Roe returns to challenge Sappey in race for 158th

WEST CHESTER » In the 158th Legislative District race, voters will cast their ballots Nov. 3 for Rep. Christina Sappey, a Democrat, or Eric Roe, a Republican.

“It has been an honor to serve the people of the 158th, and I hope to continue to fight for our shared priorities,” Sappey said.

In 2016, Roe was elected to this same seat by voters in Chester County; however, during the next election cycle, Sappey went on to defeat Roe in 2018.

Now in 2020, Roe gets a rematch.

“I hope the voters of central and Southern Chester County will place their trust in me once again to be an independent voice for our community,” Roe said.

“When I was in offi ce, I was inspired by the bipartisanship of the legislation we passed and got signed into law,” Roe said. He cited several bipartisan laws he worked to achieve including historic pension reform. “Gov. Tom Wolf signed the bill I cosponsored into law, which moved new hires into a pension system that resembles a 401( k) style plan, much like what the private sector has done for years.”

Looking back, Roe said during his term in offi ce he was also inspired by the bipartisan legislation passed to protect victims of domestic violence, while also protecting the due process rights of the accused.

“As a result of that new law, a domestic abuser who has had opportunities to be heard in court before a judge must surrender his or her fi rearms within 24 hours of a conviction for domestic violence,” Roe said.

For Roe, the preservation of nature in Southeastern Pennsylvania is critically important, too. “I found it inspiring when we protected open space in Chester County from overdevelopment by passing the Stoneleigh Law. I co- sponsored each of those bills, and Gov. Wolf signed each of them into law.”

Sappey lauded the community of Chester County, and stated that “without a doubt, the people and the landscape” have most inspired her during her freshwoman term as a state representative serving the 158th District.

“We are living in extremely challenging times and I witness the strength, courage and goodness of our citizens daily,” Sappey said. “I also witness the natural beauty of the district and it continues to inspire and motivate me.”

The 158th District includes Avondale Borough and the townships of East Bradford, East Marlborough, London Britain, New Garden, Newlin, West Bradford, part of West Goshen and all of West Marlborough.

This area is home to some of the most protected and continuously development land between Washington, D. C., and New York City.

The district is also home to strong Quaker roots with key historic ties to the American Revolution and the Abolitionist Movement, specifi cally serving as key stops in the Underground Railroad in Chester County.

This past spring, Sappey ran unopposed in the Democratic Primary, as did Roe in the Republican Primary.

If victorious on Election Day, Roe shared with the Daily Local News a few of his top goals if re- elected to the 158th District seat this November.

Roe said a top goal is to safely reopen Pennsylvania’s businesses and schools so that hardworking Pennsylvanian workers and students may return, while also listening to the scientists as we navigate this pandemic. This is especially important for students with IEPs.

Roe shared a second goal calling for property tax relief to ensure the well- being of Pennsylvanian senior citizens who are now retired at homes and living on fi xed incomes. Roe plans to work in Harrisburg to freeze property tax rates for senior citizens so that retirees on fi xed incomes won’t get taxed out of their homes and fl ee south to Delaware or elsewhere.

Roe said his third goal would be the enactment of sweeping measures to enact historic gerrymandering reform in Pennsylvania. This is essential, he said, “so that politicians of neither party may unfairly draw their own district boundary lines to favor one political party over another.”

He said, “Both parties are guilty of gerrymandering, and anyone who disagrees with me should take a trip to Maryland sometime.”

In terms of a timetable for these goals to reach fruition, Roe said he can see businesses and schools safely reopening by 2021. However, he added, “so long as our data- driven approach does not show signs of a clear and present danger.”

As for Sappey, her top goal ahead is for people, and society, to overcome the pandemic crisis.

“I hope to see us conquer COVID- 19,” Sappey said. “We need to get this behind us and move forward.”

Another key concern for Sappey moving forward is taking bold action to protect the environment.

“I also hope to see Pennsylvania join Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative ( RGGI) to proactively address our carbon emissions,” she said.

Roe lives in East Bradford Township where he remains a loyal Henderson Warriors fan.

Thus far in 2020 on the campaign trail, Roe said he’s been stung by bees, bitten by dogs, screamed at by people, and physically threatened. “Even so, I desire this job opportunity so much that I’d do it all again if I had to.

“Thankfully, I have the full support of my amazing wife, Alice, who is in the trenches with me every day. She takes such great care of our twins, who are 2- andahalf, and our youngest, who turns one the day before Election Day.”

Roe said that previously serving as the 158th District’s state representative was the most fulfi lling professional experience he’s ever held thanks to the collaborative interaction he gained whilst engaging individual people he worked to support and defend.

“Nobody asked me to run again, nor did anyone have to. I wanted this job badly enough to put myself through the rigors of a campaign again,” Roe said.

The incumbent, Sappey, reiterated the principle she said her campaign ran on two years ago during her fi rst successful race to become the 158th’s newest state representative.

“It’s necessary to bring experience and a mature level of perspective to this role,” Sappey said.

“My business, nonprofit, community and government experience shape the way I approach issues and problem solving,” she said.

Sappey Roe