State lawmaker resigns to take new role in Pennsylvania Senate

A state legislator who represented parts of northcentral Pennsylvania for the past three decades is resigning his Senate seat to take on a new role in that legislative chamber.

Sen. John Gordner, a Republican, announced on Monday that he will vacate his 27th state senatorial district seat on Wednesday to become counsel to interim Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, R-Westmoreland County.

Ward, who was elected to the post earlier this month, will see her position ratified on a permanent basis when the new legislative session gavels in on Jan. 3.

Gordner, 60, of Berwick, Columbia County, recently said it was his intention to serve until the end of his term in November 2024 and then retire.

“However I have been presented with a unique opportunity that, after much family discussion and consideration, I have decided to accept,” he said in a statement. “The new position will allow me to take full advantage of my 30-year legislative experience in the House and Senate as well as my 35 years of being an attorney.”

Gordner couldn’t be reached for further comment on his decision.

Ward’s office issued a statement welcoming him to her team.

“John is highly respected in the Senate for his insight into legislation and policy as well as his expertise in rules and procedure,” Ward said. “I have worked closely with John in leadership over the last two years and have come to depend on his counsel. I trust his input and that is key as I take on my new role.”

Gordner held the leadership position of whip in the Senate Republican Caucus from 2014 up through this year when he opted not to continue in leadership for the last two years of his term.

Throughout his legislative career, Gordner is credited with authoring or contributing to 56 bills that were signed into law by Republican and Democratic governors.

Among them, changes to the state’s unemployment compensation law, increasing penalty for possession of chemicals used to manufacture a controlled substance, banning the practice of allowing someone to buy credits instead of serving a community services sentence, and championing an effort this year to make a record investment in the state’s environment, farmland preservation, state parks and forests and water and sewer infrastructure.

He also has helped funnel millions of dollars in grants to Columbia, Luzerne, Montour and Northumberland counties over the years for a variety of public works projects. Recently, he chaired the Capitol Preservation Committee as it undertook such projects as renovations to the governor’s office suite and at the Pennsylvania Civil War Battle Flag Education Center.

Gordner began his legislative career as a Democrat in the state House and switched parties in 2001 to Republican. As a Republican, he was elected to the Senate in a special election in 2003 and re-elected to the post five times after that.

His departure will cut the the GOP partisan edge in the Senate to 27-22 seats when the new legislative session begins until a special election is held. The 27th senatorial district leans strongly Republican, according to Dave’s Redistricting.