Late in January, Rep. Torren Ecker (R-Adams/Cumberland) announced that he would be running for judge of the Court of Common Pleas in Adams County.

On Wednesday, he made it official by submitting his petition to appear on the May ballot.

Ecker, a 2008 graduate of George Mason University with a JD from Thomas M. Cooley Law School, was elected to his seat in November 2018.

He is the vice chair of the Republican House Appropriations Committee and also serves on the judiciary, labor & industry and communications and technology committees.

“Serving the people of Adams County has been the honor of my lifetime, and I’m excited to take this next step to serve our community in a new capacity,” said Ecker in a January press release. “As a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, I will uphold the law with fairness, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to justice.”

He says his campaign will focus on ensuring equal access to justice, promoting transparency in the judicial process, and upholding the principles of the Constitution.

“I believe that the judiciary plays a critical role in maintaining the public’s trust in our government,” Ecker said. “As Judge, I will work every day to ensure that the citizens of Adams County have confidence in the fairness and integrity of our courts.”

Democrats and Republicans each seat 101 representatives in the state House with the majority hanging in the balance in the 35th Legislative District in Allegheny County. A special election will be held March 25 to replace the late Matt Gergely.

The 193rd Legislative District is comprised of 25,465 Republicans to just 10,079 Democrats, making the south-central PA seat likely to continue in GOP hands.