A native of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, Representative Sam Smith represents nearly 60,000 residents of Jefferson, Indiana and Armstrong counties. Since he was first elected in 1986, Sam has never lost sight of the issues important to rural citizens and continues to be a strong advocate for this group of hard-working Pennsylvanians. 

As the Republican Leader of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Sam speaks for his party on the House floor, leads discussion and debate on major issues and oversees the operation of the House Republican Caucus. From 2003 through 2006, Sam served as Majority Leader of the House and as Majority Whip from 2000 to 2003. He is the first representative from Jefferson County to be elected to the second-highest House leadership post in the past 100 years. 

An advocate of quality education, Sam is the author of legislation creating “Education Block Grants” that are now available to each district in the Commonwealth to fund educational programs of the school’s choosing. He has also championed the “Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program,” or EITC, that creates solid public-private partnerships throughout the state to improve education for kids. With an eye toward providing quality educational opportunities for students in rural areas, he serves on the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) Council of Trustees and the Punxsutawney College Trust.

Well known for his leadership on conservation issues, Sam played a key role in securing major funding to clean up streams, improve local water and sewer services and reclaim abandoned mines through the “Growing Greener” initiative that he authored. He currently serves as a member of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and Mining and Reclamation Advisory Board.

For over 20 years, Sam has focused on advancing issues important to his constituents, including job creation and retention. He is active in several community improvement organizations, including the Jefferson County Development Council, Route 119 Improvement Committee, and Jefferson/Clarion Community Action Agency. Sam has been and continues to be an outspoken opponent of tolling Interstate 80. 

Sam has been a friend and avid supporter of local fire companies and emergency service providers. He has been honored by the Pennsylvania Ambulance Association for providing guidance and support to this group of dedicated citizens. 

Born August 10, 1955, Sam attended and graduated from Punxsutawney Area High School and later earned a bachelor’s degree in advertising from Penn State University. After working for several years in the construction industry and later for the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, he succeeded his father, L. Eugene “Snuffy” Smith, who had represented the 66thLegislative District since 1963. He is a life-long and currently active member of the First Methodist Church of Punxsutawney. With the famous Gobbler’s Knob in the heart of his district, Sam is also a long-standing member of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.Sam and his wife, Donna Bruder-Smith reside in Punxsutawney.  Their children, Alexandra and Zachery, are both in college.

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