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State Senator, 48th District

Vote for
1
Term
4 years
Candidates
2
Election
Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: A state senator votes on Pennsylvania laws and the state budget and confirms many of the Governor's appointments.

All of Lebanon County. Berks County part: Albany, Bern, Bethel, Centre, Greenwich, Heidelberg, Jefferson, Lower Heidelberg, Maidencreek, Marion, North Heidelberg, Ontelaunee, Penn, Perry, South Heidelberg, Tilden, Tulpehocken, Upper Bern, Upper Tulpehocken and Windsor townships, and Bernville, Centerport, Hamburg, Leesport, Lenhartsville, Robesonia, Shoemakersville, Wernersville and Womelsdorf boroughs. Lancaster County part: Brecknock, Clay, East Cocalico and West Cocalico townships, and Adamstown and Denver boroughs.

CandidatesCompare by issue

Taxes & budget

  • Wayne MoyerDemocratic

    • Proposes using part of the savings from school administrative mergers to lower school taxes.

  • Chris GebhardRepublican

    • Sponsored a constitutional amendment (SB 929) to bar school districts from collecting property taxes from July 2029.In office
    • Supported the 2026-27 state budget, citing a spending increase of about 1.4% and no new tax hikes.In office

Public safety

  • Wayne MoyerDemocratic

    No documented position found.

  • Chris GebhardRepublican

    • Sponsored SB 1021 to increase penalties for assaulting, threatening or obstructing immigration enforcement officers.In office

Education

  • Wayne MoyerDemocratic

    • Proposes combining school districts' duplicative administrative functions into large administrative districts.

  • Chris GebhardRepublican

    No documented position found.

Economy & jobs

  • Wayne MoyerDemocratic

    • Calls for improving vo-tech schools to add qualified workers to Pennsylvania's workforce.
    • Supports balancing skill-game taxes with letting game revenue benefit the small businesses that host them.

  • Chris GebhardRepublican

    • Sponsored SB 756 to tax and regulate skill games; said the proposed 35% rate is a starting point.

Roads & infrastructure

  • Wayne MoyerDemocratic

    • Supports efforts to keep utility bills from rising due to utility privatization and new data centers.

  • Chris GebhardRepublican

    • Says other PJM states' climate policies and the PJM price cap raise Pennsylvanians' electric costs.

Environment & parks

  • Wayne MoyerDemocratic

    • Calls for state action on the environment as, he says, the federal government is trying to undo protections.

  • Chris GebhardRepublican

    • Co-sponsoring a bill to let municipalities pause data center applications while they update zoning rules.In office

Health & human services

  • Wayne MoyerDemocratic

    • Supports keeping all health care, including immunizations, available to Pennsylvanians.

  • Chris GebhardRepublican

    • Sponsored a bipartisan bill requiring banks to report suspected elder financial abuse and to hold suspicious payments.In office
    • Supports ending state Medicaid and CHIP funding for gender-transition procedures for minors.In office

Government & transparency

  • Wayne MoyerDemocratic

    • Opposes Pennsylvania involvement in ICE detentions; says immigration should be handled through legislation.

  • Chris GebhardRepublican

    No documented position found.

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.