize his political ideology was no longer in tune with the current GOP politics.
“Our current representative is openly part of the MAGA movement and people are tired of the MAGA movement,” Omlor said.
He said his goal as a member of the state House is to help constituents. To do that, he favors a system to provide universal healthcare for all state residents. While details of his plan have yet to be determined, he said imposition of higher income taxes for the state’s wealthiest residents could help pay for the healthcare proposal.
Omlor also said he wants state government to focus on creating pathways for more affordable housing.
Omlor returned to Pennsylvania after serving a 10-year career in the U.S. Army as a military police officer and in the infantry. He served two tours of duty in Afghanistan and also served in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
After his U.S. military service, Omlor said he traveled overseas to serve two years in the Ukrainian military.
“I felt it was the right thing to do. When I joined the Army I swore an oath to protect us from enemies of the United States. I believe Russia is an enemy of the U.S.,” Omlor said.
The 59th District covers a significant portion of eastern and central Westmoreland County. It includes Latrobe and the boroughs of Bolivar, Derry, Donegal, Laurel Mountain, Ligonier, New Florence, Seward and Youngstown. Its boundaries also encompass the entirety of Cook, Donegal, Fairfield, Ligonier and Unity townships, as well as portions of Derry and Mt. Pleasant townships.