State

State Representative, 50th 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.

Covers all of Greene County and 24 municipalities in southeastern Washington County: California, Charleroi, North Charleroi, Allenport, Beallsville, Bentleyville, Centerville, Coal Center, Cokeburg, Deemston, Dunlevy, Elco, Ellsworth, Long Branch, Marianna, Roscoe, Speers, Stockdale, Twilight and West Brownsville boroughs, and East Bethlehem, North Bethlehem, West Bethlehem and West Pike Run townships.

Candidates Compare by issue

Lois Bower-Bjornson

Democratic

Southwestern Pennsylvania field organizer, Clean Air Council; small-business owner · Fredericktown

The gist

Supports keeping existing energy jobs while attracting clean energy industries and small businesses.
Opposes rapid, unchecked data center development in the 50th District.
Supports fair school funding, competitive teacher pay and expanded career and technical education.
Calls for protecting rural hospitals, lowering prescription drug prices and expanding mental health access.
Calls for state investment to repair aging infrastructure and expand high-speed internet to every community.
Proposes working with Mid-Mon Valley Transit and Freedom Transit to connect bus routes and close service gaps.
Links affordable housing to expanded public transit, saying improving one improves the other.
Pledges to hold open town halls and make decisions based on what is best for the district.

More about Lois

View sources (2)

Supports keeping existing energy jobs while attracting clean energy industries and small businesses.
Platform | LoisforPA50
Campaign website · Lois for the PA 50th · Economic Growth and Good Jobs · loisforpa50.com
“I will fight to support existing energy jobs while attracting new clean energy industries and support new and existing small businesses”
Cook facing primary challenge
News coverage · Mon Valley Independent · May 16, 2026 · monvalleyindependent.com
“You can't flip the switch and make fossil fuel industries go away. However, they are dwindling.”
Opposes rapid, unchecked data center development in the 50th District.
Platform | LoisforPA50
Campaign website · Lois for the PA 50th · Economic Growth and Good Jobs · loisforpa50.com
“Lois will protect the people and communities of the 50th district against rapid, unchecked data center development.”
Supports fair school funding, competitive teacher pay and expanded career and technical education.
Platform | LoisforPA50
Campaign website · Lois for the PA 50th · Strong Public Schools · loisforpa50.com
“I support fair school funding, competitive pay for teachers, and expanded career and technical education programs”
Calls for protecting rural hospitals, lowering prescription drug prices and expanding mental health access.
Platform | LoisforPA50
Campaign website · Lois for the PA 50th · Affordable Healthcare · loisforpa50.com
“I will work to protect rural hospitals, lower prescription drug prices, and expand access to mental health services”
Calls for state investment to repair aging infrastructure and expand high-speed internet to every community.
Platform | LoisforPA50
Campaign website · Lois for the PA 50th · Infrastructure and Community Investment · loisforpa50.com
“I will prioritize state investment to repair aging infrastructure and expand high-speed internet access to every community.”
Proposes working with Mid-Mon Valley Transit and Freedom Transit to connect bus routes and close service gaps.
Cook facing primary challenge
News coverage · Mon Valley Independent · May 16, 2026 · monvalleyindependent.com
“What I'd love to do is connect the two busways together to fill up some of those gaps initially … She would aim to work with the Mid-Mon Valley Transit Authority and Freedom Transit in Washington County”
Links affordable housing to expanded public transit, saying improving one improves the other.
Cook facing primary challenge
News coverage · Mon Valley Independent · May 16, 2026 · monvalleyindependent.com
“public transportation and affordable housing go hand in hand, as improving one of those improves the other.”
Pledges to hold open town halls and make decisions based on what is best for the district.
Platform | LoisforPA50
Campaign website · Lois for the PA 50th · Transparent and Accountable Government · loisforpa50.com
“I will listen to residents, hold open town halls, and make decisions based on what is best for the district”

Ben Humble

Republican

Project manager, family flooring and construction business; Waynesburg Borough Council president · Waynesburg

The gist

Calls for lowering taxes, including relief for residents facing high property taxes.
Proposes tax credits and higher Medicare reimbursement to draw physicians and caregivers to rural areas.
Calls for improving bus transportation and promoting transit services for students and seniors.
Proposes consolidating homebuyer programs, easing regulations, rehab tax credits and flexible zoning to add housing.
Supports a larger share of state school funding for rural districts and prioritizing career and technical centers.
Supports siting data centers in industrial or commercial zones rather than near homes.
Describes himself as pro-Second Amendment.
Describes himself as pro-life.

More about Ben

View sources (4)

Calls for lowering taxes, including relief for residents facing high property taxes.
Cook facing primary challenge
News coverage · Mon Valley Independent · May 16, 2026 · monvalleyindependent.com
“help our taxes get lowered and not put the burden on our constituents anymore. … Humble wants to work on helping those dealing with high property taxes”
Proposes tax credits and higher Medicare reimbursement to draw physicians and caregivers to rural areas.
Pa. State House 50th District Republican primary: Cook v. Humble
Candidate questionnaire · 90.5 WESA · Apr 20, 2026 · WESA Candidate Survey: district concerns · wesanews.org
“Promote incentives for physicians and caregivers to locate here through tax credits and higher Medicare reimbursement for treating our rural residents.”
Calls for improving bus transportation and promoting transit services for students and seniors.
Pa. State House 50th District Republican primary: Cook v. Humble
Candidate questionnaire · 90.5 WESA · Apr 20, 2026 · WESA Candidate Survey: district concerns … WESA Candidate Survey: district concerns · wesanews.org
“We also need to improve bus transportation. … we need to do more to promote these types of services for students, seniors and our other constituents in need.”
Proposes consolidating homebuyer programs, easing regulations, rehab tax credits and flexible zoning to add housing.
Pa. State House 50th District Republican primary: Cook v. Humble
Candidate questionnaire · 90.5 WESA · Apr 20, 2026 · WESA Candidate Survey: housing … WESA Candidate Survey: housing · wesanews.org
“Consolidate first-time homebuyer and other mortgage programs, streamline regulatory requirements, bring in more housing developers to show benefits of building. … provide state and local tax credits for the rehabilitation of existing homes, and flexible zoning.”
Supports a larger share of state school funding for rural districts and prioritizing career and technical centers.
Pa. State House 50th District Republican primary: Cook v. Humble
Candidate questionnaire · 90.5 WESA · Apr 20, 2026 · WESA Candidate Survey: third answer · wesanews.org
“Rural districts deserve a higher percentage of state funding, as courts have ruled. Career and training Centers (CTCs) must be a priority.”
Supports siting data centers in industrial or commercial zones rather than near homes.
Pa. State House 50th District Republican primary: Cook v. Humble
Candidate questionnaire · 90.5 WESA · Apr 20, 2026 · WESA Candidate Survey: data centers · wesanews.org
“They should be located in industrial or commercial zones, not residential areas near homes.”
Describes himself as pro-Second Amendment.
Meet Ben — Ben Humble State Rep
Campaign website · Humble for House · Message From Ben · humbleforhouse.com
“I'm proudly pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, and a lifelong Republican rooted in faith, family, and freedom.”
Describes himself as pro-life.
Ben Humble State Rep
Campaign website · Humble for House · About Ben Humble · humbleforhouse.com
“He's proudly pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, and a lifelong Republican”

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.