State

State Representative, 143rd District

Vote for: 1
Term: 2 years
Candidates: 3
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.

Bucks County: Bedminster, Hilltown, Plumstead and Tinicum townships; Dublin, Perkasie, Sellersville and Silverdale boroughs; and part of New Britain Township (East, West 1 and West 2 precincts).

Candidates Compare by issue

Tim Hayes

Democratic

State policy manager for a statewide environmental organization · Dublin Borough

The gist

Proposes withholding legislators' pay when the state budget is not passed by June 30.
Supports the current mail voting law plus more drop boxes, pre-canvassing and ballot curing.
Calls for requiring data centers to supply their own energy and report their water use.
Supports raising the state minimum wage to $15 an hour.
Supports fully funding public schools and opposes shifting public money to charter or private schools.
Proposes more state park and forest funding, support for the Clean Streams Fund and eliminating PFAS.
Supports background checks and red flag laws.
Supports campaign contribution limits, legislative term limits and a ban on unreported gifts to lawmakers.

More about Tim

View sources (2)

Proposes withholding legislators' pay when the state budget is not passed by June 30.
Pennsylvania State Representative District 143 — VOTE411 Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · State budget process · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I'll propose a law withholding paychecks from state legislators if they cannot agree on a budget by June 30th.”
Supports the current mail voting law plus more drop boxes, pre-canvassing and ballot curing.
Pennsylvania State Representative District 143 — VOTE411 Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · Elections · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I would also support new legislation and efforts to expand ballot drop boxes, institute pre-canvassing, and support ballot curing.”
Calls for requiring data centers to supply their own energy and report their water use.
Pennsylvania State Representative District 143 — VOTE411 Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · Data centers · onyourballot.vote411.org
“Data centers should be required to provide their own energy capacity.”
Supports raising the state minimum wage to $15 an hour.
Tim for PA | Join the Fight for Our Future
Campaign website · Tim Hayes for PA · Raising the Minimum Wage and Creating Jobs · timhayesforpa.com
“He'll be a champion for raising the minimum wage in our state to $15 an hour.”
Supports fully funding public schools and opposes shifting public money to charter or private schools.
Tim for PA | Join the Fight for Our Future
Campaign website · Tim Hayes for PA · Education · timhayesforpa.com
“he'll stand up to any effort to siphon off public dollars for charter or private schools”
Proposes more state park and forest funding, support for the Clean Streams Fund and eliminating PFAS.
Tim for PA | Join the Fight for Our Future
Campaign website · Tim Hayes for PA · Environment · timhayesforpa.com
“He'll introduce legislation to make critical investments into our state parks and forests, increase support for the Clean Streams Fund, eliminate PFAS”
Supports background checks and red flag laws.
Tim for PA | Join the Fight for Our Future
Campaign website · Tim Hayes for PA · Gun safety · timhayesforpa.com
“He supports common-sense gun safety measures, including background checks and red flag laws”
Supports campaign contribution limits, legislative term limits and a ban on unreported gifts to lawmakers.
Tim for PA | Join the Fight for Our Future
Campaign website · Tim Hayes for PA · Fighting Corruption & Restoring Trust in Government · timhayesforpa.com
“enacting contribution limits for state elections, calling for an amendment to overturn the Citizens' United decision, term limits for legislators”

Chris Gambino

Forward Independent

Senior monitoring, evaluation and learning officer

The gist

Proposes a Pennsylvania standard deduction to give working families direct tax relief.
Proposes seller-side housing incentives to help first-time buyers and older homeowners.
Supports opening primaries to independent voters, plus fusion voting and ranked-choice voting.
Calls for earlier budget talks with clear deadlines and public reporting on fiscal projections.
Calls for interim state data center standards and developer-funded grid and water upgrades.
Supports directing state school funding based on student need.
Supports background checks, safe storage and mental health support to prevent school violence.
Supports banning conversion therapy for minors.

More about Chris

View sources (2)

Proposes a Pennsylvania standard deduction to give working families direct tax relief.
Pennsylvania State Representative District 143 — VOTE411 Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · Most pressing issues · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I'm the only candidate proposing both a Pennsylvania standard deduction to give working families direct tax relief”
Proposes seller-side housing incentives to help first-time buyers and older homeowners.
Pennsylvania State Representative District 143 — VOTE411 Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · Most pressing issues · onyourballot.vote411.org
“seller-side housing incentives that help first-time buyers and older homeowners maintain the equity they earned”
Supports opening primaries to independent voters, plus fusion voting and ranked-choice voting.
Pennsylvania State Representative District 143 — VOTE411 Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · Elections · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I support opening Pennsylvania's primaries to independent voters, along with reforms such as fusion voting and ranked-choice voting”
Calls for earlier budget talks with clear deadlines and public reporting on fiscal projections.
Pennsylvania State Representative District 143 — VOTE411 Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · State budget process · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I would support a process built around clear deadlines, transparent projections, and regular public reporting”
Calls for interim state data center standards and developer-funded grid and water upgrades.
Pennsylvania State Representative District 143 — VOTE411 Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · Data centers · onyourballot.vote411.org
“The state should establish interim standards to prevent a rush to grandfather projects under outdated rules”
Supports directing state school funding based on student need.
Policy Solutions - Chris Gambino for State Representative
Campaign website · Committee for Policy Choice · gambinoforpa.com
“My approach directs state funding based on student need so every child has access to real pathways”
Supports background checks, safe storage and mental health support to prevent school violence.
Policy Solutions - Chris Gambino for State Representative
Campaign website · Committee for Policy Choice · gambinoforpa.com
“My approach focuses on proven prevention—background checks, safe storage, and mental health support—to keep kids safe where they learn and grow.”
Supports banning conversion therapy for minors.
Policy Solutions - Chris Gambino for State Representative
Campaign website · Committee for Policy Choice · gambinoforpa.com
“My approach bans conversion therapy, holds practitioners accountable, and protects children from practices proven to increase suicide risk.”

Shelby Labs

RepublicanIncumbent

State representative · Plumstead Township

The gist

Supported repealing RGGI, calling it a tax increase, and says she backs more energy production.
Cites bipartisan record school funding paired with property tax relief.
Proposes a temporary sales tax exemption for personal care items such as soap and shampoo.In office
Proposes "Joey's Law," raising mandatory minimum sentences for homicide by vehicle while DUI.In office
Proposes state funding for a technical school's EMS training program for high school students.In office
Joined a package to ease child care regulations, which the sponsors say raise costs.In office

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

More about Shelby

View sources (5)

Supported repealing RGGI, calling it a tax increase, and says she backs more energy production.
Priorities – Shelby Labs for State Representative
Campaign website · Friends of Shelby Labs · Working Across the Aisle To Lower Energy Prices · shelbyforpa.com
“Shelby helped lead the fight to repeal the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) because it was a large tax increase on the middle class.”
Cites bipartisan record school funding paired with property tax relief.
Priorities – Shelby Labs for State Representative
Campaign website · Friends of Shelby Labs · Record Funding For Our Schools · shelbyforpa.com
“Shelby worked with both sides to pass record funding for our schools.”
Proposes a temporary sales tax exemption for personal care items such as soap and shampoo.
Labs Proposes Sales Tax Relief on Personal Care Essentials
Public statement · Office of Rep. Shelby Labs · Mar 25, 2026 · repshelbylabs.net
“Removing the sales and use tax on these products will help lower costs for households”
Proposes "Joey's Law," raising mandatory minimum sentences for homicide by vehicle while DUI.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: Joey's Law
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · Apr 2, 2026 · palegis.us
“My bill will increase the mandatory minimum sentence when a person is convicted of homicide by vehicle while DUI.”
Proposes state funding for a technical school's EMS training program for high school students.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: CTE EMS Funding
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · Jun 30, 2026 · palegis.us
“provide funding for a pilot program which would allow a technical school in our district to continue and expand their Emergency Medical Services program”
Joined a package to ease child care regulations, which the sponsors say raise costs.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: Child Care Affordability Legislative Package Part 2
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · Jun 3, 2026 · palegis.us
“excessive regulatory burdens on child care providers have unnecessarily increased the costs for providers to deliver care”

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.