Mike Folmer

Mike Folmer
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate from the 48th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 2, 2007
Preceded by	David Brightbill
Personal details
Born	Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Sheila Folmer
Residence	Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Religion	Presbyterian
Website	Pennsylvania State Senator Michael Folmer

Mike Folmer of Lebanon, Pennsylvania is a Pennsylvania State Senator who represents the 48th Senate district, which includes all of Lebanon County and portions of Berks, Chester, Dauphin and Lancaster Counties. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Biography

Mike Folmer was born and raised in the city of Lebanon, from a family line that has lived in the Lebanon Valley since the American Revolution.

Helping in the family business, the Folmer Fruit Company of Lebanon, Mike learned early on the value of hard work as well as prudent business skills.

After graduating from Lebanon Senior High School in 1974 (he lettered in track for three years in a row), Mike attended Grace College (Indiana) where he majored in History and participated in a variety of service projects in the community including prison and youth ministries. Mike married his wife, Sheila, and witnessed the birth of his first child while he completed coursework at Grace College.

Mike received his Bachelor of Arts degree in History, with a minor in Biblical Studies and Philosophy, in 1978 and returned to the Lebanon Valley where he resumed work with family business.

In 1986, he agreed to run for Lebanon City Council as the Democrat candidate, and despite warnings from various political “experts” that he did not have a chance to win, his hard work and perseverance (he personally registered over 1,000 new voters) paid off and he not only won his race but received the highest plurality of votes in a municipal election (even the leadership of the county Republican Party and the state senator paid their respects in a personal visit to Mike at his victory rally).

While on City Council Mike served as the Director of Public Safety, which included managing and enforcing the municipal codes. Mike trained with the city’s volunteer firemen (1986 certification) and completed a course of fire service cost efficiency hosted by the state Department of Community Affairs (1987 certification). Mike formulated and introduced a plan that would have saved the city hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in costs while at the same time expanding fire protection services for the city.

Fulfilling a term limits pledge, Mike left public service and spent several years in different career and entrepreneurial pursuits, from acting as an independent produce broker to serving as a personal financial consultant.

Mike turned his passion for people into a vocation when began working sales for tire manufacturers and wholesalers, and is currently employed with a local firm and is their top sales person.

A member of the Church of the Servant (Presbyterian Church in America), Mike has been serving as a Sunday School teacher for children ages 6 through 10.

In 2005, Mike and other local concerned citizens organized the Constitutional Organization Of Lebanon (COOL) to help re-introduce to members and the community at large the fundamental principles which led to the creation of the US Constitution.

Mike currently lives in the family home in which he was born and raised, and has the pleasure of enjoying the company of both his children and grand-children, all of whom live in Lebanon.

2006 Election

In 2006, Folmer, who was known through his campaign as "Citizen Mike", was one of several challengers whose campaigns were sparked by the 2005 legislative pay raise. Folmer's district was represented by David Brightbill, the Senate majority leader. Brightbill, along with Senate President pro tempore Robert Jubelirer took much of the criticism for the pay raise and were targeted by activists seeking to vote out legislators who supported it.^[1]

His campaign's largest contributor was Bob Guzzardi,^[2] however most of his funding came from small donations of individuals within his district.

On election day, Folmer overcame Brightbill's 20-1 fundraising advantage ^[3] of a million dollars to fifty thousand and won with over 63% of the vote.^[4] Folmer went on to defeat Democrat John Liss in the general election with over 63% of the vote.^[5]

2010 Election

In the 2010 election, Mike Folmer was challenged by Democrat Jo Ellen Litz, one of Lebanon County's three County Commissioners. He was re-elected with over 72% of the vote.

References

1. ^ Tracie Mauriello and Tom Barnes, Republican Leaders Fall, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 5/17/06
2. ^ Pidgeon, Dave (March 14, 2006). "Brightbill criticizes primary foe's poll". Intelligencer Journal (Lancaster, Pennsylvania). http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-9275026.html. 
3. ^ Jason DeParle, G.O.P. Conservatives Topple Veteran State Lawmakers in Pennsylvania New York Times, 5/18/06
4. ^ May 2006 Primary Results, Pennsylvania Department of State
5. ^ November 2006 General Election, Pennsylvania Department of State

External links

• State Senator Mike Folmer official PA Senate website
• Citizen Mike official campaign website

Pennsylvania State Senate
Preceded by David Brightbill	Member of the Pennsylvania Senate for the 48th District 2007–present	Succeeded by Incumbent

Persondata
Name	Folmer, Mike
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth
Place of birth	Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Date of death
Place of death