Centre County’s newest state representative was officially sworn in on Tuesday as the Pennsylvania House began its 2023-24 legislative session.
State Rep. Paul Takac, D-College Township, took the oath of office for his first term at the state Capitol in Harrisburg along with House colleagues, including fellow Centre County representatives Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township, and Kerry Benninghoff, R-Bellefonte.
Takac won election to the newly created 82nd House District in November, defeating State College Republican Justin Behrens for the open seat. The district — drawn in early 2022 through the statewide redistricting process — covers State College (partial), Howard, Milesburg, Snow Shoe and Unionville boroughs, and Benner, Boggs, Burnside, College, Curtin, Harris, Howard, Liberty, Marion, Snow Shoe and Union townships.
The former College Township councilman said in a statement that he will prioritize “full and fair funding for education, championing environmental justice and the transition to a clean energy economy, protecting individual rights, supporting working people and families and investing in our local communities.”
“I am honored and proud to be in this position,” Takac said. “My community elected me because they believe that I will prioritize the issues that matter most and now it’s up to me to show them they made the right choice. I am excited for the year ahead, and to roll up my sleeves and get to work for the people of Centre County.”
Takac’s election was one of several statewide that helped swing a narrow balance of power in the House to Democrats for the first time since 2010, pending three upcoming special elections the party is expected to win. State Rep. Mark Rozzi, a Democrat from Berks County who said he will govern as an independent, was elected speaker on Tuesday.
Conklin, meanwhile, was sworn in for his ninth term representing the 77th District, and Benninghoff took the oath for his 14th term representing the 171st District.
The 77th district includes State College (partial), Philipsburg and Port Matilda boroughs and Ferguson, Halfmoon, Huston, Patton, Rush, Taylor and Worth townships.
“I am honored to return to Harrisburg to take this oath of office and to continue to represent the hardworking people of Centre County,” Conklin said a statement. “Their faith and trust in me is truly touching and humbling and I vow that I will continue to work to uphold that trust, to fight for a Pennsylvania that works for the people, and to defend our democracy from bad-faith actors who would attack it for their own empowerment.”
With a Democratic majority and a growing leadership role that includes chairmanship of the State Government Committee, Conklin said he is looking forward to the new session.
“As the chairman of the State Government Committee I’ve been on the front lines of the fight to defend democracy in Harrisburg,” Conklin said. “Whether that’s creating competitive legislative districts where the voters – and not politicians – chose who represents them, to a comprehensive elections code update, I am bullish for the year ahead and ready to get to work.”
Conklin defeated Huston Township Republican Steve Yetsko in November to win reelection.
Takac and Conklin both noted that their offices are available to help residents with state-related services such as home heating assistance, children’s health insurance, prescription drug and property tax/rent rebate assistance.
Benninghoff returns to the state House after defeating Millheim Democrat Robert Zeigler in November’s election. After spending two years as House majority leader, Benninghoff did not seek a leadership position for the new term, saying he wanted to be able to spend more time with family and allow “someone else to step up to a position of responsibility and inject new ideas into the caucus.”
He said in an interview last fall that his priority in office is seeing Pennsylvania become “the envy of the East,” by capitalizing on its workforce, higher education, research institutions and natural resources, including natural gas and petroleum.
The 171st District includes parts of Centre and Mifflin counties. In Centre County, it includes Bellefonte, Centre Hall and Millheim boroughs and Gregg, Haines, Miles, Penn, Potter, Spring and Walker townships.
“Thank you to everyone who shared words of encouragement and well wishes leading up to today’s swearing-in ceremony,” Benninghoff wrote on Facebook on Tuesday. “I am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving the district and this great Commonwealth.”
