Search
Close this search box.

SD-13: GOP Primary Battle Emerges

DemmeLooks like there will be a competitive GOP primary after all.

After Congressman Pitts announced his retirement, State Sen. Lloyd Smucker and Lancaster County Commissioner Scott Martin were both considered contenders for the PA-16 seat.

Rather than having both men fight to replace Rep. Pitts, Smucker declared his campaign for Congress and Martin decided to run for Smucker’s State Senate seat.

Now, however, it appears that Martin is getting a primary challenger.

According to Jeff Hawkes of Lancaster Online, East Lampeter Township Supervisor Ethan Demme is also running in the SD-13 GOP primary.

In addition to his current elected position, Demme also chaired the Lancaster County Republican Party from May 2011 to June 2012.

“We need someone who will fight for life, religious liberty, families, small business and for a fair government that works for the people instead of against them,” Demme writes in his announcement email.

“Now is the time to send a fresh voice to Harrisburg, someone who shares Lancaster’s deep conservative values, who understands the burdens that Harrisburg places on small business and who has the drive to get things done.”

Pennsylvania’s 13th Senate district consists of parts of Lancaster County.

9 Responses

  1. I just feel bad for Martin, I thought he was a shoe in for congress, and now he might loose a state senate seat? what happened?

  2. That should make We The Voter (of both parties) ask why. If we had an attention span beyond who won the local high school lacrosse match, that is.

  3. Demme “will fight for…families, small business and for a fair government that works for the people”?

    Great. So as a sitting Twp Supervisor, he has to know first hand how much money PA taxpayers throw away awarding professional services no-bid with no peer oversight. He either has noticed or easily could see that in most municipalities and counties, and in all with any cash, those contracts go largely if not solely to campaign donors of those “choosing” the winner.

    Say you will propose a bill to stop that. Fiscally prudent AND promoting a freer marketplace.

    Betcha neither Demme nor one of his opponents of either party mentions this easy way to “fight for…families, small business and for a fair government that works for the people.”

  4. Demme is absolutely not a fresh face in Harrisburg. He really stepped in it back in 2012 when he was chair of the Lancaster Republican Party and helped Tom Corbett push the PA GOP to endorse Steve Welch for US Senate. Welch was a disaster of a candidate and ended up coming in 9rd in the primary behind Tom Smith. Demme’s chances might depend on how many people remember that debacle.

Email:
  • Do you agree that ByteDance should be forced to divest TikTok?


    • Yes. It's a national security risk. (60%)
    • No. It's an app used by millions and poses no threat. (40%)
    • What's ByteDance? (0%)

    Total Voters: 30

    Loading ... Loading ...
Continue to Browser

PoliticsPA

To install tap and choose
Add to Home Screen