Candidate profiles allow candidates to speak directly to their constituency and answer questions specifically related to the offices they are running for. All candidates listed on Lebanon County ballots have been contacted for an interview. Subsequent profiles will follow in order of candidate response.
Laura Quick is a candidate for State Representative of the 102nd Legislative District. This article will be broken down into two parts: 1) background information and 2) her candidacy for State House.
Background:
Laura Quick was born and raised in the Lebanon area; she currently resides in Palmyra. She began her early professional career as a teacher before transferring to a position as a truck driver with UPS.
Quick has a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies, a TEFL certification to teach English as a foreign language, a Pennsylvania Teaching Certificate for French, and studied economic geography and literature while studying abroad.
Quick said that after she graduated from college, she spent three years living in France, teaching English as a second language. When she moved back to the United States, she became a public-school teacher, teaching French at middle and high school levels.
Quick said that, at the time, the school she had been working for had decreased French language enrollment, leading to her shifting careers and working as a truck driver for the United Parcel Service, where she has now been for 22 years.
Quick said that since 2017 she has sat on the Board of Directors of United Way of the Capital Region and the Labor Advisory Board of the same organization.
Additionally, she said that since 2020, she has worked on the Coalition for a National Infrastructure Bank, which is a national initiative.
When asked if this was the first time she had run for public office, Quick said that she had previously run in the primary for the 9th District of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018 and 2020 (narrowly losing her party’s nomination in 2020).
Quick said she decided to run for office initially in 2018 because she was shocked by the lack of options on the ballot in previous years. When she moved back into the 9th Congressional District, several incumbent legislators had no opposition.
“No one was running against Charlie Dent |the current Congressman at the time|, no one was running against our State Senator, no one was running against Mauri Gingrich |The 101st District State Rep|”… “That’s not Democracy when you don’t have a choice,” she said.
Quick said that when she was younger, she did not think she would ever want to run for office after having an opportunity to intern in Washington D.C and witness the political atmosphere there. She believed she did not have “thick enough skin” to work in that environment.
However, Quick said that as she has gotten older and has had time to live life, she has determined that she is now willing to step up.
Candidacy for PA State House:
When asked about the platform of her campaign, Quick said that one of the most significant issues she wants to address is the lack of people-focus in our state government. She said the current General Assembly is filled with “partisan bickering” and not focused on the issues that affect the people’s day-to-day lives living in Pennsylvania.
Quick said, “I often call the Pennsylvania General Assembly the “mini-me” of the U.S. Congress because they are a microcosm of what is happening in Washington D.C.”
Quick said that she wants to emphasize people, regardless of whether or not it helps her win re-election in the future. She said, “I’m trying to find ways to have government work for the people.”
Quick said that what makes her stand apart from other candidates in her party running for State House is her experience working on elections on a much larger scale. While her bids for U.S. House were unsuccessful, she believes that the things she learned through the process will be beneficial.
Quick also said that she believes her work as a UPS driver has given her a unique insight into the lives of many of the people she is now hoping to serve and represent. In addition, she said that her work as a blue-collar worker has helped her become in tune with the people of her district.
Quick said that her work with United Way has also allowed her to understand the stigmatization of poverty better. While many people tend to believe that poverty results from a lack of engagement in work, Quick said that according to United Ways ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) report, poverty has much more to do with circumstance as opposed to character.
Quick said that as State Representative, the most significant accomplishment would be finding solutions and opportunities for the people she represents. In addition, she said that she wants to focus on pushing the Assembly to adopt a more bi-partisan approach.
Quick said that if the Assembly can re-focus its attention back on the people, we will be able to achieve much more in the long run.
Quick said that if elected, she plans to focus her first term on community outreach and identifying the issues the community feels most passionate about. She believes that with the advancement of technology, there is no reason why she could not have active and continuous communication with her constituents.
Additionally, Quick said that if she could pass any legislation immediately without any hurdle, she would pass legislation to protect the voting process within Pennsylvania. “Our voter system in Pennsylvania is under siege,” she said.
Quick said she believes people should vote for her because she is not afraid to work hard and get her hands dirty. She thinks she has the right experiences needed to be an influential policymaker. In addition, she believes that she is equipped to help people understand the policies the Assembly is reviewing and voting on.
Quick said the Assembly needs to earn back the people’s trust. If elected, she wants to bring her constituency into the conversation and make the people of PA’s 102nd Legislative District part of the discussion.
When asked what she would like to say directly to her constituents, Quick said, “I want to hear your ideas. I want to hear what ideas you have, and let’s see if we can make them work.”
Author: Amaury Abreu
