PIKE AND WAYNE COUNTIES, PA — Republican Jeff Olsommer won yesterday’s special election for the Pennsylvania General Assembly.

He will fill the vacancy in the 139th District left by Joe Adams, who resigned on February 9 for personal reasons.

Olsommer beat Democrat Robin Schooley Skibber, 7,140 to 4,696. Skibber had a good showing in her home county of Pike but did not make up the difference in Wayne. Olsommer did well in both counties (see sidebar for vote breakdown).

The two will face off again in November’s general election. Olsommer is a small-business owner who chairs the Sterling Township board of supervisors and serves on the Wayne Memorial Health Foundation. Skibber is the former director of the Pike County Area Agency on Aging.

Olsommer also prevailed over Matthew Contreras, 4,975 to 2,195, in the Republican primary held at the same time. Olsommer was nominated by the local Republican committees. 

Skibber was unopposed in the Democratic primary, in which she received 3,957 votes.

The 139th includes parts of Pike and Wayne counties, including Blooming Grove, Dingman, Greene, Lackawaxen, Milford, Palmyra, Shohola, Westfall Township, Matamoras, Milford Boroughs, Cherry Ridge, Dreher, Lake, Lehigh, Palmyra, Paupack, Salem, South Canaan, Sterling Township and Hawley Borough.

139th vote breakdown by county:

DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY
Robin Schooley Skibber (unopposed):
Wayne County: 1,433
Pike County: 2,524
Total: 3,957
REPUBLICAN PRIMARY
Jeff Olsommer:
Wayne County: 2,505
Pike County: 2,470
Total: 4,975
Matthew Contreras:
Wayne County: 559
Pike County: 1,636
Total: 2,195
SPECIAL ELECTION
Robin Schooley Skibber:
Wayne County: 1,500
Pike County: 3,196
Total: 4,696
Jeff Olsommer:
Wayne County: 3,172
Pike County: 3,968
Total: 7,140
(Tallies do not include write-ins.)