Senator Dush expands presence in Northern Pa. district with new office
SMETHPORT - State Senator Cris Dush was excited to open the 3rd District office in Smethport last Friday. It had been a long time coming, and he was thrilled to see it finally come to fruition.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by community and team members from across the district, making for a grand affair. The senator had a broad smile on his face as he cut the ribbon and opened the doors to the modern and functional office. The energy and excitement within the building were contagious, with Senator Dush taking the time to chat with everyone, shake hands, and listen to their concerns.
The office will allow Dush and his team to communicate easily with constituents across the district with the intent to make a positive impact. With a strong team behind him and the support of the community, he and his team can make a real difference in the lives of those he serves.
The senator’s district is “massive”, larger than Connecticut. Previously, he had an office in Wellsboro. Although he lost Wellsboro in redistricting, he remains dedicated to having a full-time presence in the northern part of the district and a base of operations near Bradford and Coudersport. He explained that the new office in Smethport gives him the perfect opportunity to be right in the center, between Potter and McKean County, as well as Cameron.
Field Representative Tamara Bleggi has the responsibility of working with those three counties, alongside Field Representative Penny Pifer and Office and District Manager Zack Ankeny in Brookville.
“Fortunately Zack and Penny were able to stay with me. I lost Deb Rudy and Chuck Dillon in Wellsboro. Now we’ve got the ability for somebody local. Tamara is from Wilcox. So, she is a local woman who understands the community and the things that we value up here,” he said.
Dush plans to be in the office as much as he can and will divide his time between the counties as much as possible. June being an intense budget season, he will spend a minimum of three weeks in Harrisburg. However, he still plans on getting around the district and making a positive impact.
Because he picked up a “huge chunk” of Centre County, he has been out there more than any place else in the district this year. His intention was to let those folks know who he is. He feels it’s crucial to let his constituents know who’s representing them and what he stands for; thus, he’s been making appearances all over the district and making connections with the community.
“These folks had me thrust upon them without having any choice in the matter. I felt it was important that if they got/inherited me, then I should be out there, letting them know who they have. I’m very pleased with how that has been going.”
In the last couple of weeks, he has been spending more time in the northern tier again and is loving it.
“I’m looking forward to being able, come summer, to get back up during the summer and the fall, being up here again.”
With businesses and industries being threatened, he said, “We need to make sure that I’m hearing the voices of our business folks so I can take it to Harrisburg. So, I will definitely be up here.”
Dush confirmed that he will be campaigning next year for another term. He felt that his call to serve wasn’t over yet, and will devote his time and energy to serving the people of his district until then.
“God is not letting me off the hook, so I will be running again next year. That is something that I’ll worry about come January. We’ve got some other things that have to be taken care of. I want to devote as much time to my responsibilities between now and then,” he said lastly.