Previewing the Banta-Cancilla race for Pa. House

Freshman state Rep. Jake Banta, R-Erie, will face his first test as an incumbent in November.

Representing Pennsylvania's 4th Legislative District, Banta has been a critic of the government's COVID-19 pandemic policies and a vocal proponent of conspiracy theories surrounding the 2020 election. He serves on these House committees in Harrisburg: Game & Fisheries, Local Government, State Government and Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness.

His Democratic opponent is Joe Cancilla, a volunteer firefighter, two-term school board official and member of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.

Jake Banta (R)

In 2022, Banta replaced longtime state Rep. Curt Sonney, R-Erie, who opted to retire. Banta won his first race for this seat by 22 percentage points.

Issues:

• Banta's reelection website notes his support of natural gas extraction and opposition to battery and solar farms in Pennsylvania.

• Regarding education, Banta is critical of both gender and race studies in public schools, stating that these are parental topics and that teachers should focus instead on subjects such as math and reading.

Joe Cancilla (D)

• On his website, Cancilla suggests that he's for abortion rights.

• He also shows some support for causes more typically associated with conservatives, including the protection of Second Amendment gun rights.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Rep. Jake Banta vs Joe Cancilla in PA-4