PIKE AND WAYNE COUNTIES, PA — Three local residents have announced their candidacies for Pennsylvania’s 139th Legislative District, a seat recently vacated by Joe Adams (R). A special election will be held on Tuesday, April 23.

• Republican Jeff Olsommer is a small-business owner who chairs the Sterling Township board of supervisors and serves on the Wayne Memorial Health Foundation.
• Democrat Robin Schooley Skibber is the former director of the Pike County Area Agency on Aging and has worked for more 20 years helping seniors by preventing premature institutionalization and hospitalization.
• Republican Matthew Contreras is  judge of elections for Milford Township and president of Pennsylvania Advocacy for Children’s Education.

The 139th includes parts of Pike and Wayne counties, including Blooming Grove, Dingman, Greene, Lackawaxen, Milford, Palmyra, Shohola, Westfall Townships, Matamoras, Milford Boroughs, Cherry Ridge, Dreher, Lake, Lehigh, Palmyra, Paupack, Salem, South Canaan, Sterling Townships, and Hawley Borough.

Adams was a freshman lawmaker who in 2022 defeated Democrat Meghan Rosenfeld with 63 percent of the vote. He said he is leaving for “family health reasons.” When he resigned on February 9, he tipped the state House to Democrats, 101-100. 

Five days later Democrats expanded their majority, 102-100 majority, when Jim Prokopiak, a school board member in Bucks County, won the 140th District in a special election.

Republicans control the state Senate. Gov. Josh Shapiro is a Democrat.

The occupant of the seat is paid $102,844 per year.

Jeff Olsommer

Olsommer said he became a township supervisor to serve his community and protect its rural way of life. 

“That is why the people of Wayne and Pike counties can trust me to use my proven experience, record of accomplishments, and conservative values to make our communities better places to live, work and raise a family,” he said.

Olsommer is a member of the Sterling United Methodist Church Trustees. He previously served on the Wayne County Republican State Committee and as the former director of the Western Wayne Education Foundation, Wayne Economic Development Corporation, and Southern Wayne Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“My priorities will be those of the people in Pike and Wayne counties – reducing taxes for our hardworking families and seniors on fixed incomes, enacting pro-growth policies to help rural Pennsylvania prosper, investing in our police to reduce crime, empowering parents to have more control over their children’s education, reducing the amount of government intrusion in our daily lives, defending the sanctity of human life and safeguarding our 2nd Amendment rights,” he said. “Having family that works in public education, I understand the value of quality education and the need for local control. “

Olsommer graduated from Western Wayne High School and East Stroudsburg University. He is a lifelong resident of Wayne County, He lives with his wife, Kelli, in Sterling.

Robin Schooley Skibber

Skibber has a long-standing career in public service, extensive volunteer experience, and support from both sides of the aisle. 

Former Pike County Sheriff Phil Beuki, a Republican, has endorsed her candidacy, citing her outstanding leadership skills, professional demeanor, and caring personality.

Michele Long, the former director of the Pike County Conservation District, praised Skibber’s ability to work with county, state, and federal leadership to bring funding to the community.

Skibber has served a president of the Blooming Grove Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary, chair of the Carbon, Pike and Monroe Drug and Alcohol Board, coach of the Wallenpaupack Youth Soccer League, and board member of the Wayne and Pike Suicide Prevention Committee. She is also a trained Dementia Friends Champion.

A lifelong Pike County resident, she has a bachelor’s degree in hotel, restaurant, and institutional management from Penn State. She became a registered dietitian in 1997 while pursuing a master’s degree at Marywood University. 

Lisa Miller, the Pike County Democratic Committee chair, and Ann Monaghan, chair of the Wayne County Democratic Committee, enthusiastically support her campaign. 

Sean Strub, the mayor of Milford, also endorses her: “We elected Tarah Probst in 2022, Christa Caceres in 2023, and I hope we will elect Robin Skibber this year, all exceptionally well-qualified candidates.”

Skibber lives in Blooming Grove with her husband, Robert Skibber, who recently retired after teaching special education in the Delaware Valley School District for 28 years.

Matthew Contreras

Contreras has lived in Pike County for more than 15 years. He said he is running to effect change and “return our Commonwealth to our founding principles.”

He said he will ensure fiscal responsibility, guarantee transparency and accountability, parental rights, election integrity, reduce the tax burden, cut spending, and safeguard constitutional rights.

He has experience in the staffing industry and information technology field, working in the information technology field for both state governments and national technology companies. 

He has served in the Navy. He is president of his Homeowner’s Road Association, a baseball coach, “and most importantly, a husband and father.”

“Over the past several years, I have been an advocate for change in our education system and local government,” he said in a statement posted on his campaign page. “I have championed our First, Second, and Fourth Amendment rights and given testimony in the Senate in Harrisburg, on behalf of parental rights, government transparency, and medical freedom.”

He said he will “foster a dialogue with all constituents. I will stop reckless spending. I will reward efficient work, and I will restructure where necessary. I will work with my fellow elected officials to create the vital change that is necessary in Harrisburg.”