Brian Rasel knows how the Pennsylvania General Assembly works.
He served as chief of staff to Republican State Representative George Dunbar (R-Westmoreland), who represented the 56th District for 14 years and was a member of the Republican Party’s leadership in the state house.
In December 2023 Dunbar announced he will not seek re-election and Rasel, a resident of Penn Township, decided to step up and run for the office.
“I’m a very community-focused guy,” Rasel told the Capital-Star, “and I want everyone to have the same opportunities that I had growing up in Pennsylvania and to kind of prevent the hemorrhaging of the population that we have had over the last many decades.”
Russell campaign website he touted his support for several common GOP issues, including limiting government spending, border security, school choice and gun rights, as well as his opposition to abortion.
Rasel was the only candidate who ran for the seat in the election basic AND general elections, guaranteeing him victory in the seat in western Pennsylvania.
“I am truly honored and excited to speak on behalf of my neighbors in Harrisburg,” he said. “I don’t take this lightly, I’m already getting down to work and I’m ready to continue working in what I believe will be in their best interest going forward.”
Rasel believes that one area of compromise between Republicans and Democrats in the General Assembly – although he stressed that “there may be” – is education.
“We hear about historic investment in education funding, we never hear about historic performance,” Rasel said. “I would like to get to a place where we are talking about our historical performance and the returns on these investments.”
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Capital-Star: What makes your neighborhood unique?
It was growing: : It’s a nice district and I had the opportunity to serve under the previous representative, George Dunbar. I worked with him for 10 years as an employee. So these are the communities that I know number one and like everywhere, trying to create entrepreneurial opportunities where we have a lot of diminutive, local businesses and creating a good environment for them.
We have very energetic communities. We have a lot of people who care very much, and I happen to be one of those who is trying to be their voice in Harrisburg.
Capital-Star: Can you tell me what’s unique about this neighborhood?
It was growing: : We are a mixed bag [areas that] once rural, now very suburban. Notably, Penn Township was one of only two places in Westmoreland County to see population growth in the last census. I can’t think of anything that makes them so different from the rest of Pennsylvania.
Capital-Star: What is the most pressing issue facing your district?
It was growing: : We certainly have some infrastructure issues that are actually being addressed, and one of them is the Route 30 corridor. I would say that’s a key issue, and then we’ll really leverage what we have here to create more jobs and kind of revitalize manufacturing .
Capital-Star: Was there a particular problem when you were knocking on doors and talking to people and trying to get their vote?
It was growing: : A lot of it was based on national issues rather than state issues, to be very fair, whether they were First Amendment rights, Second Amendment rights, or violations thereof. Of course, it’s best to apply tax dollars locally and try to keep taxes as low as possible.
Capital-Star: What would you describe as your top legislative priority once you take the oath of office?
It was growing: : We limit our spending budget. If we go from the founding of our Commonwealth of Nations to the turn of the century, we have never exceeded that $20 billion figure. [budget] threshold, and yet we have significantly exceeded it and do not seem to be slowing down. My legislative priority is to stop the leakage of tax money.
Capital-Star: Can you talk about the bills you plan to introduce or would like to support?
It was growing: : One of them is (State Rep.) Ryan Warner’s reaffirmation of Title IX to make girls’ sports a secure place for girls. I certainly intend to support this initiative, something I’m working on, but when I do, I’ll send you an announcement.
