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State Representative, 157th 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.

Chester County: Easttown, Schuylkill, Tredyffrin and Willistown townships.

CandidatesCompare by issue

Taxes & budget

  • Justin J. PakRepublican

    • Calls for fiscal discipline focused on education, public safety and jobs, and lower property taxes.

  • Melissa ShustermanDemocratic

    • Proposes keeping the House and Senate in session until a state budget passes.

Public safety

  • Justin J. PakRepublican

    No documented position found.

  • Melissa ShustermanDemocratic

    • Sponsors HB 2006, barring AI chatbots from encouraging suicide or violence.In office

Education

Economy & jobs

  • Justin J. PakRepublican

    • Supports a minimum wage increase and aligning tax and regulatory rules with competing states.

  • Melissa ShustermanDemocratic

    • Proposes state rules to ensure frontier AI models do not cause catastrophic harm.In office
    • Sponsors HB 630 to strengthen the equal pay law, barring lower pay based on gender, race or ethnicity.In office

Roads & infrastructure

  • Justin J. PakRepublican

    No documented position found.

  • Melissa ShustermanDemocratic

    • Supports HB 1834, requiring data centers to pay for their own grid upgrades rather than consumers.

Environment & parks

  • Justin J. PakRepublican

    • Supports continuing Growing Greener, protecting air and water quality and controlling development.

  • Melissa ShustermanDemocratic

    No documented position found.

Health & human services

  • Justin J. PakRepublican

    • Proposes more competition and customization among health insurers.

  • Melissa ShustermanDemocratic

    • Says she secured state money for expansion projects at Paoli Hospital.
    • Sponsored a House-passed resolution for a state study of childcare costs.In office
    • Sponsored Act 38 of 2026, requiring trauma-informed training for county veteran affairs directors.In office

Government & transparency

  • Justin J. PakRepublican

    • Says he would build coalitions around ideas rather than political parties.

  • Melissa ShustermanDemocratic

    • Supports open primaries, an Election Day holiday and laws against voter intimidation.

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.