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State Representative, 123rd 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.

Schuylkill County only: the City of Pottsville; Ashland, Cressona, Frackville, Gilberton, Girardville, Gordon, Mechanicsville, Middleport, Minersville, Mount Carbon, New Philadelphia, Palo Alto, Port Carbon, St. Clair and Schuylkill Haven boroughs; and Blythe, Branch, Butler, Cass, East Norwegian, New Castle, North Manheim, Norwegian, Wayne and West Mahanoy townships.

CandidatesCompare by issue

Taxes & budget

  • John DeatrichDemocratic

    No documented position found.

  • Tim TwardzikRepublican

    • Proposes repealing a 1921 anthracite coal tax law that has not been applied since 1931.In office

Public safety

  • John DeatrichDemocratic

    • Cites negotiating intermunicipal police agreements that gave Palo Alto 24/7 police coverage.

  • Tim TwardzikRepublican

    • Calls for passing HB 962 so volunteer fire companies can raise funds online and by credit card.In office

Housing

  • John DeatrichDemocratic

    • Cites work as Palo Alto mayor on blight, landlord ordinances and quality-of-life rules.

  • Tim TwardzikRepublican

    • Co-sponsored HB 2120 to regulate shared equity home agreements with disclosures and foreclosure protections.In office
    • Sponsored Act 16 of 2025, letting lenders offer discount points to lower mortgage interest rates.In office
    • Introduced a Vacant Property Registration Act letting communities register vacant properties to fight blight.In office

Economy & jobs

  • John DeatrichDemocratic

    • Calls for a proactive approach to data centers, weighing their pros and cons for the area.

  • Tim TwardzikRepublican

    • Voted against HB 2198, which would repeal the state sales tax exemption for data center equipment.In office
    • Voted against HB 2650's data center tax-break standards; voted for HB 2496's local zoning pause.In office

Roads & infrastructure

  • John DeatrichDemocratic

    • Supports road-repair funding that reflects added commercial truck traffic from new warehouses.

  • Tim TwardzikRepublican

    No documented position found.

Environment & parks

  • John DeatrichDemocratic

    • Backed opponents of continued truck hauling of leachate from the BRADS landfill near St. Clair.

  • Tim TwardzikRepublican

    No documented position found.

Health & human services

  • John DeatrichDemocratic

    • Proposes child care aid for working parents above the poverty line, tied to hours worked.

  • Tim TwardzikRepublican

    No documented position found.

Government & transparency

  • John DeatrichDemocratic

    No documented position found.

  • Tim TwardzikRepublican

    • Proposes a legislative study of DEP's roughly 800 permits to find overlapping or outdated ones.In office

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; 8 issues covered in this race.