State

State Representative, 80th 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 the rest of Blair County outside Altoona and its neighbors: Antis, Blair, Catharine, Frankstown, Freedom, Greenfield, Huston, Juniata, North Woodbury, Snyder, Taylor, Tyrone and Woodbury townships and Bellwood, Duncansville, Hollidaysburg, Martinsburg, Newry, Roaring Spring, Tyrone and Williamsburg boroughs. Also includes Birmingham Borough and Franklin and Warriors Mark townships in Huntingdon County.

Candidates Compare by issue

Sarah Holland

Democratic

Lab technician at an environmental research and development lab · Williamsburg, Blair County

The gist

Pledges to advocate for air and water quality standards.
Pledges to pursue legislation to prevent AI data center development in the district.
Supports farmers through sustainable-practice programs, fair market access and soil health initiatives.
Calls for funding rural broadband expansion and road maintenance.
Supports vote-by-mail, adequate polling place staffing and voter education.
Calls for earlier bipartisan budget negotiations and more transparency to avoid late budgets.

More about Sarah

View sources (3)

Pledges to advocate for air and water quality standards.
Holland for the House
Campaign website · Holland for the House · hollandforthehouse.com
“In Harrisburg I will advocate for air and water quality standards that ensure a healthy future for every community in our state.”
Pledges to pursue legislation to prevent AI data center development in the district.
Mission, Values, and Goals | Holland for the House
Campaign website · Holland for the House · hollandforthehouse.com
“I will work to pass legislation that prevents development of AI data centers in the district”
Pennsylvania State Representative District 80 — VOTE411 Voter Guide (Sarah Holland)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · Data centers · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I believe that the state has a role in setting standards for data centers”
Supports farmers through sustainable-practice programs, fair market access and soil health initiatives.
Holland for the House
Campaign website · Holland for the House · hollandforthehouse.com
“We should focus on tools and resources necessary to implement soil health initiatives that boost yield and long-term viability.”
Mission, Values, and Goals | Holland for the House
Campaign website · Holland for the House · hollandforthehouse.com
“I will stand with our farmers by helping to promote sustainable practices, ensure fair market access, and provide resources”
Calls for funding rural broadband expansion and road maintenance.
Mission, Values, and Goals | Holland for the House
Campaign website · Holland for the House · hollandforthehouse.com
“I will push for funding for rural broadband expansion, road maintenance, and essential services”
Supports vote-by-mail, adequate polling place staffing and voter education.
Pennsylvania State Representative District 80 — VOTE411 Voter Guide (Sarah Holland)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · Elections · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I would support vote-by-mail, adequate staffing for polling places, and improving voter education.”
Calls for earlier bipartisan budget negotiations and more transparency to avoid late budgets.
Pennsylvania State Representative District 80 — VOTE411 Voter Guide (Sarah Holland)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · State budget process · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I support earlier bipartisan negotiations, more transparency, and reducing the ability for last-minute gridlocks to purposely stall processes.”

Scott Barger

RepublicanIncumbent

State representative; pastor and radio host

The gist

Voted against the 2026-27 state budget, saying it lacked fiscal restraint.In office
Lists preserving the Rainy Day Fund and ending the structural deficit as his budget priorities.In office
Says the budget should have included scholarships for students in schools he calls failing.In office
Says the budget did not advance a Senate bill letting towns pause new data centers for 18 months.In office
Plans a bill letting host communities charge data centers an optional impact fee per megawatt-hour.In office
Supports the Ratepayer Protection Act, requiring data center developers to bring their own new power.In office
Introduced HB 2768 to raise bidding thresholds so schools can finish projects and buy supplies faster.In office
Plans a bill repealing the Philadelphia-only ban on open carry without a license.In office

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

More about Scott

View sources (5)

Voted against the 2026-27 state budget, saying it lacked fiscal restraint.
PA Budget Lacks Key Initiatives, Barger Says
Public statement · Office of Rep. Scott Barger · Jul 12, 2026 · repbarger.com
“we made no real effort to exercise fiscal restraint. I had to be a 'no' vote”
Lists preserving the Rainy Day Fund and ending the structural deficit as his budget priorities.
PA Budget Lacks Key Initiatives, Barger Says
Public statement · Office of Rep. Scott Barger · Jul 12, 2026 · repbarger.com
“I had two priorities: saving the Rainy Day Fund and eliminating the structural deficit.”
Says the budget should have included scholarships for students in schools he calls failing.
PA Budget Lacks Key Initiatives, Barger Says
Public statement · Office of Rep. Scott Barger · Jul 12, 2026 · repbarger.com
“The budget as passed fails to address scholarships that could be used by families with students trapped in failing schools.”
Says the budget did not advance a Senate bill letting towns pause new data centers for 18 months.
PA Budget Lacks Key Initiatives, Barger Says
Public statement · Office of Rep. Scott Barger · Jul 12, 2026 · repbarger.com
“did not advance a Senate bill that would have allowed local municipalities to place an 18-month moratorium on new data center development.”
Plans a bill letting host communities charge data centers an optional impact fee per megawatt-hour.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: Allowing Municipal Impact Fees on Data Centers
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · Sep 24, 2026 · palegis.us
“I plan to introduce legislation authorizing host local governments to levy a per-megawatt-hour (MWh) impact fee on data center electricity use.”
Supports the Ratepayer Protection Act, requiring data center developers to bring their own new power.
Focus on Data Centers: Barger, Verobish Tackle Tough Issues at Joint Event
Public statement · Office of Rep. Scott Barger · Sep 24, 2026 · repbarger.com
“Both representatives support the Ratepayer Protection Act … ensure developers bring their own sources of new electric generation”
Introduced HB 2768 to raise bidding thresholds so schools can finish projects and buy supplies faster.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: Raising Procurement Thresholds (HB 2768)
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · Aug 14, 2026 · palegis.us
“making necessary updates to antiquated dollar thresholds for work which requires contract bidding”
Plans a bill repealing the Philadelphia-only ban on open carry without a license.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: Repeal of Section 6108 - Open Carry In Philadelphia
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · May 14, 2026 · palegis.us
“It is essential that we repeal this section and provide Pennsylvanians the rights they are guaranteed”

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; 7 issues covered in this race.