Pennsylvania — 15th District

D Democratic Ray Bilger

Supports small family farm protections

Bilger advocates for passing the Agricultural Right to Repair Act, protecting federal crop insurance, and returning tariff decisions to Congress to shield family farms from international trade wars. He criticizes Thompson's leadership as House Agriculture Committee Chairman, pointing to the loss of over 10,000 Pennsylvania farms and disproportionate subsidy payments to large corporate operations.

• Supports the Agricultural Right to Repair Act to allow farmers to repair equipment without dealer fees
• Pledges to protect federal crop insurance programs from budget cuts
• Proposes returning tariff and trade decision-making power to Congress to prevent unilateral agricultural trade wars

“In Congress, Ray will vote for the Agricultural Right to Repair Act. He’ll protect crop insurance. And he’ll fight to bring tariff decisions back to Congress, because right now, farmers are paying for trade wars they had no vote in.”

R Republican Glenn Thompson

Promotes pro-agriculture federal policies

Thompson serves as Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, where he focuses on supporting agricultural producers, energy development, and federal Farm Bill legislation. He emphasizes his background representing PA-15's agricultural community and promoting homegrown solutions for farmers and rural families.

• Serves as Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee in the 119th Congress
• Oversees federal Farm Bill legislation and federal agricultural programs
• Focuses on food, fiber, and energy production for rural communities

“In the 119th Congress, I am proud to serve as the Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, a role that allows me to advocate for the hard working men and women who produce the food, fiber, and energy that drives our country and feeds our families”

D Democratic Ray Bilger

Expands rural healthcare access

Bilger pledges to protect rural healthcare infrastructure, restore federal Medicaid funding, and extend state health insurance marketplace tax credits. He strongly criticizes Thompson for voting against health insurance tax credit extensions and supporting Medicaid cuts, attributing local hospital closures like Bradford Regional Medical Center to these federal reductions.

• Advocates for extending enhanced Pennie health insurance tax credits to lower premiums
• Opposes federal Medicaid cutbacks that threaten rural hospital operations
• Focuses on eliminating maternity care deserts across rural counties

“Ray Bilger will make the right decision.”

“Glenn Thompson had sixteen years to fight for rural healthcare in this district. Bradford Regional Medical Center closed on his watch.”

R Republican Glenn Thompson

Protects Medicare while limiting spending

Thompson, a former healthcare administrator, supports protecting Medicare and Social Security benefits for current retirees while opposing benefit reductions for those enrolled. His voting record includes supporting federal budget reconciliation and spending limit legislation such as the Limit, Save, Grow Act and the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.

• Opposes benefit reductions for current Medicare enrollees and Social Security recipients
• Draws on professional background as a former healthcare administrator
• Voted for federal budget control legislation including the Limit, Save, Grow Act and Fiscal Responsibility Act

“I oppose efforts to reduce benefits for those already enrolled in Medicare and receiving Social Security.”

D Democratic Ray Bilger

Invests in rural small businesses

Bilger advocates for targeted federal investment in rural communities to stem the outflow of young residents and expand local economic bases. He proposes creating small business incubators and developing legislation to support farms, local banks, healthcare facilities, and small manufacturing operations.

• Proposes small business incubators modeled after existing Centre and Clearfield county programs
• Supports federal legislation to encourage local manufacturing, farming, and commercial business development
• Focuses on economic revitalization to retain young workers in PA-15

“When Ray gets to Washington, one of his top priorities will be legislation that makes it easier to start and grow a business right here — small manufacturers, farms, local banks, healthcare facilities, and the small commercial businesses that are the backbone of every town in this district.”

R Republican Glenn Thompson

Promotes fiscal restraint and deregulation

Thompson adheres to a strict fiscal policy stance centered on reducing federal debt and government spending. He highlights his past legislative leadership in stopping Interstate 80 tolling to protect local business transport and consistently pledges fiscal discipline.

• Signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge with Americans for Tax Reform
• Led efforts to stop the tolling of Interstate 80 to protect regional job growth
• Voted for major federal budget control and tax legislation including H.R. 1 in 2025

“FISCAL POLICY: "You Can't Spend What You Don't Have": Our nation is more than $17 trillion in the red and we cannot afford to leave our children and grandchildren with a legacy of debt.”

D Democratic Ray Bilger

Balances natural gas with clean energy

Bilger supports Pennsylvania's natural gas production but calls for strict regulatory oversight and corporate accountability when environmental violations occur. He also advocates for expanding clean energy construction and manufacturing jobs to ensure PA-15 workers benefit from the evolving energy economy.

• Supports domestic natural gas production while demanding strong environmental oversight and corporate accountability
• Advocates for bringing clean energy manufacturing and construction jobs to PA-15
• Cites corporate water contamination in Cameron County to justify stricter regulatory enforcement

“Ray believes in a simple rule: if you do business in Pennsylvania, you play by our laws. The problem isn’t the industry, it’s what happens when companies cut corners and nobody holds them accountable.”

R Republican Glenn Thompson

Expands domestic energy production

Thompson advocates for an all-of-the-above domestic energy strategy that increases the production of oil, natural gas, and coal while streamlining permitting restrictions. He served as Chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Energy, Conservation, and Forestry and voted for the Lower Energy Costs Act.

• Supports maximizing domestic natural gas, oil, and coal production
• Voted Yea on the Lower Energy Costs Act (H.R. 1) to reduce permitting restrictions for energy projects
• Promotes a three-tiered approach to achieve national energy security using PA natural resources

“ENERGY SECURITY: Fueling America with Efficiency, Homegrown Natural Resources & Research: Unfortunately, for decades Washington has stood in the way of a viable domestic energy policy.”

D Democratic Ray Bilger

Codifies federal abortion rights

Bilger supports protecting and codifying abortion access into federal law, ensuring emergency reproductive healthcare availability, and safeguarding contraception access. He argues that healthcare decisions belong solely to patients and doctors rather than politicians.

• Supports codifying abortion access into federal law
• Advocates for protecting access to contraception and emergency reproductive care
• Criticizes legislative restrictions on healthcare in areas facing maternity care deserts

“Ray supports codifying the right to abortion into federal law. He supports ensuring that emergency reproductive care is available everywhere — including in rural Pennsylvania.”

R Republican Glenn Thompson

Opposes abortion and protects unborn life

Thompson opposes abortion access and campaigns explicitly on defending the sanctity of life. He highlights his commitment to protecting unborn children as a core campaign priority.

• Explicitly opposes abortion and pledges to fight for the sanctity of human life
• Maintains a pro-life stance as a central pillar of his campaign platform

“FIGHTING FOR THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE FOR THE INNOCENT UNBORN”

D Democratic Ray Bilger

Supports ethics reform and term limits

Bilger advocates for sweeping government ethics reform, including banning congressional stock trading, closing the revolving door between lawmakers and lobbyists, and overturning Citizens United. He also supports a constitutional amendment limiting House members to six terms (12 years) and pledges to limit himself accordingly.

• Supports banning stock trading by members of Congress
• Advocates for a constitutional amendment imposing a six-term (12-year) limit on House members
• Pledges to close the lobbyist revolving door and support overturning Citizens United

“This isn’t a partisan issue, it’s a corruption issue. That’s why Ray Bilger supports a ban on congressional stock trading, legislation already introduced by Republican Congressman Chip Roy of Texas.”

R Republican Glenn Thompson

Enforces voter proof of citizenship requirements

Thompson supports strict voter eligibility measures and voted for the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) requiring proof of citizenship for federal voting. He also voted against certifying Pennsylvania's 2020 electoral votes during the January 6-7, 2021 joint session.

• Voted Yea on the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) to mandate proof of citizenship for federal election registration
• Voted against certifying Pennsylvania's 2020 electoral votes in January 2021
• Currently seeking a 10th term in the U.S. House of Representatives

“Thompson voted against certifying the electoral votes from Pennsylvania.”

D Democratic Ray Bilger

Secures border with strict ICE accountability

Bilger supports comprehensive immigration reform that secures the border, clears legal processing backlogs, and establishes workable legal pathways. He emphasizes strict constitutional oversight of ICE and CBP, demanding mandatory badge numbers, visible uniforms, no masks, and independent review panels for enforcement violations.

• Supports border security combined with clearing immigration backlogs and creating legal pathways
• Demands mandatory visible identification, uniforms, and no masks for ICE and CBP agents
• Requires independent review panels to investigate enforcement violations and constitutional infractions

“Ray supports fixing the system — securing the border, creating workable legal pathways, and clearing the backlogs that leave people in limbo for years. And he supports doing it with a single standard of accountability that applies to everyone.”

R Republican Glenn Thompson

Supports strict enforcement and mandatory detention

Thompson consistently votes for stringent federal border security and immigration enforcement measures. He voted Yea on the Laken Riley Act, the DUI Protect Our Communities Act, and the SAVE Act.

• Voted Yea on the Laken Riley Act (S.5) requiring detention of undocumented immigrants arrested for theft crimes
• Voted Yea on H.R. 875 making DUI offenses grounds for deportation or inadmissibility
• Voted Yea on the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) enforcing citizenship verification for voting

“The Laken Riley Act (S.5) was a bill passed by the 119th Congress... which required the Department of Homeland Security to detain certain individuals residing in the United States without legal permission who have been arrested for burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting”

D Democratic Ray Bilger

Protects SNAP benefits from cuts

Bilger opposes cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), describing it as an essential safety net for struggling families, laid-off workers, and seniors. He attacks Thompson for breaking a pledge not to reduce nutritional benefits when voting for federal spending legislation.

• Opposes federal benefit reductions and stricter work requirements for SNAP recipients
• Framed SNAP as vital food security for low-income families, seniors, and veterans
• Criticizes Thompson for voting for spending bills that cut nutritional assistance

“SNAP is not a handout. It’s $6 a day to feed your family.”

R Republican Glenn Thompson

Expands work requirements for assistance

Thompson voted for federal legislation, including the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 and the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, that expanded work requirements for SNAP enrollees. As Agriculture Committee Chairman, he supports reforming federal welfare programs to encourage workforce participation.

• Voted Yea on the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 expanding SNAP work requirements
• Voted Yea on the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 enhancing work requirements for SNAP and TANF
• Supports structural reforms to federal food assistance programs as Ag Committee Chairman

“The bill also capped non-defense spending in fiscal year 2024... enhanced work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program (TANF)”

D Democratic Ray Bilger

Increases public school and STEM funding

Bilger advocates for strong federal investment in public education, expanding STEM teacher attraction grants for rural schools, and protecting university research funding at Penn State. He criticizes cuts to federal education grants under Thompson's tenure.

• Supports expanding federal grants to recruit and retain STEM teachers in rural districts
• Opposes federal funding cuts threatening research at Pennsylvania State University
• Advocates for increased overall federal investment in public schools and educators

“In thousands of schools across Pennsylvania and the nation, there is a shortage of qualified STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) teachers. Yet under Glenn Thompson’s watch, federal grants meant to attract expert teachers to rural schools were significantly cut.”

R Republican Glenn Thompson

Restricts transgender participation in school sports

Thompson serves as a senior member on the House Education and Workforce Committee and has a background as a school board member. He voted Yea on the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025 to restrict female athletic participation based on biological sex at birth.

• Serves as a senior member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce
• Voted Yea on the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025 (H.R. 28)
• Brings local governance perspective from service on the Bald Eagle Area School Board

“The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025 (H.R. 28) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives... that would prohibit school athletic programs from allowing individuals whose sex was male to participate in programs for women or girls.”

D Democratic Ray Bilger

Protects VA funding and care access

Bilger, an Air Force veteran, pledges to oppose VA budget cuts, eliminate private equity profiting off veteran care, and remove bureaucratic hurdles in VA healthcare. He focuses on addressing veteran homelessness and opioid addiction.

• Opposes federal VA budget cuts that cause medical treatment delays
• Pledges to eliminate private equity and corporate profiting from veteran healthcare
• Focuses on ending veteran homelessness and addressing high opioid addiction rates

“As a Veteran himself, Ray Bilger will push back against VA cuts that delay treatment. Ray will keep private equity from standing between veterans and their care and not let corporations turn a profit by denying veterans care.”

R Republican Glenn Thompson

Supports veterans and military defense

Thompson emphasizes his legislative support for veterans and military personnel as part of his core service to PA-15. He voted Yea on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024.

• Highlights representation of veterans as a key pillar of his congressional work
• Voted Yea on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (H.R. 2670)

“NOBODY WORKS HARDER FOR FAMILIES, FARMERS and VETERANS”

D Democratic Ray Bilger

Regulates data centers to protect ratepayers

Bilger addresses the influx of high-energy data centers in rural Pennsylvania, raising concerns over rising electricity capacity costs and water usage while 276,000 households lack reliable broadband. He proposes five federal standards, including broadband co-investment, Community Benefit Agreements, and ratepayer cost protections.

• Proposes mandatory broadband co-investment as a condition for tech tax benefits
• Demands Community Benefit Agreements, water usage transparency, and strict generator air standards
• Advocates for federal ratepayer protections to prevent tech energy demands from raising residential utility bills

“If elected, Ray will fight for five enforceable federal priorities: broadband co-investment as a condition of federal tax benefits, mandatory Community Benefit Agreements, water transparency requirements, strict clean air standards for backup generators, and ratepayer protection to shield families from data center demand.”

D Democratic Ray Bilger

Supports common-sense background checks

Bilger, a veteran and gun owner, supports the Second Amendment while advocating for universal background checks to prevent criminals and dangerous individuals from obtaining firearms. He criticizes Thompson for blindly following gun lobby directives.

• Emphasizes his personal background as a veteran, gun owner, and hunter
• Supports strengthening background checks to keep firearms away from criminals and dangerous individuals
• Distinguishes his stance from rigid gun-rights lobbying positions

“Ray Bilger is a gun owner and a veteran, and believes in the Second Amendment — full stop.”

D Democratic Ray Bilger

Conditions foreign aid and opposes unauthorized war

Bilger supports conditioning U.S. military aid to Israel on compliance with international law via the Ceasefire Compliance Act, while recognizing Israel's right to self-defense and condemning Hamas. He also opposes unauthorized military action against Iran and pledges to vote for a War Powers Resolution to reassert congressional authority.

• Supports the Ceasefire Compliance Act to condition foreign military assistance on compliance with human rights and ceasefire terms
• Condemns October 7 Hamas attacks while citing humanitarian concerns in Gaza
• Pledges to vote for a War Powers Resolution to halt unauthorized military conflict with Iran

“As a result, Ray would vote to support a War Powers Resolution to reign in Trump’s war in Iran. This would put a stop to losing precious American lives in this senseless and counter-productive war and restore Congress’s Constitutional authority to declare war.”