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Conklin Wins Ninth Term in 77th State House District

State Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township, will return to Harrisburg as the representative for the 77th state House district in Centre County for a ninth term after another successful reelection bid.

Conklin defeated Republican challenger Steve Yetsko, of Huston Township, in Tuesday’s election. Conklin had 62% of the vote with about 93% of precincts counted as of 1 a.m., marking the second time in two years he outpaced Yetsko at the polls.

The 77th district includes State College (partial), Philipsburg and Port Matilda boroughs and Ferguson, Halfmoon, Huston, Patton, Rush, Taylor and Worth townships.

Conklin said in a C-NET interview earlier this fall that he is “very proud to represent,” a district that is diverse in demographics and party registrations.

He said his priorities change with needs, but that he continues to focus on fair funding for schools and lower property taxes, environmental protection, protecting voting rights and seeing that residents benefit from energy production in the commonwealth.

“The most important thing is that not just myself but everybody who’s there understands that we work for you,” Conklin said. “You don’t have to adhere to what we say; we should listen to what you say.”

Conklin is currently Democratic chair of the House State Government Committee. Prior to his election to the state House, he was a Centre County commissioner from 1998 to 2006.