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State Representative, 63rd 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.

All of Clarion County, plus 25 municipalities in northern and eastern Armstrong County: Atwood, Dayton, Elderton, Rural Valley, South Bethlehem, Worthington and Kittanning boroughs, Parker City, and Boggs, Bradys Bend, Cowanshannock, Hovey, Kittanning, Madison, Mahoning, Perry, Pine, Plumcreek, Rayburn, Redbank, Sugarcreek, Valley, Washington, Wayne and West Franklin townships.

CandidatesCompare by issue

Taxes & budget

  • Andrew HarbaughDemocratic

    • Calls for compromise to end late state budgets.

  • Josh BashlineRepublican

    • Opposes raising taxes; says the governor's 2026-27 budget plan overspends and draws down the Rainy Day Fund.In office
    • Voted for HB 2224 to eliminate the tax on electricity; backs suspending gas and cell phone taxes.In office

Public safety

  • Andrew HarbaughDemocratic

    No documented position found.

  • Josh BashlineRepublican

    • Sponsored a bill to strengthen state preemption of local firearm ordinances and let challengers recover costs.In office

Education

  • Andrew HarbaughDemocratic

    • Calls for fuller public school funding and holding charter schools to the same standards as public schools.

  • Josh BashlineRepublican

    • Supports expanding EITC school-choice tax credits; opposed HB 2632, which cut EITC and OSTC.In office

Economy & jobs

  • Andrew HarbaughDemocratic

    • Calls for better-paying and union jobs and wages competitive with neighboring states.
    • Says regulations and mandates should not hold back family-owned farms.

  • Josh BashlineRepublican

    No documented position found.

Roads & infrastructure

  • Andrew HarbaughDemocratic

    • Wants protection for renters and homeowners from utility cost increases driven by data center and AI demand.

  • Josh BashlineRepublican

    No documented position found.

Health & human services

  • Andrew HarbaughDemocratic

    • Says rural residents deserve the same access to good health care as city residents.

  • Josh BashlineRepublican

    • Added fraud safeguards, including residency and citizenship proof, to a small-business health insurance tax credit.

Government & transparency

  • Andrew HarbaughDemocratic

    • Says data center rules should be left to local communities; backs a stronger local ordinance than Clarion's.
    • Opposes new voter ID or proof-of-citizenship rules, saying Pennsylvania's elections are already protected.

  • Josh BashlineRepublican

    • Voted for HB 2496 letting towns pause data center applications for up to 180 days; favors local control.In office
    • Sponsored HB 1695 to eliminate inactive state boards, commissions and advisory committees.In office

Courts & justice

  • Andrew HarbaughDemocratic

    No documented position found.

  • Josh BashlineRepublican

    • Proposes requiring warrants before police use license plate readers or facial recognition to track a person.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.