State

State Representative, 5th 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.

Northern and western Berks County: Bern, Bethel, Centre, Heidelberg, Jefferson, Lower Heidelberg, Marion, North Heidelberg, Ontelaunee, Penn, Perry, South Heidelberg and Tulpehocken townships, part of Spring Township, and the boroughs of Bernville, Centerport, Leesport, Robesonia, Shoemakersville, Wernersville and Womelsdorf.

Candidates Compare by issue

Andres R. F. Santiago

Democratic

Automotive service advisor · Berks County

The gist

Proposes capping utility rate increases and having the PUC audit requested rate hikes.
Proposes widening first-time homebuyer programs and capping rent and mobile home lot fee increases.
Supports raising the state minimum wage to $15 and ending lower pay allowed for disabled workers.
Calls for more public school funding, paid student teaching and recruitment for understaffed districts.
Supports Medicare for all as a goal and working to lower prescription drug prices in the meantime.
Supports abortion rights, saying the decision belongs to a pregnant person and their provider.
Supports a state law requiring data center developers to disclose energy, water, noise and environmental impacts.
Supports opening primary elections to independent voters and more election oversight through policy and technology.

More about Andres

View sources (3)

Proposes capping utility rate increases and having the PUC audit requested rate hikes.
Andres Santiago | PA House District 5
Campaign website · Santiago for House Rep · Lower Cost of Living · santiagoforhouserep.com
“Utility costs are out of control. I'll cap rate hikes and drive local energy solutions to bring costs down.”
On The Issues — Andres Santiago | PA House District 5
Campaign website · Santiago for House Rep · Cost of Living: Energy, Housing, Wages · santiagoforhouserep.com
“Caps should be implemented for utility bill increases and these requested rate hikes should be audited by the PUC.”
Proposes widening first-time homebuyer programs and capping rent and mobile home lot fee increases.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Representative District 5
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · Most pressing issues … Most pressing issues · onyourballot.vote411.org
“looking into price capping for apartment rent increases and lot rental fees for mobile homes … extend first time home buyer programs to more Pennsylvanians by increasing income thresholds, within reason”
Supports raising the state minimum wage to $15 and ending lower pay allowed for disabled workers.
On The Issues — Andres Santiago | PA House District 5
Campaign website · Santiago for House Rep · Cost of Living: Energy, Housing, Wages · santiagoforhouserep.com
“Pennsylvania's minimum wage should be increased up to $15 and remove exceptions in the law that allow paying disabled persons less than minimum wage”
Calls for more public school funding, paid student teaching and recruitment for understaffed districts.
On The Issues — Andres Santiago | PA House District 5
Campaign website · Santiago for House Rep · Education … Education · santiagoforhouserep.com
“I will work to ensure public education receives the funding and support necessary to provide for all students. … expand programs providing pay for student teachers as well as expanding recruitment programs for understaffed districts”
Supports Medicare for all as a goal and working to lower prescription drug prices in the meantime.
On The Issues — Andres Santiago | PA House District 5
Campaign website · Santiago for House Rep · Healthcare · santiagoforhouserep.com
“I would ideally like to see public healthcare, or Medicare for all. In the meantime, I will work to reduce prescription drug prices”
Supports abortion rights, saying the decision belongs to a pregnant person and their provider.
On The Issues — Andres Santiago | PA House District 5
Campaign website · Santiago for House Rep · Healthcare · santiagoforhouserep.com
“I am pro choice, and believe that is a right and decision to be made between a pregnant person and their healthcare provider.”
Supports a state law requiring data center developers to disclose energy, water, noise and environmental impacts.
On The Issues — Andres Santiago | PA House District 5
Campaign website · Santiago for House Rep · AI-Data Centers · santiagoforhouserep.com
“protections to ensure pollution, power consumption and the purpose of said data centers is to provide a benefit to the Commonwealth”
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Representative District 5
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · Data centers · onyourballot.vote411.org
“the State should create a bare minimum framework through law requiring prospective developers to give a detailed account of their impacts”
Supports opening primary elections to independent voters and more election oversight through policy and technology.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Representative District 5
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · Elections … Elections · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I would also open primary elections to Independent voters. … We need better oversight through policy and technology changes, to prevent instances like this ever happening again.”

Eric Weaknecht

RepublicanIncumbent

State representative

The gist

Names public safety, government transparency and careful use of tax dollars as his priorities.
Opposed the governor's 2025-26 budget plan, calling it bad fiscal policy to spend state savings.In office
Opposes new energy taxes and supports developing Pennsylvania's own energy resources.In office
Hosted a hearing on police recruitment and retention; calls recruiting officers critical to safety.In office
Sponsored a bill making it a crime to knowingly expose a first responder to fentanyl.In office
Supports protecting female-only sports categories, citing fairness and competitive integrity.In office
Proposes letting Pennsylvania elk hunting license holders transfer their licenses to other eligible hunters.In office

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

More about Eric

View sources (7)

Names public safety, government transparency and careful use of tax dollars as his priorities.
About | PA State Rep. Eric Weaknecht
Government record · PA House Republican Caucus · repweaknecht.com
“reducing taxes and burdens on small businesses and working families”
Eric Weaknecht announces re-election campaign for Pennsylvania's 5th District
News coverage · Berks Weekly · berksweekly.com
“Weaknecht pointed to public safety, government transparency, and responsible use of taxpayer dollars as priorities during his first term.”
Opposed the governor's 2025-26 budget plan, calling it bad fiscal policy to spend state savings.
Weaknecht Responds to Governor's Budget Address
Public statement · Office of Rep. Eric Weaknecht · repweaknecht.com
“This is, simply put, bad fiscal policy. … our governor is proposing to spend our savings to unwisely increase spending without a comparable increase in revenue”
Opposes new energy taxes and supports developing Pennsylvania's own energy resources.
Weaknecht Responds to Governor's Budget Address
Public statement · Office of Rep. Eric Weaknecht · repweaknecht.com
“Many of the measures introduced in the proposal call for economically damaging energy taxes and policies. … committed to tapping into the great economic potential under our feet while diversifying Pennsylvania's energy portfolio”
Hosted a hearing on police recruitment and retention; calls recruiting officers critical to safety.
Weaknecht, Policy Committee Highlight Solutions to Strengthen Law Enforcement Workforce
Public statement · Office of Rep. Eric Weaknecht · repweaknecht.com
“Recruiting law enforcement officers is critical to keeping our communities safe … I want to ensure those on the front lines have a voice in identifying what the Commonwealth can do to help.”
Sponsored a bill making it a crime to knowingly expose a first responder to fentanyl.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: Assault of a First Responder
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · Jan 23, 2025 · palegis.us
“a person commits an offense if he intentionally or knowingly causes a first responder to come into contact with fentanyl”
Supports protecting female-only sports categories, citing fairness and competitive integrity.
Weaknecht: Make the Promise, Defend our Daughters
Public statement · Office of Rep. Eric Weaknecht · repweaknecht.com
“the reason we need to protect female sports categories is simple: it's about fairness and competitive integrity.”
Proposes letting Pennsylvania elk hunting license holders transfer their licenses to other eligible hunters.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: Elk License Transfer
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · palegis.us
“allow holders of Pennsylvania Elk Hunting Licenses to transfer their licenses to other eligible hunters”

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; 9 issues covered in this race.