With Tuesday marking the last day to file nomination petitions in Pennsylvania, candidates are set for the April 23 primary election.
Each incumbent representing Centre County in the state General Assembly and U.S. House is seeking reelection, and all six of those positions will have uncontested primaries. At least three incumbents, however, will face challengers in November.
State House 77th District
State Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township, will be seeking a 10th term representing the 77th District. He currently chairs the House Commerce Committee. Prior to his election as state representative in 2006, Conklin served as a Centre County commissioner for seven years and owned a carpentry business.
Marie Librizzi, of Ferguson Township, will be the sole candidate on the Republican ballot for the 77th District. Librizzi is the retired former owner of Old Main Frame Shop and Gallery and held ownership in several State College area restaurants. She has served in the Coast Guard Auxiliary for 15 years. Librizzi ran for Centre County Commissioner commissioner in 2023.
The 77th District includes part of State College, and all of Philipsburg and Port Matilda boroughs and Ferguson, Halfmoon, Huston, Patton, Rush, Taylor and Worth townships.
State House 82nd District
State Rep. Paul Takac, D-College Township, is running for a second term representing the 82nd District. He currently serves on the committees for Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Education, Environmental Resources & Energy, Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness and Tourism and Economic and Recreational Development. Prior to his election in 2022, he was a College Township Council member, chair of the Spring Creek Watershed Commission and worked in educational technology for three decades.
Therese Rohall-Hollen, of Benner Township, will be on the Republican primary ballot for the 82nd District. She has owned Hollen Enterprises LLC, a medical sales and business development company, since 2014, according to her LinkedIn account.
The 82nd District includes part of State College along with all of Howard, Milesburg, Snow Shoe and Unionville boroughs, and Benner, Boggs, Burnside, College, Curtin, Harris, Howard, Liberty, Marion, Snow Shoe and Union townships.
State House 171st District
State Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, R-Bellefonte, is running for a 15th term in the Pennsylvania House. He currently serves as Republican chair of the House Transportation Committee. Prior to his first election as state representative in 1996, Benninghoff was elected to two terms as Centre County coroner in 1991 and 1995 after serving as deputy coroner for six years.
No Democrat filed to run.
In Centre County, the 171st District includes Bellefonte, Centre Hall and Millheim boroughs and Gregg, Haines, Miles, Penn, Potter, Spring and Walker townships. The district also includes part of Mifflin County.
State Senate 25th District
State Sen. Cris Dush, R-Pine Creek Township, will be seeking a second term. He currently chairs the Senate State Government Committee, is vice-chair of the Intergovernmental Operations Committee and and serves on the Appropriations, Game & Fisheries, Judiciary, Local Government and Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness committees.
Dush previously served three terms representing the 66th District in the state House. An Air Force and Air National Guard veteran, he retired from the state Department of Corrections in 2012.
No Democrat filed to run.
The 25th district includes eastern and central Centre County, part of Jefferson County and all of Cameron, Clinton, Elk, McKean and Potter counties
State Senate 35th District
State Sen. Wayne Langerholc, R-Richland Township, is running for a third term. He currently chairs the Senate Transportation Committee and serves on the Appropriations,
Judiciary and Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness committees.
Prior to his first election to the state Senate in 2016, Langerhold was an assistant district attorney in Cambria County, an attorney in private practice and a Richland Township Supervisor.
No Democrat filed to run.
The 35th district includes western Centre County and all of Cambria and Clearfield counties.
U.S. House 15th District
U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Howard Township, is seeking a ninth term in Congress. He currently chairs the House Agricultural Committee and is a senior member of the Education and Labor Committee. Prior to running for Congress, Thompson spent 28 years as a therapist, rehabilitation services manager and a licensed nursing home administrator. He also served on the Bald Eagle Area School Board.
Zacheray Womer, of Philipsburg, is running for the Democratic nomination. He serves on the Centre County Mental Health, Intellectual Disability and Early Intervention Advisory Board while attending law school at Penn State, according to his campaign website. He also runs an independent contracting business.
STATEWIDE
U.S. President
Former President Donald Trump and Nikki Haley will be on the Republican ballot in the Pennsylvania primary, while Democratic ballots will include President Joe Biden and Dean Phillips.
U.S. Senate
Democatic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey will be seeking a third term. David McCormick and Joseph Vodvarka are running for the Republican nomination.
Attorney General
Six Democrats are running for attorney general, including Keir Bradford-Grey, Eugene DePasquale, Joseph Khan, Jared Solomon and Jack Stollsteimer.
David Sunday and Wendell Williams are seeking the Republican nomination.
Auditor General
Republican incumbent Timothy DeFoor is running for a second term as auditor general.
State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta and Mark Pinsley are seeking the Democratic nomination.
Treasurer
Stacy Garrity is unopposed in the Republican primary as she seeks a second term as treasurer.
Ryan Bizarro and Erin McClelland are vying for the Democratic nomination.
April 8 is the last day to register to vote in the primary. April 16 is the last day to apply for a mail-in or civilian absentee ballot.
