Smucker wins GOP primary for 16th Congressional district
State Senator Lloyd Smucker (R- Lancaster) has defeated Manheim businessman Chet Beiler in the Republican primary race for the 16th district seat held by retiring Congressman Joe Pitts (R), who has held the office since 1997.
The district covers most of Lancaster County as well as parts of Berks and Chester counties. Smucker had the backing of the GOP establishment, while Beiler was more of an outsider, who tried to raise questions about whether Smucker was really conservative enough.
Smucker called those charges completely bogus and says he has a clear record in his two terms representing Lancaster County in Harrisburg.
“My opponent was trying to paint me as something else,” says Smucker. “That was obviously not something voters believed.”
He says he’s now focused on the work he’d like to do in Washington, which includes rolling back burdensome government regulations, protecting the country from the threat of ISIS, and clamping down on illegal immigration. Smucker will face Democrat Christina Hartman in November.
Although the 16th district has historically been a conservative stronghold, he says he is not taking a win in the general election for granted.
A collection of interviews, photos, and music videos, featuring local musicians who have stopped by the WITF performance studio to share a little discussion and sound. Produced by WITF’s Joe Ulrich.
