Eric Nelson (Pennsylvania politician)
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image =
| name = Eric Nelson
| caption =
| state_house = Pennsylvania
| district = 57th
| term_start = April 5, 2016{{cite web |title =House of Representatives Daily Session Update|date = 2016-04-05|url = http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/HS/2015/0/20160405.htm}}
| term_end =
| predecessor = Tim Krieger
| successor =
| birth_date = December 19, 1968
| birth_place = Hempfield Township, Pennsylvania
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Independent(before 2015)
Republican(2015-present)
| alma_mater = Indiana University of Pennsylvania
| occupation = Safety Professional/Professor
| spouse = Susan
| children = Brooke, Randy, Liberty, Will, Kennedy and Gretchen
| residence = Hempfield Township
| religion =
| website =
}}
Eric Nelson is a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 57th House district in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.
Early life
Nelson served as a Marine and a faculty member at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.{{Cite web|last=Cholodofsky|first=Rich|date=15 March 2016|title=Nelson nails landslide victory in race for 57th House seat|url=https://archive.triblive.com/ccpa/?page=/news/nelson-nails-landslide-victory-in-race-for-57th-house-seat/|access-date=2020-11-03|website=TribLIVE.com|language=en-US}} He owned a family beef farm and is married with six children.{{Cite web|last=Crompton|first=Janice|date=18 March 2016|title=Republican Eric Nelson elected to fill House seat|url=https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-local/2016/03/18/Voters-choose-Eric-Nelson-to-fill-legislative-term/stories/201603180061|access-date=2020-11-03|website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|language=en}} Prior to 2015, Nelson was registered as an Independent, but he changed his political affiliation to Republican that year.
Political career
Nelson became the representative for the 57th House District of Pennsylvania during a special election in March 2016, taking over the seat after Rep. Tim Krieger resigned to serve as a common pleas court judge.{{Cite web|date=7 November 2018|title=57th House District: Nelson wins 2nd full term|url=https://archive.triblive.com/ccpa/?page=/news/politics-election/57th-house-district-nelson-wins-2nd-full-term/|access-date=2020-11-03|website=Trib Total Media|language=en-US}} He won a full term in November 2016 with sixty-five percent of the vote over opponent Linda Iezzi.{{Cite news|date=2017-08-01|title=Pennsylvania 57th District State House Results: Eric Nelson Wins|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/2016/results/pennsylvania-state-house-district-57|access-date=2020-11-03|issn=0362-4331}}
In November 2018, Nelson was elected to a second term, receiving sixty-two percent of the vote over his opponent Collin Warren.
In April 2020, Nelson introduced an amendment to the Heart and Lung Act that would ensure police and firefighters would continue to be paid if they had to miss work because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|last=Cholodofsky|first=Rich|date=13 April 2020|title=Pennsylvania bill would ensure full pay for first responders stricken with coronavirus {{!}} TribLIVE.com|url=https://triblive.com/local/westmoreland/pennsylvania-bill-would-ensure-full-pay-for-first-responders-stricken-with-coronavirus/|access-date=2020-11-03|website=triblive.com}} The bill was signed into law by Governor Tom Wolf.{{Cite web|date=3 May 2020|title=5 actions Pa. lawmakers took last week on coronavirus crisis: outdoor recreation, telemdicine, new funding for hospitals|url=https://www.mcall.com/coronavirus/mc-nws-pa-coronavirus-lawmakers-actions-outdoors-telemedicine-20200503-5fpvyd52rreddmnz4ny5dwdlqa-story.html|access-date=2020-11-03|website=The Morning Call}}
After the 2020 Presidential election, Eric Nelson was one of twenty-six Pennsylvania House Republicans who called for withdrawing certification of presidential electors, despite there being no conclusive evidence of fraud, and despite Joe Biden winning Pennsylvania by more than 80,000 votes. This also occurred after federal appeals brought by the Trump campaign were dismissed due to lack of evidence.{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Jan |author1-link=Jan Murphy |title=26 Pa. House Republicans call for withdrawing certification of presidential electors |url=https://www.pennlive.com/elections/2020/11/26-pa-house-republicans-call-for-withdrawing-certification-of-presidential-electors.html |work=The Patriot-News |date=27 November 2020 |language=en}}
= Committee assignments =
- Consumer Affairs{{Cite web|title=Representative Eric R. Nelson|url=https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/House_bio.cfm?id=1738|access-date=2022-01-17|website=The official website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly.|language=English}}
- Insurance
- Labor & Industry, Subcommittee on Workers Compensation and Worker Protection - Chair
- State Government
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.repnelson.com/ Official Web Site]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080114042232/http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/house_bio.cfm?districtnumber=57 PA House profile]
{{Pennsylvania House of Representatives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson, Eric}}
Category:Politicians from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Category:Republican Party members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Category:21st-century members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly