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John Waldenberger
John Waldenberger (Libertarian Party) ran for election to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to represent District 53. Waldenberger did not appear on the ballot for the general election on November 3, 2020.
Elections
2020
See also: Pennsylvania House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 53
Incumbent Steven Malagari defeated Miles Arnott in the general election for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 53 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Steven Malagari (D)  | 54.7 | 19,974 |
| Miles Arnott (R) | 45.3 | 16,543 | ||
| Total votes: 36,517 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 53
Incumbent Steven Malagari advanced from the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 53 on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Steven Malagari | 100.0 | 7,432 |
| Total votes: 7,432 | |||
| = 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 53
Miles Arnott advanced from the Republican primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 53 on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Miles Arnott | 100.0 | 6,177 | |
| Total votes: 6,177 | |||
| = 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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2018
General election
General election for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 53
Steven Malagari defeated George Szekely II and John Waldenberger in the general election for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 53 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Steven Malagari (D) | 51.1 | 13,632 |
| George Szekely II (R) | 47.9 | 12,775 | ||
| John Waldenberger (L) | 1.1 | 290 | ||
| Total votes: 26,697 | |||
| = 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 53
Steven Malagari defeated Leon Angelichio in the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 53 on May 15, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Steven Malagari | 61.5 | 2,100 |
 | Leon Angelichio | 38.5 | 1,314 | |
| Total votes: 3,414 | |||
| = 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 53
George Szekely II advanced from the Republican primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 53 on May 15, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | George Szekely II | 100.0 | 3,285 | |
| Total votes: 3,285 | |||
| = 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 themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
John Waldenberger did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
John Waldenberger completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Waldenberger's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
Returning the voice of the people back to Harrisburg: 1. ELECTED OFFICES SALARIES AND PENSIONS: I will push and introduce any measure to lower Salaries of elected offices, be it through legislation or constitutional ammendment. There is NO EXCUSE to be paying our legislatures 6 figures PER YEAR. In addition to this, I will be pushing to ELIMINATE PENSIONS for all elected offices. It is unacceptable to even entertain the notion that a person can sit in office for 10 years (if elected) and literally become a millionaire at the expense of tax payers! 2. TERM LIMITS: IN addition to salaries and pensions, we need to set term limits on our state representatives and senators. We have had people serve the same office, for 10, 20, 30 years! They only act in an election year. After a person serves their term, they should go back to their field. 3. REDUCTION OF WASTEFUL SPENDING AND TAX GOUGING OF PENNSYLVANIANS: Facts to not lie, we have consistently ranked in the top 15 for HIGHEST taxes in the nation. Number one being New York! We are a nation that was founded with a fight against excessive taxation, with out representation. Our current system only supports large corporations and special interest groups. It does not support the people that put those folks in office. We need to hold all state expenditures up to the light and stamp out all waste. No more allowing contractors and vendors to take advantage, and charge exhorbinent prices because the money is coming from the government! We need to find where functions are duplicated among multiple offices, and consolidate and reduce the expenditures of these offices, if necessary cut the office all together.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am most passionate about letting people live their lives as THEY CHOOSE TO, so long as they are not violating the individual rights and liberties of others. I am against anything that involves the use of excessive force or violence to be enforced. We need to return to personal accountability and responsibility of our own actions.
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
Who do I look up to? A LOT of people! I look up to those who will stand up for others, especially those who do so in a NON-VIOLENT MANNER. I look up to those who will put others before themselves, in order to help others, as opposed to only helping themselves.
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?
1984. I was in 6th/7th grade when I first saw this book sitting on a shelf in my English class. I was always a reader. I would read anything different than everyone, heck I read Moby Dick in 3rd Grade! The book 1984, and movie, seemed so far fetched to me. A universal government in a war that no one really saw. Government surveillance, by T.V.'S in peoples homes! The idea, from the perspective of someone living in a "free country", that this was possible was absurd! Then 9/11 happened. The war on terror began. The Patriot act was signed. As technology advanced more and more, I began to see the things that I thought would never happen, happening!
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
It is most important that they are an actual human being! What do I mean by that? We too often hold our elected officials on this special pedestal, where they have to be perfect, and if they do wrong SHAME ON THEM! Someone who is humble and recognizes if they make a mistake, and owns up to it! We are ALL HUMAN BEINGS, AND WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES!
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
I started working at the age of 12 for a neighbor, doing yard work. It was really good pay and hard work (especially for a kid)! When I turned 13, I started working as a busboy at a local restaurant. It was busy work, and very sticky on weekend morning breakfast shifts! I didn't care either way, because I wanted to be able to buy a car as soon as I was old enough to get my drivers license, so I worked hard!
What is your favorite holiday? Why?
My favorite holiday is any holiday where friends and family can come together. Especially one with lots of good food and beverage!
What was the last song that got stuck in your head?
Currently the song most stuck in my head is "Zombie", but the new cover by Bad Wolves. The original by the Cranberries is one of my favorite songs of all time, and one of the earliest songs I remember as a child. It speaks volumes to what war does to people, and what an ugly thing it is. The cover is most relevant because even today, its words still pack the same punch!
What are the benefits and drawbacks of a unicameral state legislature, in your opinion?
The only benefit is that there is one less expense, and a lot fewer paychecks being written on the backs of tax payers to the government!
Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?
I feel the best representatives in government are those with the LEAST experience! A person runs when they're tired of seeing people just like them not being represented, when they feel their voice is not heard! They are there because they want to BE the change they desire.
What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?
The executive branch must always be in communication with the legislature. This will ensure that any laws needed to be passed, will not waste our time and tax payers dollars.
Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.
It is always good to get to know those around you. You never know who you will meet, or who can help you with something down the road, or who you can help.
What process do you favor for redistricting?
One that takes the power out of the hands of any political party, committie or any political influence. It should strictly be based on population and population alone. Borders should fall along the
Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?
Every child growing up entertains the thought of wanting to be president, at least once in their life. I wouldn't say that I won't ever run, but I wouldn't rule out the thought of entertaining the idea. I am first eligible to run for the 2024 election, so who knows ;)
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
