State

State Representative, 109th District

Vote for: 1
Term: 2 years
Candidates: 2
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: A state representative votes on Pennsylvania laws and the state budget in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

All of Columbia County, including the Town of Bloomsburg, Berwick, Catawissa, Benton, Millville, Orangeville and the county's other boroughs and townships. The district is entirely in Columbia County.

Candidates Compare by issue

Justin C. Hummel

Democratic

Mayor of Bloomsburg; self-employed in property management · Bloomsburg, Columbia County

The gist

Calls for local municipalities to have the most control over data centers operating in their communities.
Pledges to work with municipalities on the district's past PFAS contamination.
Calls for more investment in public schools and public transportation in rural areas like the 109th.
Proposes that no one on the state payroll be paid if the state budget is not passed by a set time.
Says Pennsylvania elections are secure and supports increased access for all eligible voters.
Calls for investing in mental health and addiction treatment, recovery and support as crime prevention.
Supports preserving working farms, farmer-first solar and skilled-trades workforce training.
Lists housing affordability among his cost-of-living priorities.
Calls for planning ahead for growth, investing in infrastructure and giving municipalities a seat at the table.

More about Justin

View sources (2)

Calls for local municipalities to have the most control over data centers operating in their communities.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Representative District 109
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters Education Fund · Data centers question … Most pressing issues · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I think local municipalities should have the most control over what operates in their communities. … Due to our proximity to the nuclear power plant, Data Centers are a real concern citizens have.”
Pledges to work with municipalities on the district's past PFAS contamination.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Representative District 109
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters Education Fund · Most pressing issues … Most pressing issues · onyourballot.vote411.org
“We also suffer from some significant PFAS contamination from decades ago. … I would work with local municipalities to find solutions that fit the needs of”
Calls for more investment in public schools and public transportation in rural areas like the 109th.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Representative District 109
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters Education Fund · Most pressing issues · onyourballot.vote411.org
“We also need to be making better investments into public schools and public transportation in rural areas like the 109th.”
Proposes that no one on the state payroll be paid if the state budget is not passed by a set time.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Representative District 109
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters Education Fund · State budget question · onyourballot.vote411.org
“get passed by a particular time then no one on the state payroll should be getting compensated.”
Says Pennsylvania elections are secure and supports increased access for all eligible voters.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Representative District 109
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters Education Fund · Elections question · onyourballot.vote411.org
“Our elections are secure. … but I support increased access to all eligible voters.”
Calls for investing in mental health and addiction treatment, recovery and support as crime prevention.
Pillars | Hummel for the 109th
Campaign website · Hummel for PA · Public Safety, Mental Health, and Addiction · hummelforthe109th.com
“We can do better by investing in treatment, recovery, and support systems that reduce crises and keep communities safer.”
Supports preserving working farms, farmer-first solar and skilled-trades workforce training.
Pillars | Hummel for the 109th
Campaign website · Hummel for PA · Protecting Local Jobs and Farms … Protecting Local Jobs and Farms … Protecting Local Jobs and Farms · hummelforthe109th.com
“Preserving working farms … Encouraging farmer-first solar solutions … Investing in workforce development and skilled trades”
Lists housing affordability among his cost-of-living priorities.
Pillars | Hummel for the 109th
Campaign website · Hummel for PA · Cost of Living … Cost of Living · hummelforthe109th.com
“Addressing the cost of living means focusing on the things that affect daily life: … Housing affordability”
Calls for planning ahead for growth, investing in infrastructure and giving municipalities a seat at the table.
Pillars | Hummel for the 109th
Campaign website · Hummel for PA · Solutions by Community · hummelforthe109th.com
“That means planning ahead, investing in infrastructure, and making sure municipalities have a real seat at the table before decisions are made.”

Robert Leadbeter

RepublicanIncumbent

State representative; business executive · Catawissa (Catawissa Township), Columbia County

The gist

Voted against the $52.2 billion 2026-27 state budget, saying it defers billions in payments.In office
Opposed the 2026-27 budget's lack of any increase for EITC scholarships.In office
Sponsored Aiden's Law (HB 2102) to create a Purple Alert for missing people with certain disabilities.In office
Proposes letting courts order chemical or surgical castration of people convicted of raping children.In office
Proposes a public board of parents and child care providers to oversee the state early-learning office (OCDEL).In office
Proposes requiring utility bills to show any rate reductions tied to data centers in the region.In office
Co-authored a bipartisan plan for privacy rules and civil penalties for misuse of license plate reader data.In office

In office = from the candidate's own official statements or legislation as an officeholder, not their campaign.

More about Robert

View sources (6)

Voted against the $52.2 billion 2026-27 state budget, saying it defers billions in payments.
Leadbeter Opposes Unbalanced, Gimmick Budget Plan for 2026-27 Fiscal Year
Public statement · Office of Rep. Robert Leadbeter · Jul 12, 2026 · repleadbeter.com
“This budget defers billions of dollars in payments, effectively pushing today’s obligations onto future taxpayers.”
Opposed the 2026-27 budget's lack of any increase for EITC scholarships.
Leadbeter Opposes Unbalanced, Gimmick Budget Plan for 2026-27 Fiscal Year
Public statement · Office of Rep. Robert Leadbeter · Jul 12, 2026 · repleadbeter.com
“This budget does not include any increase for Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) scholarships.”
Sponsored Aiden's Law (HB 2102) to create a Purple Alert for missing people with certain disabilities.
Aiden's Law Passes Unanimously Out of Committee, Says Leadbeter
Public statement · Office of Rep. Robert Leadbeter · Apr 10, 2026 · repleadbeter.com
“the Purple Alert system would rapidly notify the public and law enforcement when an individual with certain cognitive, intellectual or developmental disabilities goes missing.”
Proposes letting courts order chemical or surgical castration of people convicted of raping children.
Brown, Leadbeter, Warner Proposal Wages War Against Child Predators
Public statement · Office of Rep. Robert Leadbeter · Feb 4, 2026 · repleadbeter.com
“legislation that would allow courts to order the chemical or surgical castration of child rapists”
Proposes a public board of parents and child care providers to oversee the state early-learning office (OCDEL).
Commonsense Proposal Would Elevate Representation of Parents, Providers, Say Leadbeter, Klunk
Public statement · Office of Rep. Robert Leadbeter · Jun 3, 2026 · repleadbeter.com
“would create a public board for the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL)”
Proposes requiring utility bills to show any rate reductions tied to data centers in the region.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: Data Center Discount
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · Apr 1, 2026 · palegis.us
“requiring public utilities to clearly display any rate reductions or bill credits provided to customers as a result of hosting data center infrastructure”
Co-authored a bipartisan plan for privacy rules and civil penalties for misuse of license plate reader data.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: Protecting Pennsylvanians from Misuse of Flock and Other License Plate Reader Data
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · Aug 10, 2026 · palegis.us
“We plan to introduce legislation establishing a statewide accountability framework for the use of Flock and other license plate reader systems in Pennsylvania.”

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 10 issues covered in this race.