Republican voters in the 5th Legislative District will have a choice when they head to the polls.
Incumbent Barry Jozwiak is running against challenger David Golowski for the Republican nomination in the May 17 primary. The district includes parts of western Berks County.
State representatives serve a two-year term and receive an annual salary of $95,432.
We asked the candidates to respond to four questions:
Barry Jozwiak
Residence: Bern Township.
Age: 76.
Background: Jozwiak has represented the district since 2015. He is a former state trooper, former Berks County sheriff and veteran of the Navy.
Website: facebook.com/barryjozwiakfor5
Why are you the best person for this position?
I have spent my life in service to our community. I am proud to have served in the Navy for six years, as a state trooper for 25 years and the Berks County sheriff for 12 years. Now I serve you in the state House, where I have stood up to Gov. Wolf and his outrageous COVID-19 mandates that crushed our state’s economy and hurt Berks County families.
I led, and personally paid for, the lawsuit against the unconstitutional implementation of our current election law. I am fighting every day to restore election integrity here in Pennsylvania, because if we do not have confidence and trust in our elections, we are truly lost as a commonwealth and as a nation.
I’ve worked to protect our quality of life, standing against any efforts to raise our personal income and sales taxes. I demanded fiscal accountability and led the charge to reduce the waste, fraud and abuse found in state government.
It is because of this clear record of service that I’m endorsed by those we trust most in our community, including the NRA, the Pennsylvania Pro-life Federation, the National Federation of Independent Businesses, our state troopers and so many of our local elected officials.
What do you think is the single biggest problem currently facing Pennsylvanians and what would you do to address that problem?
Berks County families and small businesses are struggling under the weight of inflation, over-regulation and rising energy prices. It must be our Legislature’s top priority to address these issues, and to help Pennsylvania families overcome these challenges.
During my time in Harrisburg, I have been a partner with small businesses, working to find ways for government to be a partner in their growth, and not an obstacle to their success.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, I passed legislation 12 times to oppose Gov. Wolf’s mandates and to reopen our economy.
I have worked tirelessly to help expand Pennsylvania’s natural gas industry. We cannot rely on foreign energy from places like the Middle East and Russia. We are blessed with abundant natural resources right here under our feet, and we would be foolish to not take advantage of them. Pennsylvania natural gas could power not only our nation, but also our allies in Europe as they cut ties with Putin’s dictatorship
Together, along with a new focus on fiscal responsibility and reduction in the size of government, we can drive down inflation, improve wages, and put Pennsylvania back on track for a booming economic recovery.
More than a dozen public opinion surveys found that about two-thirds of Republicans continue to hold the view that the results of the 2020 presidential election were skewed by voter fraud. What would you do to restore voter confidence in the system?
It’s no surprise that so many of our neighbors lack confidence in our election. We have in Pennsylvania an unconstitutional voting system thanks to Act 77 and its botched implementation by Gov. Wolf and the now-former Secretary Kathy Boockvar.
I could not stand around as our system collapsed into chaos around us, so I personally paid for a lawsuit challenging the constitutionally of Act 77. We need uniformity across the commonwealth in terms of how we run our elections. Far too many counties took the liberty to enforce the laws how they saw fit, thanks in part to incorrect guidance from the Department of State.
Election Day needs to be one day, on which we all show up and follow the same rules about how our elections are conducted. Only then, along with increased security measures like voter ID, will Pennsylvanians have confidence in our elections again.
When the Supreme Court hands down its decision in an abortion case this summer, the power to regulate abortion would likely rest in the hands of states. Would you support a full or partial ban on abortion in Pennsylvania (if partial, at what point in a pregnancy would you ban them) and what, if any, exceptions to that ban would you support?
I welcome the opportunity to address this critical issue here in Pennsylvania. Life is precious. I am solidly pro-life and am proud to have the backing of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation.
David Golowski
Golowski did not respond to repeated requests for information about his candidacy.
Source: Berkshire mont
Be First to Comment