Member Biography

John R. Gordner 

John R. Gordner 
Sessions Office Position District Party
2003       27 Republican
2004       27 Republican
2005       27 Republican
2006       27 Republican
2007       27 Republican
2008       27 Republican
2009       27 Republican
2010       27 Republican
2011     Majority Caucus Administrator 27 Republican
2012     Majority Caucus Administrator 27 Republican
2013     Majority Caucus Chairman 27 Republican
2014     Majority Caucus Chairman 27 Republican
2015     Majority Whip 27 Republican
2016     Majority Whip 27 Republican
2017     Majority Whip 27 Republican
2018     Majority Whip 27 Republican
2019     Majority Whip 27 Republican
2020     Majority Whip 27 Republican
2021     Majority Whip 27 Republican
2022     Majority Whip 27 Republican

COUNTIES: Luzerne, Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder  


Biography

01/05/1962 -

John R. Gordner (R27) Columbia Luzerne (Part), Montour, Northumberland and Snyder Counties 2003-2022

Early Life: 

John R. Gordner, born January 5, 1962, Berwick, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania; son of Carl L. and Shirley Gordner; Berwick Area High School, 1979; Dickinson College, B.A., 1983; Dickinson School of Law (now, Penn State Dickinson Law), J.D., 1987; attorney; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1993-2001; changed party affiliation, Republican, October 1, 2001; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 2003; resigned, House, November 24, 2003; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, Special Election, November 24, 2003-November 30, 2022; resigned, Pennsylvania State Senate; counsel, President pro tempore, Pennsylvania Senator Kim Ward, 2022; married, Lori, two children. 

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships:

President, Berwick Jaycees; vice-chairman Greater Berwick Chapter-Red Cross; fund drive chairman, Berwick Area United Way; member, board of directors, Boy Scouts of America, board member, Columbia-Montour Council; Berwick Rotary Club, Central Susquehanna Community Foundation, Central Susquehanna Opportunities, Economics Pennsylvania; Board of Deacons, First Baptist Church of Berwick.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1993-2001; Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority, 1994-2001; changed party affiliation, Republican, October 1, 2001; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 2003; Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority, 2002-2003; appointed, board, Center for Rural Pennsylvania, 1997-2002, 2005-2010; chair, 2007-2010; resigned, House, November 24, 2003. 

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 27th district, Columbia Luzerne (Part), Montour, Northumberland and Snyder Counties, Special Election, November 24, 2003, vacancy, resignation, Ed Helfrick; Majority Caucus Administrator 2011-2012; Majority Chairman, 2013-2014; Majority Whip, 2015-2022; Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority 2004-2020; appointed, Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee, 2005-2008; appointed, Capitol Preservation Committee, 2009-2022 chairman, 2015-2022; appointed, Joint State Government Commission, 2015-2022; elected, delegate, Republican National Convention, 2012; committee assignments, Banking and Insurance, Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, Game and Fisheries, Intergovernmental Operations, Judiciary, Rules and Executive Nominations (Vice Chairman), Transportation, Urban Affairs and Housing; resigned, November 30, 2022; Lynda Joy Schlegel Culver, seated, February 28, 2023. 

Pennsylvania House of Representatives Biography:

Official Website - PA House Archives Official Website (state.pa.us) 

Cited:

The Pennsylvania Manual, (2021-2022) Mattos, S. (Editor). (Volume 125). Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, page 3-38; Biographies of Members of the Senate, page 3-19.