First impressions are sometimes very important. I met Joe Hamm for the first time in 2012 when he was borough manager for Jersey Shore and also a supervisor for Hepburn Township. At that time, I was a supervisor for Clinton Township and investigated the possibility of a regional police force for our area. I knew that Jersey Shore and the surrounding townships had formed the Tiadaghton Valley Regional Police Department, and I had hopes that this could also be done in the southern part of Lycoming County.

I called the Jersey Shore borough office, and Joe Hamm answered. He was more than willing to have me come and discuss the process with him. When I arrived at his office, I was hoping for a half-hour of his time, but it turned out to be an hour and a half. Joe was giving me a clear blueprint of what needed to be done and the challenges that I might face. I could not pull off getting a regional police department, but the visit with Joe was worthwhile.

My wife and I were also elected members of the Lycoming County Republican Party, and Joe Hamm put his name in for committee president. I could not imagine anyone who could be a better candidate, and when he won the position, he completely turned the committee around. One of his first changes was to put together a ‘working committee’ to bounce ideas he had in mind. He invited me to the team, and those meetings tremendously impressed me. I rarely saw a leader that was as open and honest. Only a person with a strong sense of responsibility would make himself so vulnerable.

So, when Joe Hamm threw his hat into the ring in 2020 to serve as a Pennsylvania State Representative for the PA 84th District, I wanted to be the first to give my attaboy. It would be hard to find a person more prepared for this position. He served his country in the PA Army National Guard from 2002-2008 and served in Iraq from 2005-06. He studied simultaneously and received a bachelor’s in political science from Lock Haven University in 2009. His work in borough and township government made him highly competent for the office.

Joe Hamm has served two terms and is already a presence among the 203 state representatives. He has twice been recognized by the American Conservation Union, which rates every legislator in the House and Senate in all 50 states yearly. This is a blind rating; the elected officials do not know which pieces of legislation the ACU chooses in their evaluation. Joe Hamm ranked #1 in both the Pennsylvania House and Senate. This means that in the entire General Assembly of 50 Senators and 203 Representatives, Joe Hamm is the most conservative and continues to have that recognition.

Another aspect of Hamm’s service is the remarkable size of his District. Each of the Pennsylvania representatives serves 64,052 residents in their District. In large cities, that might only cover a few blocks. Joe Hamm’s District is almost the size of Rhode Island! Yet, it seems that he is everywhere, whether it is helping organize assistance in 13 townships from the impact of hurricane Debby, to honoring Montoursville Little League for their 75th anniversary. His weekly emails highlighting his activities tire me just reading them — I marvel he can accomplish so much in such a huge area of responsibility. At the same time, he can balance his family life while being one of the most active public officials I know.

Joe Hamm will be on the ballot this November for those in the 84th District covering parts of Lycoming and Sullivan County. It is the last entry on the ballot, “Representative in the General Assembly 84th District (Vote for ONE) — Joe Hamm Republican.” There is no other name in that section. Joe Hamm is the one and only.