Garnering nearly 70% of the vote, Republican state Rep. Leslie Rossi will keep her seat representing Pennsylvania’s 59th District, according to unofficial election results.

With all of the district’s precincts reporting, Rossi, a Unity Republican who has served in the state House since May 2021, collected 69.68% of the votes compared to Democrat Margie Zelenak’s 30.18%.

This was the first election that Rossi had faced any opposition since she beat Democrat Mariah Fisher of Ligonier and Libertarian Robb Luther in a May 2021 special election. She served the remainder of the late state Rep. Mike Reese’s term, which expired at the end of 2022. Zelenak, of Mt. Pleasant Township, was running for public office for the first time.

The conservative Rossi has said she wants to lower the state’s corporate net income tax rate. She serves on the finance, health, gaming oversight and children and youth committees.

Rossi became known for creating the Trump House in 2016. She had a tall cutout of Donald Trump erected in front of a two-story, red-and-white house she owns along Route 982 just outside Youngstown.

Zelenak, who retired as executive director of the Pennsylvania Assisted Living Association, is completing her service on the Governor’s Long Term Care Council. She had emphasized that the needs of senior citizens should be addressed, specifically with health care, prescriptions and transportation.

Zelenak also said she would advocate for funding to help businesses provide child care services. She favored continuing and possibly increasing funding for the state’s property tax and rent rebate programs.

The 59th District includes Bolivar, Derry, Donegal, Latrobe, Laurel Mountain, Ligonier, New Florence, Seward, Unity and other portions of eastern Westmoreland County.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)