Snyder wins race for 50th District in House of Representatives
The 50th Legislative District has a different representative for the first time in 36 years.
Democratic Greene County Commissioner Pam Snyder overwhelmingly defeated Republican Waynesburg Borough Councilman Mark W. Fischer, according to unofficial results from Tuesday’s election, to win the seat that Bill DeWeese held since 1976.
Snyder jumped out to an early lead and never relinquished to win in a 11,311-6,662 with most precinct reporting unofficial results from all three counties that make up the district in the race for a two-year term in the House of Representatives.
The district encompasses all of Greene County and parts of Fayette and Washington counties.
In Greene County, Snyder received 6,850 votes, or 57 percent, and Fischer received 4,908 votes, or 41 percent. In Fayette County, Snyder won 2,875-1,075 vote, or 73-27 percent. In Washington County, it was Snyder by a count of 1,586-679, or 69-29 percent, according to unofficial results.
In Fayette County, the district includes Brownsville, Masontown and Point Marion boroughs, Luzerne Township and part of German Township.
In Washington County, the district includes Centerville Borough and East Bethlehem Township.
The district was represented by DeWeese until he was convicted of using state employees and resources in his election campaigns in the spring and was sentenced to prison. Among the opponents he defeated during his tenure was Snyder in the 2010 primary.
Snyder has been chairman of the board of commissioners in each of her three consecutive terms in office. Before she became a commissioner, she was a senior aide and deputy district director for the late U.S. Frank Mascara.
In August, she was named Outstanding County Commissioner of the Year by the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania. She is first vice president of the organization and was in line to become president next year.
Snyder and her husband Jack Snyder live on a small family farm in Jefferson Township and have two adult daughters. She has an honary bachelor of arts degree from Waynesburg University.
Greene County Common Pleas Court President Judge William R. Nalitz will appoint a Democrat to replace Snyder on the board of commissioners.
Fischer and his wife Tammy Fischer live in Waynesburg and have one daughter. Originally from the Waynesburg area, Fischer returned in 2009 following a career in public safety in Florida. He has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Central Florida.
He works as a business manager fro Booz Allen Hamilton, a Washington D.C. company that does consulting for the government and various industries.