Jake Banta | |
|---|---|
| Member of thePennsylvania House of Representatives from the4th district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Curt Sonney |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1965 Waterford, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Party | Republican (2009-present) |
| Other political affiliations | Democratic (2004-2009)[1] |
| Residence(s) | LeBoeuf Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Fort LeBoeuf High School |
| Website | www.repbanta.com |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Navy |
| Unit | SEALs |
Jacob Daniel Banta[2] (bornc. 1965[3]) is an American politician and musician who currently represents the4th District in thePennsylvania House of Representatives since 2023. He is a member of theRepublican Party.
Banta was born inWaterford, Pennsylvania,[4] and grew up on his family's farm inLeBoeuf Township, Pennsylvania.[1] Following graduation fromFort LeBoeuf High School in 1983, Banta enlisted in theUnited States Navy, ultimately becoming aNavy SEAL; he was honorably discharged. After the9/11 attacks, Banta worked as a security contractor with theU.S. Department of Defense in the Middle East.[4]
In2022, Banta ran to represent the4th District in thePennsylvania House of Representatives, following the retirement ofCurt Sonney. He won the six-personRepublican primary election,[5] and went on to defeatDemocrat Chelsea Oliver in the general election.[3]
For the 2025–2026 Session, Banta serves on the following committees:[6]
Banta has described himself as "pro-life." He has previously said he does not support a ban on abortion, but has suggested he would be open to one which makes exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother.[1]
Banta opposed public health mandates put in place during theCOVID-19 pandemic.[5] After an airline employee took issue with the non-surgical mask he was wearing, Banta elected to no longer fly while thefederal mandate was in place.[7] He has promoted usingIvermectin to treat COVID, despite there being no medical basis for the use of the drug in treating the disease.[1] According to Banta, he was let go as a military contractor over his refusal to get theCOVID-19 vaccine and now regrets receiving other vaccinations that were required of him when joining the military.[1][5]
Banta has spoken of a "plandemic" conspiracy and claimed COVID-19 was created byBill Gates,Anthony Fauci, andChina as part of aglobalist plot to depopulate the world.[1][3] He also claims the COVID vaccine has killed more people than the virus itself. In aGab post, Banta claimed COVID test swabs, masks, and COVID vaccines contain lethal amounts ofgraphene oxide.[1]
Banta supports the overturning of Pennsylvania's mail-in voting law. He also supportsvoter ID and advocates for the presence of serial numbers on ballots.[1]
Banta has used several social media sites, includingFacebook,Gab, andTruth Social, to promote conspiracy theories and falsehoods sourced from variousfar-right websites. Some of his online comments caused his Facebook account to be suspended. He also claims theFBI visited his home in response to his rhetoric, a claim which has gone unverified. Banta additionally administers a 5,300-member private Facebook paged titled "I am America." Several members have postedQAnon content on the page. Although Banta himself has not posted QAnon content, several of his posts have similar language to QAnon conspiracy theories.[1]
Banta denies the result of the2020 United States presidential election and claims it wasstolen from PresidentDonald Trump byDemocrats.[3][1] He also claims that Pennsylvania State RepresentativeRyan Bizzarro won his2020 election because of fraud. There is no evidence to support either claim. Banta has claimed that theJanuary 6 Capitol attack was orchestrated by Trump's political opponents to sabotage his career. At the same time, he has voiced support for those who attacked the Capitol building, referring to them as "patriots."[1]
Banta has promoted theNew World Order conspiracy theory, alleging mandates related to theCOVID-19 pandemic, gun control, and "stolen" elections were part of a plot to establish a globalMarxist state. The primary perpetrators of the New World Order, he claims, are theWorld Health Organization,World Economic Forum, and Democratic politicians, including PresidentJoe Biden.[1]
Banta is married to Shelly,[8] and lives inLeBoeuf Township, Pennsylvania.[3] He has three children and two grandchildren.[4]
Banta is the lead singer and guitarist in his band Jake's Blues.[1] His music is influence byStevie Ray Vaughan and has recorded several of his own albums.[9] He previously recorded with the bandDouble Trouble.[1] Banta performed thenational anthem at two rallies for PresidentDonald Trump.[5]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jake Banta | 3,702 | 41.98 | |
| Republican | Jason Monn | 2,321 | 26.32 | |
| Republican | Greg Hayes | 1,072 | 12.15 | |
| Republican | Joe Cancilla | 773 | 8.77 | |
| Republican | Jennifer Lesher | 732 | 8.3 | |
| Republican | John D. Diamond | 201 | 2.28 | |
| Write-in | 18 | 0.2 | ||
| Total votes | 8,819 | 100.00 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jake Banta | 16,375 | 61.44 | |
| Democratic | Chelsea Oliver | 10,276 | 38.56 | |
| Total votes | 26,651 | 100.00 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jake Banta (incumbent) | 22,686 | 67.54 | |
| Democratic | Joe Cancilla | 10,845 | 32.29 | |
| Write-in | 56 | 0.17 | ||
| Total votes | 33,587 | 100.00 | ||
