Voters' Guide 2012: Incumbent Metcalfe Seeking Re-election to 12th District

Pennsylvania’s primary election is April 24 and state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Cranberry, is seeking his eighth term as representative of the 12th District, which covers Cranberry, Adams, Clinton, Forward, Jefferson, Middlesex and Penn townships and the boroughs of Callery, Connoquenessing, Evans City, Mars, Saxonburg, Seven Fields and Valencia.

First elected in 1998, Metcalfe is the Republican majority chair on the House’s State Government committee, which—among other things—is responsible for legislative redistricting, lobbyist disclosure and campaign financing.

Originally running unopposed, Metcalfe will  

To appear on the ballot in the November general election, Smith, a Republican, would need 300 write-in votes on the Democratic ticket or more votes than Metcalfe on the Republican ticket.

Below is an election profile on Metcalfe. To read more about Smith, . Be sure also to check back with Cranberry Patch Tuesday for complete coverage of the primary election.

Metcalfe in the House

Metcalfe is an advocate of taxpayer protection, protection of Second Amendment freedoms and ending teacher strikes, according to his website.

which requires voters to present valid, non-expired photo identification before voting. Acceptable types of identification include IDs that the state or federal government issue such as a driver’s license, a military identification card or a passport. Gov. Tom Corbett signed the act into law in March.

“Authenticating one citizen-one vote ownership by requiring the display of valid photo ID at the polling place is essential to replacing the centuries-old stigma of corruption at the ballot box with the enduring American ideals of integrity and accountability,” Metcalfe said in a statement when the bill passed in the House last month.

In 2007, Metcalfe founded the State Legislators for Legal Immigration. The coalition, made up of legislators from across the nation, seeks to end illegal immigration across the U.S. borders.

More recently, the representative has clashed with Seneca Valley over property taxes. In January, he wrote a letter encouraging Corbett to reject

In his letter, Metcalfe said school board members, school administrators and educators need to work together to “find alternatives to resolve budget issues rather than increasing the burden on taxpayers."

He also said the school board applied for an Act 1 waiver because “it is a near guaranteed tax increase without voter approval.”

The state Department of Education has since Although it gives the district permission to raise taxes beyond the 2-percent index set for it by the state, it does not mean district officials plan to do so.

In his April 17 “Metcalfe Minute,” a 60-second video where he speaks to constituents, Metcalfe spoke of his support for a bill he co-sponsored that would reduce the size of the General Assembly. In a 140 to 49 vote, the House recently passed the constitutional amendment, which would reduce the House from 203 to 153 representatives and the Senate from 50 to 38 members.

Before going into effect, the bill is required to pass both the House and Senate in two consecutive sessions and be approved in a referendum vote by the public.

“As a member of legislative branch, I believe it is imperative we lead by example,” Metcalfe said. “Reducing the size of the legislature by 25 percent would not only enable us to save millions, but also position us to call for significant reduction in the executive and judicial branches, saving billions.”

Background

A Cranberry resident, Metcalfe, 49, served in the U.S. Army and attended Kansas State University. He worked in the private sector for more than 14 years, and was formerly employed as a field engineer by Dade Behring, according to his biography on his website. In 2010, Metcalfe ran as a candidate for Lieutenant Governor. He came in third place in the Republican primary.