State Rep. Evankovich won't run in 2018
Being in a bad motorcycle crash earlier this year lead state Rep. Eli Evankovich to decide not to seek a fifth term in the state Legislature.
Evankovich, a Republican representing the 54th District, was re-elected this year unopposed to a fourth two-year term.
He announced Tuesday he will not run again in 2018.
Evankovich, a Murrysville resident, said he spent June recovering from the May crash. He called it a “life event” that could have gone differently.
“It was after the primary and everything like that. It started to get my wheels turning for how I look at life,” he said.
“The reason I'm making the decision public now is I wanted people to know why,” he said. “I think it's a good idea for the voting public to know what their elected officials are thinking. When it became absolutely clear to me, I think they deserved to know that. Whoever is going to take my spot, they deserve an opportunity to start to think about that.”
Evankovich was first elected in 2010, defeating Democratic incumbent John Pallone.
He was previously a financial analyst for U.S. Steel Corp.
He won re-election in 2012 and 2014 against Democrat Patrick Leyland.
The 54th District includes Harrison, Fawn and West Deer in Allegheny County, and Allegheny Township, Lower Burrell, Upper Burrell, Murrysville, Export and Penn Township in Westmoreland County.
“When I was first running for office in 2010, I made a commitment to the voters that I did not intend to serve a lifelong career in public office,” he said in a statement. “My personal mission was to do my part in making government more efficient and to help to change the dynamic in government by using some of my private sector experience.”
In his upcoming final term, Evankovich said he'll continue to work on government reform, private sector job growth and fiscal responsibility.
He has served on the finance, insurance, consumer affairs, aging and rules committees, and founded the Pennsylvania House Manufacturing Caucus.
“Perhaps the most fulfilling experience has been the opportunity to help the people who walked into my office that just needed the government to work for them for a change,” he said.
After spending eight years as a full-time lawmaker, Evankovich said he doesn't know what he'll do when he leaves office.
“I'm not making any decisions as to what's next for me,” he said.
Republicans will hold the majority in the state House for the next two years, with 122 members; there are 81 Democrats.
Brian C. Rittmeyer is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-226-4701 or at brittmeyer@tribweb.com.
