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Jesse Topper

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Jesse Topper
Republican Party
Candidate, Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78
Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78
Tenure
2014 - Present
Term ends
2026
Years in position
12
Compensation
Base salary
$110,015.54/year
Per diem
$198/day
Elections and appointments
Last election
November 5, 2024
Next election
May 19, 2026
Education
Bachelor's
Frostburg State University
Personal
Profession
Executive Minister
Contact
Official website
Official Facebook
Official Instagram

Jesse Topper (Republican Party) is a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing District 78. He assumed office on February 10, 2014. His current term ends on November 30, 2026.

Topper (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to represent District 78. He declared candidacy for the Republican primary scheduled on May 19, 2026.[source]

On November 12, 2024, Topper was elected minority leader of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, replacing Bryan Cutler.[1]

Biography

Topper earned his B.A. in Music Performance from Frostburg State University. His professional experience includes working as a minister.[2]

Committee assignments

2023-2024

Topper was assigned to the following committees:

2021-2022

Topper was assigned to the following committees:

2019-2020

Topper was assigned to the following committees:

2017 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:

Pennsylvania committee assignments, 2017
• Health
• Judiciary
• Labor & Industry
• Liquor Control
• Rules

2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Topper served on the following committees:

2013-2014

At the beginning of the 2014 legislative session, Topper served on the following committees:

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.


Elections

2026

See also: Pennsylvania House of Representatives elections, 2026

General election

The primary will occur on May 19, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

Republican primary

Republican primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78

Incumbent Jesse Topper (R) is running in the Republican primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78 on May 19, 2026.

Candidate
Image of Jesse Topper
Jesse Topper

Incumbents are bolded and underlined.

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.

2024

See also: Pennsylvania House of Representatives elections, 2024

General election

General election for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78

Incumbent Jesse Topper won election in the general election for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78 on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Jesse Topper
Jesse Topper (R)
 
96.3
 
31,152
 Other/Write-in votes
 
3.7
 
1,184

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2

Total votes: 32,336
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78

Incumbent Jesse Topper advanced from the Republican primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78 on April 23, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Jesse Topper
Jesse Topper
 
99.7
 
8,135
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.3
 
24

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 8,159
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Campaign finance

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Topper in this election.

2022

See also: Pennsylvania House of Representatives elections, 2022

General election

General election for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78

Incumbent Jesse Topper won election in the general election for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78 on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Jesse Topper
Jesse Topper (R)
 
100.0
 
25,672

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 25,672
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78

Incumbent Jesse Topper advanced from the Republican primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78 on May 17, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Jesse Topper
Jesse Topper
 
99.6
 
12,094
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.4
 
51

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 12,145
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign finance

2020

See also: Pennsylvania House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78

Incumbent Jesse Topper won election in the general election for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Jesse Topper
Jesse Topper (R)
 
100.0
 
31,550

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 31,550
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78

Incumbent Jesse Topper advanced from the Republican primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78 on June 2, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Jesse Topper
Jesse Topper
 
100.0
 
10,351

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 10,351
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign finance

2018

See also: Pennsylvania House of Representatives elections, 2018

General election

General election for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78

Incumbent Jesse Topper defeated Deborah Baughman in the general election for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Jesse Topper
Jesse Topper (R)
 
79.2
 
18,937
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Deborah Baughman (D) Candidate Connection
 
20.8
 
4,971

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 23,908
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78

Deborah Baughman advanced from the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78 on May 15, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Deborah Baughman Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
1,573

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 1,573
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78

Incumbent Jesse Topper advanced from the Republican primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78 on May 15, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Jesse Topper
Jesse Topper
 
100.0
 
6,728

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 6,728
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: Pennsylvania House of Representatives elections, 2016

Elections for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election was held on April 26, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was February 16, 2016.

Incumbent Jesse Topper ran unopposed in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78 general election.[3][4]

Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78, General Election, 2016
Party Candidate
    Republican Green check mark transparent.png Jesse Topper Incumbent (unopposed)
Source: Pennsylvania Department of State



Incumbent Jesse Topper ran unopposed in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78 Republican primary.[5][6]

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 78 Republican Primary, 2016
Party Candidate
    Republican Green check mark transparent.png Jesse Topper Incumbent (unopposed)

2014

General election

See also: Pennsylvania House of Representatives elections, 2014

Elections for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 20, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 11, 2014. Incumbent Jesse Topper defeated Josh Lang in the Republican primary. Topper was unchallenged in the general election.[7][8][9]

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 78 Republican Primary, 2014
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngJesse Topper Incumbent 73.3% 5,060
Josh Lang 26.7% 1,846
Total Votes 6,906

Special election

See also: Pennsylvania state legislative special elections, 2014

Jesse Topper (R) defeated Barbara L. Barron (D) in the special election, which took place on January 28, 2014.[10][11][12]

The seat was vacant following Dick Hess's (R) death on September 6, 2013.

A special election for the position of Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78 was called for January 28. Candidates were nominated by their party rather than chosen through a primary. The nominating deadline for parties was December 9, 2013.[13]

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 78, Special Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngJesse Topper 83.3% 4,629
     Democratic Barbara L. Barron 16.7% 925
Total Votes 5,554

\

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Jesse Topper has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. If you are Jesse Topper, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

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2024

Jesse Topper did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

2022

Jesse Topper did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Jesse Topper did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2014

Topper's campaign website highlighted the following issues:[14]

Control Government Spending

  • Excerpt: "As he did on Bedford’s Borough Council and as he does in his own home, Jesse uses strong fiscal discipline and commonsense to create and stick to budgets. In Harrisburg, he will do the same – to build on the strong fiscal controls that have been used during recent budgets."

Stop Spending Money We Don’t Have

  • Excerpt: "Over the last three years, the Governor and the Legislature began rolling back former Governor Ed Rendell’s out-of-control spending in Harrisburg that wasted millions of taxpayer dollars that we just could not afford. Jesse believes we must continue to force government to do more with less like we are doing in our homes and businesses."

Focus on Priorities

  • Excerpt: "The first step to saving tax dollars is to set real priorities. That’s why Jesse will focus the state budget on priorities like job creation, public safety and educating our children. He will make protecting taxpayers the number one priority in all budget negotiations."

Cut Wasteful and Outdated Programs

  • Excerpt: "Our national and state governments have grown so large by adding new programs, but never eliminating them when they no longer make sense. Jesse will bring a new prospective to the process and will review the budget line-by-line to see what works, what doesn’t and what can be ended. He will start with recommendations that have been proposed by the State Auditor General’s office, but not acted on yet."

More Jobs and A Stronger Economy

  • Excerpt: "Jesse knows nothing is more important to our families than being able to secure good-paying jobs. That’s why he will make economic growth and job creation his top priority in Harrisburg – and use his experience with the Bedford County Chamber of Commerce to make sure it happens."

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Jesse Topper campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2024Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78Won general$170,600 $183,972
2022Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78Won general$211,175 $175,613
2020Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78Won general$65,700 N/A**
2018Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78Won general$50,780 N/A**
2016Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 78Won $24,320 N/A**
2014Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 78Won $46,430 N/A**
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards, State legislative scorecards in Pennsylvania

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 2025.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 2024.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 2023.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 2022.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 2021.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 2020.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 2019.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 2018.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 2017.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 2016.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 2015.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 2014.

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Topper and his wife, Christy, have two sons.[2]

See also

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External links

Officeholder

Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78
  • Website
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    		•

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Pennsylvania Capital-Star, "Pa. House Republicans elect Topper new leader," accessed November 12, 2024
    2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 www.legis.state.pa.us, "Biography," accessed February 10, 2014
    3. ↑ Pennsylvania Voter Services, "Candidate listing," accessed August 31, 2016
    4. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "November 8, 2016, official election results," accessed May 17, 2017
    5. ↑ Pennsylvania Secretary of State, "Election Information," accessed February 18, 2016
    6. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "2016 Presidential Primary," accessed August 2, 2016
    7. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "Official primary results for May 20, 2014," accessed July 9, 2014
    8. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "2014 Official Candidate Listing," accessed March 21, 2014
    9. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "2014 General Election," accessed December 5, 2014
    10. ↑ pavoterservices.state.pa.us, "Official candidate list," accessed December 11, 2013
    11. ↑ Altoona Mirror, "Topper wins 78th District state House seat," January 29, 2014
    12. ↑ Pennsylvania Secretary of State, "Official special election results," accessed August 29, 2014
    13. ↑ www.politicspa.com, "Speaker Sets Jan 28 Date for Hess Seat Special," May 7, 2014
    14. ↑ Official campaign website, "Issues," accessed May 7, 2014

    Political offices
    Preceded by
    -     		Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78
    2014-Present    		 Succeeded by
    -


    Current members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
    Leadership
    Speaker of the House:Joanna McClinton
    Majority Leader:Matthew Bradford
    Minority Leader:Jesse Topper
    Representatives
    District 1
    District 2
    District 3
    District 4
    District 5
    District 6
    District 7
    District 8
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    District 10
    District 11
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    Vacant
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    Mindy Fee (R)
    District 38
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    Vacant
    District 43
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    Bud Cook (R)
    District 51
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    R. James (R)
    District 65
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    Jim Rigby (R)
    District 72
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    District 74
    District 75
    District 76
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    District 78
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    Vacant
    District 80
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    Joe Hamm (R)
    District 85
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    Dan Moul (R)
    District 92
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    Tom Jones (R)
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    Democratic Party (100)
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