State

State Representative, 72nd 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.

The 72nd District is entirely in Cambria County: the city of Johnstown; Brownstown, Daisytown, Dale, East Conemaugh, Ebensburg, Ehrenfeld, Franklin, Lorain, Nanty-Glo, Southmont, Summerhill, Vintondale and Westmont boroughs; and Blacklick, Cambria, Conemaugh, Croyle, East Taylor, Jackson, Lower Yoder, Middle Taylor, Upper Yoder and West Taylor townships.

Candidates Compare by issue

Phil Rice

Republican

Retired U.S. Army officer; former Cambria County director of veterans services

The gist

Proposes holding state budget growth to the rate of inflation and cutting the state income tax.
Supports cutting the gasoline tax and ending vehicle emissions testing in Cambria County.
Supports ending green energy mandates and expanding natural gas production to lower energy costs.
Calls for data centers to supply their own energy and water and to be built on brownfield and industrial sites.
Supports scholarships for students in schools he calls failing and expanding the EITC tuition program.
Supports medical liability reform, including caps on non-economic damages, and incentives for rural doctors.
Supports requiring voter ID and added ballot security measures.
Supports banning sanctuary cities and more funding for police, EMS and firefighters; supports concealed carry.

More about Phil

View sources (2)

Proposes holding state budget growth to the rate of inflation and cutting the state income tax.
Savings Plan - Phil Rice for PA House of Representatives District 72
Campaign website · Friends of Phil Rice · Step 1: Hold Spending Growth to Inflation … Step 1 · philrice72.com
“Budget growth should not exceed inflation. … If we cut our income tax by even just 10%, the average family would save about $180 a year.”
Supports cutting the gasoline tax and ending vehicle emissions testing in Cambria County.
Issues - Phil Rice for PA House of Representatives District 72
Campaign website · Friends of Phil Rice · Affordability … Affordability · philrice72.com
“Decrease the gasoline tax … End vehicle emissions testing in Cambria County”
Supports ending green energy mandates and expanding natural gas production to lower energy costs.
Issues - Phil Rice for PA House of Representatives District 72
Campaign website · Friends of Phil Rice · Energy · philrice72.com
“Ending costly green energy mandates”
Savings Plan - Phil Rice for PA House of Representatives District 72
Campaign website · Friends of Phil Rice · Step 3: Unleash Pennsylvania Natural Gas · philrice72.com
“If we unleashed more of the gas under our feet and had commonsense regulations and taxes”
Calls for data centers to supply their own energy and water and to be built on brownfield and industrial sites.
Issues - Phil Rice for PA House of Representatives District 72
Campaign website · Friends of Phil Rice · Data Centers … Data Centers · philrice72.com
“Require data centers to provide their own energy and recycled water sources … Use brownfields and existing industrial sites, not farmland and neighborhoods”
Supports scholarships for students in schools he calls failing and expanding the EITC tuition program.
Issues - Phil Rice for PA House of Representatives District 72
Campaign website · Friends of Phil Rice · Education … Education · philrice72.com
“Scholarships for children in failing schools … Expanding the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) tuition assistance program”
Supports medical liability reform, including caps on non-economic damages, and incentives for rural doctors.
Issues - Phil Rice for PA House of Representatives District 72
Campaign website · Friends of Phil Rice · Healthcare … Healthcare · philrice72.com
“Capping non-economic damages … Incentives to practice in rural areas”
Supports requiring voter ID and added ballot security measures.
Issues - Phil Rice for PA House of Representatives District 72
Campaign website · Friends of Phil Rice · Elections · philrice72.com
“Phil supports Voter ID, increased transparency, and ballot security.”
Supports banning sanctuary cities and more funding for police, EMS and firefighters; supports concealed carry.
Issues - Phil Rice for PA House of Representatives District 72
Campaign website · Friends of Phil Rice · Public Safety … Public Safety … Second Amendment · philrice72.com
“Oppose and ban sanctuary cities … Secure more funding for our police, EMS, and firefighters … Support concealed carry for law-abiding gun owners”

Frank Burns

DemocraticIncumbent

State representative · East Taylor Township, Cambria County

The gist

Proposes repealing the 2013 provision that raised Pennsylvania's gas tax at the wholesale level.In office
Voted against the amended second-degree murder sentencing bill, saying it would ease release of convicted murderers.In office
Voted to let municipalities temporarily pause new data center applications.In office
Voted for HB 2224 to set a formula-based profit rate for utilities, which he says would lower electric bills.In office
Calls for reducing Johnstown's public housing and urges HUD to change Section 8 residency policy.In office
Proposes requiring pharmacy benefit managers to accept Medicaid prescriptions from any qualified pharmacy.In office
Proposes seeking a federal waiver to require work or community engagement for Medicaid eligibility.In office
Proposes a state constitutional amendment allowing concealed carry of firearms without a permit.In office

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

More about Frank

View sources (8)

Proposes repealing the 2013 provision that raised Pennsylvania's gas tax at the wholesale level.
Burns: Ease pain at the pump by rolling back Corbett-era gasoline tax
Public statement · Office of Rep. Frank Burns · May 29, 2026 · pahouse.com
“We can ease the added burden of today's gas prices by repealing the outdated formula that keeps the state's gas tax high”
Voted against the amended second-degree murder sentencing bill, saying it would ease release of convicted murderers.
Burns votes to keep murderers off the streets, casts 'no' vote on bill to weaken sentencing for 2nd-degree felony convictions
Public statement · Office of Rep. Frank Burns · Jul 23, 2026 · pahouse.com
“Today I voted against legislation in the House that would make it easier for murderers to get out of prison.”
Voted to let municipalities temporarily pause new data center applications.
Burns votes to hold Big Tech accountable
Public statement · Office of Rep. Frank Burns · Jun 26, 2026 · pahouse.com
“voted this week to allow municipalities to enact a temporary pause on new data center applications … It's time to hold these big tech companies accountable.”
Voted for HB 2224 to set a formula-based profit rate for utilities, which he says would lower electric bills.
Burns votes 'yes' to cut utility bills and protect consumers
Public statement · Office of Rep. Frank Burns · Jun 22, 2026 · pahouse.com
“Families need relief from skyrocketing energy costs and this bill will do that”
Calls for reducing Johnstown's public housing and urges HUD to change Section 8 residency policy.
Burns urges federal action on public housing 'loophole'
Public statement · Office of Rep. Frank Burns · May 12, 2026 · pahouse.com
“Johnstown must right-size our public housing to match local demand and stop importing poverty.”
Proposes requiring pharmacy benefit managers to accept Medicaid prescriptions from any qualified pharmacy.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: Independent Pharmacy Protection Act
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · Feb 19, 2026 · palegis.us
“requiring PBMs to accept Medicaid prescriptions from any pharmacy and pharmacist who meet these standards”
Proposes seeking a federal waiver to require work or community engagement for Medicaid eligibility.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: Establishing Work Requirements for Welfare
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · Jun 25, 2025 · palegis.us
“require work or community engagement as a condition of eligibility for Medicaid”
Proposes a state constitutional amendment allowing concealed carry of firearms without a permit.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: Ensuring the Right to Constitutional Carry
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · Jul 9, 2025 · palegis.us
“amend the Constitution of Pennsylvania to ensure the right to carry a concealed firearm without a permit”

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.