Lloyd Smucker | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromPennsylvania | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Joe Pitts |
| Constituency | 16th district (2017–2019) 11th district (2019–present) |
| Member of thePennsylvania Senate from the13th district | |
| In office January 6, 2009 – November 30, 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Gib Armstrong |
| Succeeded by | Scott Martin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Lloyd Kenneth Smucker (1964-01-23)January 23, 1964 (age 61) |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Cindy |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Lebanon Valley College Franklin and Marshall College |
| Signature |  |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
Lloyd Kenneth Smucker[1] (born January 23, 1964)[citation needed] is an American politician serving as theU.S. representative fromPennsylvania's 11th congressional district, which includesLancaster County and most of southernYork County. He is a member of theRepublican Party and represented the16th district until theSupreme Court of Pennsylvania redrew it in 2018. He was a member of thePennsylvania State Senate for the13th district from 2009 to 2016.
Smucker was born inLancaster County, Pennsylvania, to Daniel and Arie Smucker.[2] At the time of his birth, the family belonged to theOld Order Amish, but they left the community when he was five years old.[3] After graduating fromLancaster Mennonite High School in 1981, he attendedLebanon Valley College andFranklin & Marshall College, where he earned credits in liberal arts but did not complete a degree.[3] For 25 years, he served as president of the Smucker Company, a family-owned commercial construction firm inSmoketown.[4] Smucker is aLutheran and has three children with his wife, Cindy.[5][3]
Smucker was a member of theWest Lampeter Township Planning Commission for four years before serving two terms as a township supervisor.[4] In 2008, after 23-year incumbentGib Armstrong decided to retire, Smucker entered the four-way Republican primary to succeed him, receiving 47% of the vote.[6] In the general election, he defeated theDemocratic nominee, Lancaster City Council member José E. Urdaneta, 57%-43%.[7]
On November 8, 2016, Smucker defeated Christina Hartman with 53% of the vote in the race to replace the retiringJoe Pitts in Congress.[8] He was sworn in to representPennsylvania's 16th congressional district on January 3, 2017.[9]
A new congressional map imposed by thePennsylvania Supreme Court renumbered Smucker's district as the 11th district. It picked up the sliver ofLancaster County that had previously been in the7th district, while losing its shares ofChester andBerks counties. To make up for the loss in population, it was shifted to the west, absorbing most of the more rural eastern portion ofYork County.[10] The old 16th had been one of Pennsylvania's most Republican districts, but the Democratic trend in areas of the district closer toPhiladelphia had resulted in close races at the presidential level since the turn of the millennium.John McCain only carried the old 16th with 51% of the vote in 2008,[11] whileMitt Romney won it with 52% in 2012[12] andDonald Trump won it with 51% in 2016.[13] According toNate Cohn ofThe New York Times, these trends theoretically left Smucker vulnerable in a Democratic wave.[10]
In contrast, the new 11th is significantly more rural and Republican than its predecessor. Had it existed in 2016, Trump would have won it with over 60% of the vote, which would have been his fifth-best showing in the state.[14] According to Cohn, the Republican-controlled state legislature had placed the more Democratic areas of Chester and Berks counties into the 16th in order to protect Republican incumbents in neighboring districts. As Cohn put it, the loss of those areas and the addition of part of York County had the effect of making what was already a "naturally Republican" district even more so.[10]
As expected, Smucker won a second term handily, defeating Democratic nominee Jess King with 59% of the vote.[15]
During the presidency ofDonald Trump, Smucker voted in line with Trump's stated position 94% of the time.[16] As of September 2021, Smucker had voted in line withJoe Biden's stated position 14.3% of the time.[17]
Smucker supported theAmerican Health Care Act, the GOP's legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).[18]
On September 24, 2014, Smucker voted against Pennsylvania senate bill SB1182, which would legalizemedical cannabis in Pennsylvania.[19] He voted to repeal provisions in theDodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.[20] He has voted for increases in military spending.[20] He supported legislation to punish sanctuary cities.[20] In 2017, Smucker voted for a budget that proposed cutting Medicare by $537 billion and giving seniors the opportunity to enroll in private plans in competition with Medicare.[21]
On January 6, 2021, Smucker voted to overturn the Electoral College results that would make Biden president. Pennsylvania cast its electoral ballots for Biden in the 2020 presidential election.[22]
Smucker opposes abortion.[23] He supports including fetuses among those givencivil rights protections per the14th amendment and introduced a bill to protect "infant survivors of abortion".[24]
Smucker is against codifying the right tobirth control. He voted against the Right to Contraception Act in 2022.[25]
Smucker opposesgay marriage and voted againstfederally protecting gay and interracial marriages.[26] He voted against allowing private lawsuits against schools who racially discriminate.[24]
Smucker opposes an income tax increase, opposes federal spending, and supports lowering taxes as a means of promoting economic growth.[27]
Smucker opposes requiring states to adopt federal education standards. He supports leaving education standards to the state.[27] As of July 2025, Smucker had an "F" rating from theNational Education Association (NEA)'s scorecard measuring support for issues related to public education and educators.[28]
Smucker opposes federal regulation ofgreenhouse gas emissions and assisting rural renewable energy. He voted to loosen restrictions onpredator control inAlaska.[24]
Smucker opposes gun-control legislation and voted twice against expanding background checks.[24] In 2024, he is endorsed by theNRA Political Victory Fund.[29]
Smucker supports repealing theAffordable Care Act and supports leaving healthcare to the states.[24] He also supports patient flexibility and patients' rights; in the 119th Congress, he introduced theHospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act to give patients flexibility to receive care in their homes.[30]
Smucker supports requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship and supports bans on immigration for "non-cooperating" countries.[24]
Smucker supports increased American intervention inIraq andSyria beyond air support.
Smucker is pro-Israel and supports keeping a United States embassy inJerusalem. In 2024, he receivedAIPAC's endorsement.[31]
He supportedDonald Trump'sstrike on Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani.[24]
Smucker supports allowing individuals to divert a portion of theirSocial Security taxes into personal retirement accounts.[32] In 2024, he voted against legislation that would help pensioners receive their full Social Security benefits.[33]
Smucker voted twice against impeaching Trump and against forming theJanuary 6th committee.[24] Trump endorsed Smucker's 2022 reelection bid.[34]
Smucker supportscapital punishment and voted to expand thefederal death penalty for killings of police officers.[35]
Smucker opposesnet neutrality.[24]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Lloyd Smucker (incumbent) | 163,708 | 59.0 | |
| Democratic | Jess King | 113,876 | 41.0 | |
| Total votes | 277,584 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Lloyd Smucker (incumbent) | 241,915 | 63.1 | |
| Democratic | Sarah Hammond | 141,325 | 36.9 | |
| Total votes | 383,240 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Lloyd Smucker (incumbent) | 194,991 | 61.5 | |
| Democratic | Bob Hollister | 121,835 | 38.5 | |
| Total votes | 316,826 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Lloyd Smucker (incumbent) | 253,672 | 62.9 | |
| Democratic | Jim Atkinson | 149,641 | 37.1 | |
| Total votes | 403,313 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
Smucker ... and Perry ... have consistently opposed abortion throughout their political careers.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromPennsylvania's 16th congressional district 2017–2019 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromPennsylvania's 11th congressional district 2019–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 180th | Succeeded by |
