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Contreras Files Candidacy For 139th District Seat

By Wayne Witkowski

HAWLEY — A closed-door session on Tuesday night of 23 Republican delegates chosen from Pike and Wayne counties convened at Silver Birches Resort and selected Jeff Olsommer, a Republican, to oppose Robin Skibber, a Democrat, in a Special Election to complete the remaining 10 months of the vacated PA House of Representatives 139th District seat.
Joe Adams, a Republican, resigned from the seat in early February for family medical reasons.
The 139th district includes most of the 13 Pike County municipalities -- eight townships and two boroughs -- and 10 Wayne County townships.
The special election will take place on April 23, the same day as the Primary Elections. In the special election, Democrats, Republicans and even Independents can cast their votes for either candidate as opposed to the Primary Election where voters must vote along the party that they declare.
Olsommer was selected over Matt Contreras, a Republican, who also filed as a candidate.
Only one candidate from each party can run in the Special Election.
Both gave five-minute speeches and answered questions from the delegates, known as “conferees” — 14 from Pike County chosen by Pike GOP Committee Chairman Chris Decker, and nine by Steve Adams, GOP committee chairman of Wayne County. After that, the delegates cast secret paper ballot votes that gave Olsommer the edge.
“This is unique. There have been Special Elect ions around the state but we've never had a Special Election in Pike County or seen this whole process,” said Matt Osterberg, Pike County Board of Commissioners Chairman who also has overseen Pike elections for many years.
“It was a mad rush to get through this special meeting,” said Olsommer, regarding his preparations. “Now, it’s a lot of organization, a lot of mobilization, especially in the next week or two.”
Pike County Board of Elections has not gotten the outcome from the state GOP, which oversaw the process for selecting Olsommer, and expects to be notified of the decision on Monday, March 4.
Olsommer has served as chairman of the Sterling Township Board of Supervisors and has ben on the board for 10 years and his grandfather served three terms as a Wayne County commissioner. He is president of Olsommer & Clarke Insurance, which he has co-owned for 24 years with his brother, Don, while his wife, Kelli handles much of the office management.
As for the Primary Election,  the next term of the 139th District is at stake. Republicans can vote for either Olsommer or Contreras while Skibber runs unopposed on the Democratic side.
The General Election in which either Olsommer or Contreras will oppose Skibber to fill that seat for the next term is on Nov. 5.
 “I'll be telling people vote Olsommer and Olsommer," quipped Olsommer, referring to the ballot for the Primary and Special elections. The latter election will be at the bottom of the ballot.
Among his platform issues, Olsommer said, “I'm looking to provide firefighters, first responders and health care workers resources and I'll be working to get the urgent care facilities into Pike County where we do not have a hospital,” said Olsommer.
 “And I’ll work to reduce regulations for small businesses. I see that as a small business owner and see that in Sterling with the business park in the township where I see struggles of small businesses like mine are jumping through hoops so they can get going.”
Pike municipalities in the 139th include the townships of Blooming Grove, Dingman, Greene, Lackawaxen, Milford, Palmyra, Shohola and Westfall and the boroughs of Matamoras and Milford.

 

 


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