Americans for Prosperity-Pennsylvania (AFP-PA) is proud to welcome former PA State Representative Sam Rohrer as AFP’s new State Director. Since his election to the Legislature in 1992, Mr. Rohrer has been fighting for the principles of limited governments and free markets that are central to Americans for Prosperity’s mission. His outspoken support for constitutional principles has been the hallmark of his public service.

His campaign for Governor in the 2010 primary brought Sam to the attention of Pennsylvania’s emerging Tea Party movement. One prominent grassroots leader summed up what so many in the grassroots movement have stated, “I embraced Sam as a leader because he wasn’t just mimicking popular sentiment to win over tea party activists. For years he had been living and fighting for the very principles we held so dear.”

As a legislator, Mr. Rohrer led the opposition to the explosive growth of federal spending, regulations and unconstitutional mandates in Pennsylvania. He served on the Speaker's Commission on Government Reform, which brought new levels of transparency and accountability to the state legislature. In his role as Republican chairman of the House Finance Committee, he argued for strong, structural limits on state government taxes and spending. In 2010, he led an effort to pass the "10th Amendment Resolution," challenging the expanded reach of the federal government in areas ranging from healthcare to education.

OTHER FACTS ON SAM

The son of a union steelworker, Sam strongly advocates issues that impact working families. By promoting the role of parents in their children's education, opposing tax increases on employees and workers, and crafting landmark legislation to eliminate school property taxes, Sam continues to build broad bipartisan coalitions on a range of important issues.

During his tenure on the House Education Committee, Sam authored the historic Education Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) scholarship legislation. To date, some 33,000 Pennsylvania students have been empowered to attend private or enhanced public school programs because of the initiative.

Sam and his family's love of the outdoors fuels a passion to improve the stewardship of Pennsylvania's natural resources. As the Republican chairman of the Game and Fisheries Committee, he was an outspoken proponent of commonsense conservation policies that respect private property and protects the rights of tens of thousands of hunters and anglers. Because of his uncompromising support for Second Amendment freedoms he has earned the consistent backing of sportsmen and gun owners.

Sam and his wife Ruth Ann are the parents of six children and four grandchildren. The Rohrer family considers their commitment to faith and family as their highest priorities.