EDUCATION
Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, Dual Major - Biochemistry and Psychology, 1998-2003

Texas A&M University, College Station, Master of Legal Studies, 2025-Present

iVoterGuide candidate profile

MEET BABITA
ON THE ISSUES
GET INVOLVED
VOTE
ABOUT HOUSE DISTRICT 96
MY OPPONENT’S RECORD
CONTRIBUTE
MEET BABITA

Babita Rusyn is a wife, mother, scientist, teacher, and community volunteer who lives in Manheim Township with her husband and their two young children. After building a career in science, education, and public service, she is seeking to serve her neighbors and community as their next State Representative.

MEET BABITA

Babita Rusyn's Background:

Adjunct professor / Educator
Former DEA Forensic Chemist
Background in Biochemistry and Psychology
Currently a student of Legal Studies (Texas A&M School of Law)
Church board member 2024-2026

2026 LOCAL REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES

Babita Rusyn studied biochemistry and psychology at Stony Brook University and is pursuing a Master of Legal Studies at Texas A&M University. She lives with her husband and their two young children, and serves as a church board member.

Babita Rusyn - State Representative, District 96 - iVoterGuide

Candidates - Manheim Township Republicans

She spent a year interning with the New York Police Department before working for a pathology lab. She later joined the Drug Enforcement Administration, spending eleven years as a forensic chemist.

She met her husband in Lancaster and together they chose to make Manheim Township their permanent home, where they are raising their two children. After starting a family, Babita chose to leave federal service and transition into higher education. For the past decade, she has taught biochemistry and pharmacology at her alma mater, helping prepare the next generation of healthcare and science professionals.

WORK & MILITARY
DEA Northeast Laboratory, Forensic Chemist, 2004-2015

Stony Brook University, Adjunct Professor, 2016-2026

Babita currently works as an adjunct professor at Stony Brook University. She previously worked as a forensic chemist at the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Northeast Laboratory.

Rusyn’s run for Pennsylvania State Representative in District 96 is her first run for elected office. She previously ran unsuccessfully for the Manheim Township School Board.

2026 Pennsylvania General Election 

Affordability

Affordability is my top priority. I hear this often when meeting with voters, and polls show more than half of Pennsylvanians, both Republican and Democrat, are struggling to afford utilities, groceries, and everyday needs.

There are things legislators can do to help. Pennsylvania has one of the highest gas taxes in the state. I would support a tax holiday to provide immediate relief. I would also oppose unnecessary tax increases, and work to keep energy supply up and costs down.

ON THE ISSUES

Responsible Budgeting

This year’s four month state budget impasse stalled funding to schools, non-profit organizations, and human services. I would like to see everyone playing by the rules we have all agreed to in the Pennsylvania Constitution. This includes finding new sources of revenue rather than going into debt, and providing responsible budget plans.

No one wants to see late budgets, but no one wants to see tax hikes either. I will support enacting a responsible budget by the end of the fiscal year as required by our Constitution.

Supports a gas-tax holiday, opposes unnecessary tax increases, and seeks to keep energy costs down.

Wants responsible state budgeting to identify new revenue sources rather than incur debt.

Pledges to support enacting a responsible state budget by the end of the fiscal year.

- Supports a gas-tax holiday, opposes unnecessary tax increases, and seeks to keep energy costs down.
- Wants responsible state budgeting to identify new revenue sources rather than incur debt.
- Pledges to support enacting a responsible state budget by the end of the fiscal year.

Economy

As of October 16, 2026, Babita Rusyn’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Healthcare

Education

As a teacher, I support strong public schools, educational choice, and empowering parents and teachers to have a voice in their children’s education.

We should be expanding opportunities for students, not taking away millions of dollars of scholarship programs, or taking decisions on educational materials away from parents and teachers, and giving them to politicians and bureaucrats in Harrisburg. We should expand opportunities for students and schools.

Supports strong public schools, educational choice, and greater parent and teacher input in children’s education.

Opposes reducing scholarship programs or shifting decisions on educational materials from parents and teachers to state officials.

- Supports strong public schools, educational choice, and greater parent and teacher input in children’s education.
- Opposes reducing scholarship programs or shifting decisions on educational materials from parents and teachers to state officials.

Education

Pennsylvania has one of the highest gas taxes in the state. I would support a tax holiday to provide immediate relief. I would also oppose unnecessary tax increases, and work to keep energy supply up and costs down.

Data Centers

I have heard loud and clear from neighbors and voters that data centers are an area of real concern! I share those concerns. I don’t want to start immediately rejecting something that could benefit a community by providing jobs, revenue, and economic stability, but I also don’t want noisy warehouses that take more than their share of local resources. IF data centers are allowed, they must be good neighbors, and that begins with transparency, and good stewardship of our utilities and resources.

Seeks to keep energy supply up and costs down while opposing unnecessary tax increases.

Says data centers should provide transparency and responsibly manage local utilities and resources if allowed.

- Seeks to keep energy supply up and costs down while opposing unnecessary tax increases.
- Says data centers should provide transparency and responsibly manage local utilities and resources if allowed.

Energy & the Environment

03
Public Safety

Support police, fire, and EMS so every family feels safe in their community.

Babita for PA

Supports police, fire, and emergency medical services.

- Supports police, fire, and emergency medical services.

Public Safety

Elections

I believe state laws should give access to elections that are free and equal. Our elections must be a robust process that protects the integrity of the voting system and where citizens can exercise their constitutional right to vote.

We should empower our election directors with better data sources to perform voter list maintenance, and encourage citizens to participate both in voting and in working the polls.

Believes state election laws should provide free and equal access while protecting voting-system integrity and the right to vote.

Calls for better data sources to help election directors maintain voter lists and encourages voting and poll-worker participation.

- Believes state election laws should provide free and equal access while protecting voting-system integrity and the right to vote.
- Calls for better data sources to help election directors maintain voter lists and encourages voting and poll-worker participation.

Voting & Elections

Babita Rusyn

Edward Krutsch

Buket Urgen

Nikki Rivera

- Your state representative represents the interests of your local district in the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives. The State House of Representatives, along with the State Senate, makes up your state lawmaking body: the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
- Your state representative can author, sponsor, and vote on bills that may become state laws, including introducing tax bills. 
- State representatives and their staff respond to constituent concerns and questions through emails, phone calls, and website announcements. 
- State representatives oversee the executive branch and can vote to overrule a veto by the Governor.  
- They are elected to two-year terms and have a salary of $106,000, with a 1-3% annual increase

Your representative and state lawmaker in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives