3 vie for open seat in 147th Dist. race
The race for the 147th District seat in the state House of Representatives being vacated by Republican Marcy Toepel features three candidates.
The 147th District is located entirely in Montgomery County and comprises the following municipalities: the townships of Douglass, New Hanover, Marlborough, West Pottsgrove, Upper Pottsgrove, Upper Salford, Upper Frederick, Lower Frederick, Lower Salford and the boroughs of Green Lane and Schwenksville.
The Democrat is Jill Dennin, 58, a Gilbertsville resident who works as a substitute teacher and is currently serving her second term on the Boyertown Area School Board.
The Republican is Tracy Pennycuick, 54, a Harleysville resident, small business owner and U.S. Army veteran.
The third candidate, Jared Martin, 21, is a student at Penn State and appears on the ballot on the Libertarian line.
A ll three candidates were provided the same set of questions, and their responses appear here in the order they were received.
Jill Dennin
Dennin holds a bachelor’s degree in p ol it ical science and public policy from Goucher College.
In her response to a MediaNews Group questionnaire, Dennin wrote that she decided to seek the seat because “while volunteering, I have noticed that the people for whom I have been advocating for are being left behind in Harrisburg. From property taxes to infrastructure, Harrisburg is not doing its fair share for our community.”
Those volunteer activities include the board of the Boyertown Area YMCA and Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities, delivering Meals on Wheels, leading Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts and coordinating the soup kitchen and chairing the family life committee at St. Columbkill Church.
Asked to pick one guaranteed theoretical accomplishment, Dennin replied: “Prior to 2020 I would have said education funding/ property tax reform. However, with the pandemic, I would choose recovery for our communities.”
Dennin wrote, “the pandemic has showcased the most crucial needs in our communities. We need to make sure our small businesses survive, that families can make ends meet, that our kids can safely return to the classroom, and that our frontline workers are taken care of.”
Asked to differentiate herself from her opponents, Dennin wrote: “My office door will always be open to hear the needs of the community. I will be an independent voice that will prioritize our district over special interests.”
Dennin wrote, “if elected I will use my volunteer, public service, and advocacy experience to fight for the residents of the 147th and make sure that Harrisburg is working for them.”
Jared Martin
Martin, a Harleysville, resident of is currently a student at Penn State Un i v e r s i t y where he is studying engineering.
A 2 01 8 graduate of S ouder t on High School, where he was the salutatorian, Martin wrote that his prior government experiences comprises being “an active member of the Penn State Student Government, overseeing initiatives on sustainability and civic engagement.”
In his response, Martin wrote that he is running because “I saw a failure to represent the values of limited government in the options provided by the two establishment parties. In our Commonwealth, both Democrats and Republicans in Harrisburg seem to trust bureaucracy and big government more than their constituents themselves.”
Martin wrote that “our founding fathers believed in a limited government, where you are free to live your life as you see fit, as long you do no harm to others. I share those views, and I didn’t see those principles on the ballot. So, I am running to give voters a true, independent option for small, but smart government.”
Asked to pick a guaranteed theoretical accomplishment if elected, Martin wrote: “it would be to curtail our bloated General Assembly. We spend billions of dollars beyond our budget every year. In my time in office, I will work to pass legislation that cuts legislator pay and eliminates corporate welfare, allowing us to finally balance our excessive budget and to lower taxes for all Pennsylvanians.”
Martin wrote that “our representatives in Harrisburg make more than any other state legislators in the country, and yet they’ve done less and less actual legislating. It is time we hold them accountable, on both sides of the aisle. Together, we can march into Harrisburg and move this state forward.”
Tracy Pennycuick
Pennycuick, has a bachelor’s degree in business administrat ion f rom the University of Missou r i- C o - lu mbia , a masters degree in public administration from Post University and is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.
She is also instrument rated as a commercial heavy lift rotary wing pilot.
Pennycuick wrote that she decided to run after discovering that the current occupant of the seat, Marcy Toepel, had decided not to run for reelection.
During her 26 years in the US Army, she spent three years as the foreign liaison to the UK Ministry of Defence for the US Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) and is a former Director of Veterans Affairs for Montgomery County.
“I was driven to run to ensure that our district continues to benefit from the excellent representation and leadership that Marcy provided. I was honored to earn Marcy’s support and endorsement, and with the pandemic, now more than ever, it is important that our elected leaders have the skills and experience required to deal with this crisis and the aftermath. I know my years serving in the U.S. Army and as a small business owner, have prepared me for this challenge,” Pennycuick wrote.
Asked to choose one guaranteed theoretical accomplishment while in office, Pennycuick wrote, “I would reform our system for funding public schools. Property taxes place an unfair burden on all of us, especially our seniors. I will work to eliminate property taxes as state representative.”
Asked to differentiate herself from her opponents, Pennycuick wrote “I have an unmatched background and experience of proven leadership. As a combat veteran, who flew Blackhawk helicopters during multiple tours, I know what it takes to serve. While serving in the US Army, I was certified as a Department of Defense Efficiency Expert. I will take these skills and apply them to the looming budget and revenue deficits for our upcoming state budget.”
Pennycuick added, “as a small business owner, I know firsthand the difficulties our businesses face, especially through a pandemic, and I will work to foster an economic environment that supports our job creators. Finally, as a mother of four and grandmother, the safety of our communities and quality of our schools are close to my heart. I will ensure our schools continue to be fullyfunded.”
She concluded, “finally, unlike my opponent who has voted to raise property taxes six times in the past six years, I will work to balance our state budget without raising taxes. Our businesses and families are struggling, and now more than ever, our government must learn to do more with less just like the rest of do.”